IBM Sterling Commerce and eCOM Asia have entered into a partnership with Shanghai Wai Gao Qiao Group to establish eCOM Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd., building the top local China B2B/ EDI collaborative platform —IBM Sterling eCOM VAN, Chinese VAN (value-added network). Through this VAN, enterprises can connect to IBM Sterling Commerce’s international SCN (IBM Sterling Collaborative Network) directly and can trade with worldwide partners. Meanwhile, through this VAN, Chinese enterprises can do EDI transactions with over 3 million enterprises in more than 80 international EDI VAN’s, and connect to American and Canadian customs directly. IBM Sterling eCOM VAN is part of IBM Sterling Commerce’s international value-added network

eCOM Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. provides an advanced, serviced, secure and reliable B2B/EDI collaborative platform, establishing a comprehensive IT environment for supply chain integration to enhance competitiveness. It serves Shanghai city and other regions of China.

eCOM Information Technology (Shanghai) Co., Ltd. will provide following

value-added services via this VAN:

• Integrated Logistics Centre.

  Combine many fragmented logistics parties into a single centre. Integrate importers (manufacturers), logistic providers, consignees (including retailers, wholesalers, downstream manufacturers) into the supply chain system, to facilitate the transparency and efficiency of information flows and goods flows, with the goal of building a central electronic logistics center for international trade in each region.

• Integrated Procurement Hub.

  Provide a single platform to multiple purchasers to trade effectively, timely with complete visibility through electronic purchase orders. Establish an effective channel for purchasers or importers and foreign suppliers, so that orders can be transferred to each supplier accurately、timely and automatically. Enhance the competitiveness of Chinese suppliers; reduce the operating cost of purchasers.

• Integrated Retail Distribution Centre.

  Link upstream and downstream suppliers of different sizes effectively, as well as linking all the retail distributors in every region, to form a business community. Through this platform, commercial documents like purchase orders, sales orders, replenishment orders and stock lists can be transferred within the business community automatically, in a structured and manageable way. This achieves visibility and efficiency of commercial document flows and information flows, providing effective management of logistics which leads to improved cashflow.

• Integrated Manufacturing Centre.

  Companies in the supply chain can communicate effectively and timely through B2B/ EDI, they can collaborate to manage the orders production or planning production of safety stock. Production information (including sales orders, forecasts, stock levels, purchase orders and other documents) can be exchanged automatically between partners, achieving the goal of zero stock or safety stock production. Advanced Supply Chain Management such as VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory), JIT (Just in Time), CPFR (Collaboration, Planning, Forecast and Replenishment) etc, can be achieved through an establishment of B2B foundation. B2B/ EDI plays a key roles in streamline the information flow for supply chain.

  Through the integration of production centre + logistics centre + trade centre, eCOM could provide a point-to-point full cycle supply chain solution.

  The establishment of a collaborative platform for production, trade and logistics integrates enterprises’supply chain, customers and partners into one unit, with smooth information interaction, visible processes and efficient transactions.

Functions of IBM Sterling eCOM VAN

• Connect with international EDI VAN’s, over 80 networks and 3 million enterprises around the world.
• Systems located in Shanghai, Hong Kong and Manila, backup each others; Shanghai system adopts due ISPs : local Unicom and Telecom networks, and cluster technologies.
• Customized EDI functions, from traditional EDI to web EDI and entire supply chain management.
• IBM Sterling Integrator - Integration Suite Technologies.

  EDI data transformation and mapping

  Communications and security

  Data process management

  System integration services

  Visibility and management

  Extensibility of Supply Chain Application services

Domestic and foreign success stories have proven that enterprises who have implemented B2B/EDI collaborative information platforms have experienced the following benefits:

• Reducing the delays and errors related to information exchange
• Reduce inventory levels, improve inventory turnovers
• Enhance customer satisfaction
• Increase sales revenues
• Increase profits
• Improve cashflow
• Increase productivity, reduce workload
• Reduce procurement cost
• Enhance supply chain visibility and efficiency

Values of IBM Sterling eCOM VAN

• Represent IBM Sterling Commerce in Asia
• Granted a leading EDI technology solution by Gartner
• Localized operation and service
• Supported by Chinese government
• Stable financial status
• Accumulation of 15-years’ professional experience
• Technical team with EDI domain knowledge
• Partnership with Softbrands, QAD, and other ERP vendors
• Proven by more than 3,000 success stories
• Quick return on investment
• Cost effectives to on-board EDI community

IBM Sterling eCOM VAN Services

• Enterprise EDI centre, outsourcing service
• Assist enterprises to connect with foreign trading partners’ EDI
• Train partners on EDI (run workshops)
• EDI on-boarding services
• Go-live on-boarding support, 7*24 support
• English / Chinese (including Cantonese) support