Logistics technology: 3PL Central, DiCentral team up for integrated EDI-WMS offering

Jeff Berman, Senior Editor -- Logistics Management, 10/17/2007

HOUSTON and OREM, Utah—3PL Central, a provider of on-demand third-party logistics software, and DiCentral, a provider of Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) said this week they are collaborating to offer 3PLs with EDI-integrated warehouse management system (WMS) software.

The companies said in a statement that this partnership will offer 3PLs with an integrated Web-based application used to manage warehouse operations and EDI requirements for their customer base of shippers, manufacturers, and retailers.

Types of benefits this partnership will offer, according to 3PL Central and DiCenrtal, include: quicker order fulfillment, better accuracy by eliminating the need for retyping orders, greater control through real-time reports, and a Web-based platform that does not require hardware of software.  

3PL Central Vice President of Sales and Marketing Steven Katz told Logistics Management that this initiative was a result of customer demand, and that the actual integration of the two company’s platforms took approximately two months.

“Our customers are primarily public warehouses, and their customers that are mainly manufacturers and need a way to streamline order entry,” said Katz. “Right now, most people are using ‘swivel chair’ integration. This system allows customers to pay for only what they use for any one customer.”

Katz said that customer beta testing for the platform will kick off before the end of this month, and the first customer should be live on the system in mid-to-late November. He added that DiCentral and 3PL Central currently has joint customers but they are not currently using the full integration.

A major benefit of this system, explained Katz, is that it is fairly intuitive for end users, regardless of size.

“There are set up charges and processes on the DiCentral side and our side,” said Katz. “By the time this system is on a warehouse computer system, users will not have to worry about any type of EDI mapping or customer-specific requirements.”

In terms of its position in the competitive marketplace, Katz said this offering will be going up against major EDI players, some of which are not “Web-supported and 3PL-friendly” like DiCentral. He explained that with DiCentral’s platform data can be viewed by suppliers and 3PLs, which offers users a single view and single point of integration, which allows the 3PL, retailer and supplier to all see and share the same data.

Katz said that pricing for the integrated DiCentral/3PL Central solution starts at $1,500 per retailer trading partner and includes EDI mapping and account setup.  He added that monthly maintenance and support begins at $350 per trading partner and a $0.45 per kilobyte transaction fee.