RosettaNet Press Release
RosettaNet Launches Global Logistics Council To Promote Collaboration And Leadership Across Multiple Industries

Founding Members Include Cisco, DHL, Exel, FedEx, Hewlett Packard, IBM, Intel, Menlo Logistics, Portnet, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and UPS

For Release March 30, 2004

SINGAPORE

RosettaNet, the industry’s leading e-business standards consortium, today announced the formation of the RosettaNet Global Logistics Council. Cisco, DHL, Exel, FedEx, HP, IBM, Intel, Menlo Logistics, Portnet Singapore, STMicroelectronics, Texas Instruments and UPS are among the first major industry players to join as founding member companies.

The primary goal of the new Logistics Council is to engage value chain stakeholders in the development and deployment of RosettaNet e-business standards to reduce costs, increase velocity, improve data quality and accelerate trading partner connections. Other key areas of focus will include addressing compliance to governmental regulations, security considerations and reducing the variability inherent in complex supply chain models.

The logistics industry encompasses the supply of integrated transportation and information services — as well as the software, solutions and support that enables them — to facilitate moving products and increasing efficiency through the supply chain.  Logistics providers are intricately linked to the manufacturing sector, and thus, well positioned to create immediate value through increased business integration.   The formal organization and collaboration by logistics providers and their customers will further promote adoption and implementation of the RosettaNet standards across multiple industries.  

“The RosettaNet community has long recognized the need for a strategic and coordinated approach to addressing logistics issues in the supply chain,” said Jennifer Hamilton, RosettaNet President and Chief Executive Officer.  “The recent formation of the RosettaNet Global Logistics Council is a timely and logical response to this need. By consolidating independent logistics initiatives under a common leadership structure, RosettaNet can deliver added value to its members and the industry at large.”

The Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore (IDA Singapore), charged with the development of info-communications in Singapore, has actively supported the RosettaNet initiative since 2000. The agency was instrumental in bringing together leading companies to help form the RosettaNet Global Logistics Council.

"Today, businesses are demanding greater supply chain visibility in response to global competitiveness and heightened security requirements. Logistics is a key-supporting sector to many vertical industries such as manufacturing and retail. Hence it is important for logistics providers to integrate their IT systems with those of their customers so that processes and information flow can keep pace with dynamic market conditions. B2B standards like RosettaNet make such integration possible. IDA Singapore is pleased to support RosettaNet on the formation of the Global Logistics Council and further drive development and adoption of open, e-business standards in the logistics supply chain,” remarked Mrs Ching-Yee Tan, Chief Executive Officer of IDA Singapore.

The RosettaNet Global Logistics Council is comprised of third-party logistics (3PL) companies and manufacturers. 3PL firms (operators) offer customized logistics services and solutions, including supply chain design, production, storage, e-commerce, sales, distribution, transportation, freight forwarding, order fulfillment and returns, as well as integrated information, labor and supply chain management.  Manufacturers and distributors (shippers) procure logistics services and solutions.

Other roles within the supply chain include freight forwarders focused on designing logistics infrastructures, including international freight transportation, and management of statutory compliance, risk, rates, finance and payment, to provide customers with value around cost, speed and reliability. Solution Providers develop software to support the transportation of products and communication of information through the supply chain, while government agencies offer programs to develop emerging information technology to support the supply chain and advance the industry.

Mr Mark Patel, vice president of e-commerce and supply chain integration at Exel has been appointed Chairman of the RosettaNet Global Logistics Council.  Based in Singapore, Mr Patel will provide overall strategic direction and interface with RosettaNet’s Global Councils, Executive Committee and leadership team.

“The logistics industry is going through a major transformation -- from globalisation and the need for increased collaboration -- to requiring seamless visibility across supply chains. The RosettaNet Global Logistics Council provides an ideal platform for shippers, logistics companies, forwarders, customs authorities and carriers alike to define and adopt process driven global standards with the aim of reducing costs, improving visibility and enhancing data quality across the supply chain,” said Mr Patel.

Mr Kim-Siong Wong of Infocomm Development Authority of Singapore has been named Executive Director and will be on-loan to RosettaNet for a two-year term.  In this role, Mr Wong will work closely with members of the Logistics Council and RosettaNet senior management and staff, to drive priorities as set forth by the consortium’s Executive Committee.  He will also play an active role in developing and executing the Council’s ongoing recruitment strategy while supporting implementation goals via RosettaNet’s Milestone Program initiatives .

To date, RosettaNet has developed several logistics program initiatives to support the industry. For example, the eCustoms Declaration Milestone Program focuses on automation of customs import/export procedures that have traditionally been managed on a manual basis. Process improvement through standardization facilitates accelerated movement of goods with enhanced efficiency.

The Shipment Notification Management Milestone Program deals with Advance Shipment Notification (ASN) to facilitate the handling and movement of goods. A common ASN will support requirements for both logistics and procurement needs when Shipper sends physical goods to Receiver in single or multi-leg scenarios, thus eliminating duplication of effort.

The Global Logistics Council marks the sixth RosettaNet Council (formerly RosettaNet Board) to be created since 1998. Over the past several years, Council members comprised of electronic components, information technology, semiconductor manufacturing, telecommunications and solution provider companies, have worked together to promote the business value of RosettaNet standards that improve efficiencies across the global supply chain. RosettaNet industry leadership and community support has resulted in thousands of production implementations worldwide, as well as the continued regional expansion of the consortium across the Americas, Asia and Europe.

The RosettaNet Global Partner Conference being held 30-31 March in Singapore at the Raffles City Convention Centre, will feature a special industry panel discussion on RosettaNet Strategies and Implementations in Logistics. Companies represented on the panel include DHL, Exel, Institute for Information Industry (III) of Taiwan, Menlo Logistics and UPS.

For details on how to join the RosettaNet Global Logistics Council, please contact Mr Kim- Siong Wong, Executive Director at +65 6211 0339 (kim.siong.wong@rosettanet.org).

About RosettaNet

RosettaNet is a non-profit consortium dedicated to the collaborative development and rapid deployment of open, Internet-based business standards that align processes within the global trading network. More than 500 multinational and regional companies in the information technology, electronic components, semiconductor manufacturing and telecommunications industries participate in RosettaNet’s strategic standards and services development. Fortune 1000 companies worldwide have implemented RosettaNet standards, conducting B2B operations that value billions in annual revenues.

RosettaNet is one of the industry's most ambitious standards implementation efforts, reaching the Americas, Asia and Europe. To date, the consortium has established several regional affiliate organizations — in the Americas, China Europe,Japan, Korea, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Taiwan — giving a voice to various business economies seeking to adopt and influence RosettaNet's global standards. Information on RosettaNet’s worldwide activities, including a complete list of member companies and participating organizations, is available at www.rosettanet.org. RosettaNet is a subsidiary of the Uniform Code Council, Inc. (UCC).