Supply chain tech news roundup: alibaba.com, e2open
Alibaba.com upgrades B2B ecommerce platform
Alibaba.com – a platform for global business-to-business (B2B) e-commerce – has launched a suite of new products and enhancements.
As a one-stop platform for B2B sourcing, Alibaba.com is designed to streamline the buying process.
The new features include: a Smart Assistant tool, for staying up-to-date on trends and tracking orders; and an upgraded image search, to allow buyers to search for products by image; and real-time translation in 17 languages for live video chats with suppliers.
Stephen Kuo, President of Alibaba.com North America, said: “We are making the sourcing journey more intuitive by helping enterprises of all sizes better utilise today’s leading e-commerce technologies.
“At Alibaba.com, we are not just a link in the supply chain – we’re reinventing ourselves to become a link in the ‘creation chain’ for entrepreneurs.”
e2open adds freight API to SAAS network
Multi-enterprise network e2open has joined forces with machine learning-powered logistics solution provider Flock Freight to offer freight shippers better cost-efficiency and climate outcomes.
Flock Freight helps create a more sustainable supply chain by pooling freight at scale. e2open, meanwhile, is a connected supply chain SaaS platform.
The partnership provides e2open users with shared truckload solution, FlockDirect. This allows users to access real-time, dynamic quoting-and-booking capabilities, as well as truckload-level service.
"We are excited about our transformative partnership with e2open,” said Oren Zaslansky, Founder & CEO of Flock Freight. “It allows us to bring unparalleled advantages of shared truckload to shippers right where they are.
“With precise control over pickup and delivery scheduling we are ushering in a new era of efficiency, sustainability and reliability."
e2open Network & data GM Antoine Wade. said; “We’re pleased to bring Flock Freight’s shared-truckload capabilities to our logistics ecosystem at scale.”
FourKites launches AI supply chain solution
Supply chain visibility specialist FourKites has launched Fin AI, a natural-language interface that automates tasks such as assessing the impact of events across a shipment network.
Leveraging FourKites’ largest supply chain data network, Fin AI will help supply chain managers make proactive decisions, says the company, adding that it will also help them automate supply chain orchestration at scale.
Fin AI can allow users to isolate impacted shipments and diagnose why a shipment isn't tracking.
Tracking more than 3 million global shipments per day, FourKites’ repository of supply chain data comprises around 6,000 data points per shipment per day, and more than 62 billion miles tracked per year.
“We’re proud to be building at the leading edge of supply chain data and AI,” said FourKites founder and CEO Mathew Elenjickal. “With Fin AI, we are giving our customers actionable insights across their supply chains.”
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Other magazines that may be of interest: Procurement, Manufacturing & Sustainability. Also check out our upcoming event in September: Procurement & Supply Chain LIVE London.
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