Chemical Industry Tool Balances Customer Requirements, Profitability

Compiled ByDeborah Austin Picaso Advanced Available-to-Promise (ATP) -- a new service of WAM Systems' business-to-business supply-chain planning solution suite Picaso -- aims to help chemical companies boost customer friendliness while analyzing and committing orders more efficiently. Picaso ATP primarily serves internal customer service personnel, providing in one console the background information and "need-to-know" questions to take each unique customer order. It identifies where demand changes affect current production/distribution plans, offering lowest-cost alternative sourcing to meet customer requirements. Embedded in chemical firms' Web sites, it also can help customers check availability and place orders online, and extend into trading exchanges. ATP integrates seamlessly with standard Picaso clients; an XML interface allows integration into enterprise resource planning, customer relationship management and portal-based applications. WAM, based in Plymouth Meeting, Pa., provides chemical-industry supply-chain planning solutions.