Ford, Caterpillar, SAP Forge Service Parts Solution Alliance

ByDeborah Austin Caterpillar Inc., Ford Motor Co. and SAP AG are teaming to develop a service-parts supply-chain software solution eventually available to other manufacturers. The next-generation solution -- enabled by mySAP Supply Chain Management and mySAP Customer Relationship Management software -- is designed to help increase spare-parts service levels and reduce logistics costs. The manufacturers have licensed it to benefit Ford vehicle owners, Caterpillar's distribution network and external clients of Caterpillar Logistics Services Inc. The three companies also plan a co-developed solution, enhanced with best-practices gains by Dearborn, Mich.-based Ford and Caterpillar, Peoria, Ill., to support service-parts logistics planning, sourcing and warehouse logistics management needs of other manufacturers with diverse product lines.