In one of the biggest scheduling-software deals to date, Texas Instruments Inc. has signed a multi-year licensing and joint software development agreement with scheduling systems maker i2 Technologies Inc., Irving, Tex., valued at $24 million. The deal, announced earlier this month, includes software licenses, services, and support.
TI will use i2's flagship system, Rhythm, for planning, optimization, and decision support. i2's Rhythm Available to Promise will be used to provide real-time available-to-promise commitments to customers. In addition, TI will employ Rhythm Demand Planner for forecasting and demand management, and its Factory Planner for more intelligent sourcing on the factory floor. Finally, i2's Supply Chain Planner will help TI coordinate transportation, distribution, and manufacturing worldwide.
"Speed and flexibility are key components to success in our market . . . ," says Shari Temple, business systems director at Dallas-based TI. "The real-time decision support capabilities of the Rhythm suite will allow us to keep inventory low, guard against obsolescence, and meet customer demand at all of our production and distribution locations worldwide."
