Composite Transportation Software Supports a Global Chemical Company

One of the world’s largest industrial and chemical companies needed a railcar management system that could effectively integrate all aspects of its transportation requirements into a single, synchronized process.

With over 100 years in business, this Ceiba Solutions customer is a leader in electronic chemicals and phenol resins that are used to make adhesives, plastics, specialty coatings to photo-imaging products. In fact, the chemicals they produce end up in products that every household comes in touch with on a daily basis.

Ceiba Solutions proposed its agile software development methodology to define an exact model of a transportation system that would link the customer’s Ross ERP system and other business software with its suppliers, as well as rail, truck and ocean shipping companies. In addition, it would provide a connection with Railinc, an independent, real-time tracking information system for railcars.

The project also involved upgrading the Ross ERP software to version 6.3, as well as rolling out new implementations of this version throughout the world.

The outcome was a composite software application for transportation that:

• Provides railcar tracking through Railinc
• Handles sales and purchase order reconciliation
• Tracks hazardous goods
• Delivers notification of shipments
• Automates reporting via email alerts

One significant new capability is the scheduling of 3rd party haulers, including trucks and railcars, for just-in-time loading and offloading, with all reports and receipts being efficiently handled electronically. The cost savings associated with not having ready chemical shipments waiting for transport are enormous.

From contract signing to “go-live,” the entire project took only five months.