Following growth in its hosted offerings, FWL Technologies has invested in a new high-tech service centre to provide enhanced services to supply chain organisations worldwide.
Initial client applications include warehouse management, shipping, e-commerce and transport plus links to Europe and North America, supporting online registering of manifests, with further linkage to US customs. The services include: l Latest security and environmental controls.
Optional duplex hosting at separate locations, offering real-time mirroring for extra resilience.
Pay-as-you-use flexibility, particularly relevant for 3PL and 4PL operations.
Five companies already online, ranging from a global shipping line to a leading drinks distributor, a major third party logistics organisation, a tools and equipment retailer to a builders merchant.
Dave Renshaw (pictured), chief operating officer at FWL Technologies, says: “We have been seeing a marked increase in our clients’ interest in outsourcing their hardware – where we provide the software solutions and support services.” He says this arose when companies, particularly in the third-party logistics sector, were showing considerable interest in the hosted model, whereby “clients can buy seats onto our systems and can implement a whole project on a ‘pay as you use’ basis, either by number or transactions or by number of users”.
New contracts can start at exactly the right level and, if volumes rise, costs simply increase in line with usage. Similarly if volumes fall or, in a multi-client warehousing operation – as clients sign up or leave – costs can move accordingly. This is exactly the flexibility logistics service providers crave, says Renshaw.
The operation, based in the North-West, was originally a dedicated ICI data centre, and FWL has invested heavily in bringing facilities up to the latest standards. A backup system is located several miles away and clients can choose to duplex their operations in real-time.
FWL Technologies is one of several supply chain software companies exhibiting at Logistics Link 2004, being held on February 3 and 4 and Sandown Park, Esher, Surrey. For further information contact Richard Milbourn on 020 8661 1160 or visit www.logisticslink.co.uk.
