American Eagle Outfitters, a retailer of "lifestyle" apparel for 15- to 25-year-olds, has contracted GT Nexus to implement and operate a technology platform for global transportation and import operations management.
American Eagle has more than 784 retail outlets in the U.S., and is a major importer. Through its dedicated international logistics division, Blue Star Imports, the company manages a supply chain that stretches across more then 25 countries and hundreds of suppliers.
The technology platform is part of a corporate initiative to improve the company's import supply chain operations by providing a unified data hub and a global logistics control system with which American Eagle will manage international freight activities.
"With GT Nexus as our technology partner, we have embarked on an initiative that will bring our global logistics operations into the 21st Century," says Hank Shechtman, the company's vice president for import operations and logistics.
GT Nexus will deliver "on-demand" software applications, partner connectivity and data integration services, and performance management tools. The platform will centralize, in a single online system, several global logistics activities, including: procurement of air and ocean freight services; development of strategic allocation plans to assign freight volumes across carriers; real-time rate lookup and compliance monitoring; auditing of expected versus actual freight charges; and strategic shipment planning and execution encompassing purchase order bundling, shipment booking with consolidators, container-level optimization, vessel/voyage scheduling and mode/route selection.
Visit www.gtnexus.com for more information.