IT Solutions

"Warehousing management system, transport management system and enterprise resource planning (ERP) system commanded the largest portions in logistics companies' IT solution spending in 2005, respectively accounting for 24.7%, 18.5%, and 17.5% of the overall solution market. Nevertheless, with increasing market saturation and stabilization, the combined share of these three solution segments will fall from 60.6% at present to 59.3% in 2010. On the other hand, freight forwarding management and ERP will emerge as the fastest-growing solution segments in the next five years, respectively posing 2005/2010 compound annual growth rates (CAGRs) of 19.1% and 18.5%," Merriam–Webster defines logistics as the handling of the details of an operation. In the logistics industry, this specifically applies to the movement of goods—by plane, train, automobile, container ship, or 18-wheeler—in an efficient and timely manner. EDI plays a big role in the handling of these details, providing a means for better communications between distribution centers, shippers, transportation carriers, and other industry players.