Forest2Market Case Study
|
IBM Customer Reference |
 |
|
|
|
|
| Forest2Market.com | |
|
|
|
|
| Synopsis: | An e-business solutions provider for the forest and wood products industry eases and accelerates time-consuming market research for its customers when it launches a Web-based timber-pricing application based on IBM WebSphere software and powered by IBM System x hardware |
|
|
|
| Location: | Charlotte |
| North Carolina | |
| United States | |
| Industry: | Industrial Products |
| Focus Area: | Application Design-Build-Manage, RSI solution, Small & Medium Business, Express |
| URL: | http://www.forest2market.com |
Customer Background:
As part of a US$65 billion industry, companies in the forest and wood products market have a number of difficult challenges to address, including lengthy supply chains, logistical problems and environmental issues. Forest2Market.com (F2M) strives to help companies address these challenges by bringing its customers into the e-business world. The company serves a wide range of customers, from giants such as International Paper to over 100,000 private landowners who provide timber for the industry.
Business Need:
As a startup company, F2M wanted to build its product portfolio from the ground up with offerings and services that could deliver immediate value to companies in the forest and wood products industry. One of the first initiatives that the company embarked upon was a Web-based application that could provide customers with up-to-the-minute timber prices - a factor that frequently fluctuates because of variables like location, road access and weather. As a new company with limited funding, F2M had to be especially mindful that the project did not go over budget. In addition, the new Web application needed to promote quick data collection and accurately calculate individual price components using predictive techniques based on current and previous information. F2M needed a competent, reliable solution provider to help it bring its new product to market.
Solution:
Working closely with IBM Business Partner Shared Vision Group, F2M created a robust timber-pricing Web application based on IBM WebSphere Commerce Express V5.6 software, which is powered by an IBM System x3550 (formerly eServer xSeries 336) server running the Microsoft Windows 2003 operating system. An IBM System x3400 (formerly eServer xSeries 226) server running the Microsoft Windows 2003 platform powers IBM DB2 Universal Database software, which acts as a repository for all of the client's pricing data.
The Web-based solution provides forest product companies, regional consulting companies and private landowners with real-time access to important pricing reports. With just a click of a button, customers can track all timber prices specific to their mill or timberland. In addition, nonmember site visitors can query information from the database on a pay-per-use basis. Access to this crucial information enables customers to spend less time assessing the market and more time focusing on buying and selling timber. The reliable IBM System x servers keep the new Web-based application and accompanying DB2 database running around-the-clock, enabling customers to check on timber pricing information whenever they need to.
Benefits of the Solution:
By joining forces with IBM Business Partner Shared Vision Group and implementing powerful IBM WebSphere Commerce Express software bolstered by a reliable IBM System x hardware foundation, F2M was able to create a unique Web-based timber-pricing application that has given the company a distinct competitive edge in the forest and wood products industry. Satisfied customers have reported that the pricing tool has turned what used to be a nine-hour market-analysis project into a simple 15 minute Internet query. Furthermore, the solution was delivered on time and came in under budget - both crucial factors for a new business like F2M. And with reliable IBM products powering the solution, customers can access timber-pricing information around-the-clock, from any location, via a Web browser.
Customer Quote:
"These comments are coming from a person who has been in the industry for about 30 years and has worked on many a big project and knows when a team is qualified and when it is not. The failure rate in the industry is about 80 percent for a large project like ours, as has been documented by several studies. And yet, we came in on-time and on-budget through the efforts of everyone involved. It is not many dot.com companies that pull off what was just done. " -- James H. Wood, chief information officer, Forest2Market.com