Infor, a software company that provides business-specific software, has donated the software license for its SCM Network Design to University of Arkansas. The software will be used by the Supply Chain Management Research Center (SCMRC) in the Sam M. Walton College of Business at the university as part of ongoing research in supply chain management.

 

Infor SCM Network Design is a supply chain planning and analysis software used by many retailers, logistics providers, and manufacturers worldwide. Its models the entire supply chain to quantitatively evaluate network design options in terms of cost, revenue, and service. 

 

The organizations can use the software to create hypothetical analyses to optimize their supply chain networks based on the lowest cost and best service. This include reduction in the fuel cost, reduction in the transit times, etc. Another advantage of optimized supply chain networks is that it uses less fossil fuel, so it causes less pollution to the environment.

 

SCMRC provides a forum for research, education and collaboration on supply chain issues among students, faculty and industry leaders. It acts as a link between the university and the private companies. SCMRC excels in special areas of supply chain management theory and practices such as optimization and environmental sustainability.

 

Infor SCM Network Design will give SCMRC the access to the software that various companies use for designing their supply chain networks.

 

“Our goal is to use Infor SCM Network Design to put theory into practice, demonstrating how different variables impact efficiency and identifying the key characteristics of an optimized supply chain,” said Terry Tremwel, research director at SCMRC, in a statement.

 

According to Tremwel, Infor SCM Network Design will not only help companies develop best supply chain practices but also help students learn about advanced supply chain technologies available today.

 

Richard Simpson, senior product manager, Supply Chain Management, Infor, is of the opinion that the institutions like the SCMRC play an important role in designing the supply chain practices.

 

“Infor is committed to supporting them and we gain equal value through the collaborative exchange of ideas with their faculty and students,” Simpson said.

 

SCMRC is not the only organization using this software from Infor. Many other educational institutions worldwide have used various enterprise resource planning software from Info for their research activities. One of the most recent examples is the use of Infor ERP SyteLine at Binghamton University and Farmingdale University of the State University of New York.