November 2000

Celarix is the latest Web-based supply-chain connectivity specialist to transfer its expertise from the US to Europe. The company has set up headquarters in Antwerp and an office in the UK, and says it is already talking to ten potential users on this side of the Atlantic. This autumn it was appointed a member of the Commerce One affiliate programme.

Celarix has quickly established itself in the field of logistics and transport procurement and management. It places the accent on practical functions such as long- and short-term transport provision, contract management, booking, Customs compliance and visibility, and well as on binding these functions together. It draws data from existing systems, building interfaces with service providers as required, and generally operates on an outsourced application service provider basis. The company has a strong background in retailing (Lands End is a user) and in ocean shipping, and in fact offers a packaged software product for organisations setting up "badged" closed-group shipping marketplaces. It is also active in other sectors such as manufacturing, where Sharp Electronics is a high-profile customer. Sharp uses Celarix to provide domestic and international supply-chain visibility. The Celarix Web site has won prizes in its own right for its clarity and functionality.