Octet Japan -- the venture formed by Octet Corporation of New York, NY and JPComCenter of Stamford, CT to deliver solutions to the Japanese market, both in Japan and the United States -- today announced its building-block based end-to-end logistics and supply-chain management solution.

Companies can now obtain the systems and functional building blocks, including Web interfaces, needed to customize, extend, and replace existing software infrastructure. Unlike most software companies, Octet Japan guarantees clients on-time delivery at the agreed-upon price, along with a one-year software warranty and full support. The logistics and supply-chain management solution extends the venture's offerings beyond the trading and banking sectors.

"We are thrilled to add logistics to our solutions toolbox," says Tatiana Aleksa, CEO of Octet. "JPComCenter's expertise in creating enterprise-level software for Japanese users and its extensive knowledge of Japan's logistics markets complements Octet's robust back-end engines and integration skills." JPComCenter's clients are Japanese and multinational corporations targeting Japanese users. Octet is known for creating mission-critical and end-to-end applications on-time and on-budget.

Today's goods and raw materials move via complex choreography across sea, land, and air, using a myriad of agents and brokers for each piece of the puzzle, and with a bewildering array of regulations and paperwork at every stage. Success requires complete end-to-end visibility and superior information management, no matter if the shipping component is a modern airplane or a courier on a bicycle.

Manufacturers, customers, and shippers are demanding faster and more accurate answers to the age-old questions: "how much will it cost," "what are my options," and "where's my shipment?" The problem faced by many logistics companies is software designed for a slower, more static world.

"Many Japanese companies still use printed forms, manual data entry, and humans to handle queries," says Marc Ira, CEO of JPComCenter. "More than 90% of Japan's logistics companies are not yet Web-capable." These companies had no easy migration path, until now.

"Logistics software vendors typically require a company to throw out an existing system and modify its business model," explains Ashraf Ebid, Octet's Executive Vice President. "Octet Japan's approach allows companies to leverage, extend, and build on existing systems instead of starting over from scratch."

Combining functional modules, customized control, and interfaces to a company's existing software infrastructure yields maximum flexibility at off-the-shelf prices and delivery dates. Integration with foreign systems uses a plug-and-play software framework. "Think of plumbing fixtures," explains Ebid. "Once the end of a non-standard pipe is converted to a standard connector everything fits perfectly." The framework also keeps the door open for future expansion and enhancements.

Many older logistics systems are struggling to cope with new cargo monitoring requirements added to deal with biological pests, drug trafficking, controlled materials, and terrorism. Security is now a critical issue. "Massive amounts of confidential information -- fees, clients, and the goods themselves -- must have access restricted on a need-to-know basis with all retrievals logged," says Ira. "Security can't be an afterthought; it has to be designed in from the start."

Flexible logistics and supply-chain management modules coupled with Octet Japan's integration expertise allows companies to obtain robust and cost-effective solutions without in-house development. "No two Japanese companies have identical logistical needs," notes Ira. "There is no 'one-size-fits-all' solution." That's why Octet Japan's modules -- Web front-end; land, sea, or air transportation management; contract rate control; customs clearance; etc. -- will be appreciated by companies seeking customizable solutions to complex logistics problems.

"Octet Japan is the ideal partner for companies recognizing the value of software solutions delivered on-schedule, at the contracted price, and with a one-year warranty against all defects," says Ebid. "Companies seeking a skillful and trustworthy supplier only need to remember one name: Octet Japan."