Logility and New Generation Computing Launch Supply Chain Traceability Solution Documenting Chain of Custody from Cotton Source to Importer of Record
Blockchain Allows Brand Owners and Retailers to Trace Source Materials Ahead of Pending U.S. Legislation Related to Forced Labor in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region (XUAR)
ATLANTA and MIAMI, Dec. 3, 2020 — Logility, Inc., automating the digital transformation of supply chain optimization and advanced retail planning, and New Generation Computing, Inc. (“NGC”), a leading provider of digital supply chain solutions for sourced goods, today announced the availability of the industry’s first digital traceability solution which allows brand owners and retailers to document the chain of custody from component origin to importer of record.
This solution ensures companies can trace chain-of-custody through all tiers in the supply chain while storing and managing all supporting documents related to every transaction between all supply chain trading partners at every level. This unparalleled visibility provides a digital thread that allows brand owners and retailers to generate a certificate that summarizes the chain of custody including all necessary information related to each exchange of products and materials from source to destination.
United States Customs and Border Protection announced on Dec. 2, 2020 that personnel at all U.S. ports of entry will detain shipments containing cotton and cotton products originating from the Xinjiang Production and Construction Corps (XPCC) and its subordinate and affiliated entities. This Withhold Release Order also includes any products that are made in whole or in part with or derived from that cotton, such as apparel, garments and textiles. This announcement from U.S. Customs and Border Protection means brand owners and retailers must either remove affected products before they enter the U.S. market or present evidence that proves the merchandise was not manufacturing using cotton that originated from the XPCC.
“The apparel industry will do what it takes to eliminate the use of forced labor in the supply chain,” said Mark Burstein, president and chief strategy officer, NGC. “If H.R. 6210 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act is signed into law as it is currently drafted, importers must be able to prove their products do not contain any inputs from the XUAR, including both materials and labor. NGC’s expertise in sourcing, quality and compliance combined with Logility’s expertise in visibility and planning allowed us to quickly work with brand owners and retailers to ensure visibility across the entire digital thread at this critical time.”
“This is an incredibly important issue for both Logility and NGC customers that requires immediate action,” said Allan Dow, CEO and president, American Software. “Our industry expertise and collaboration with both Logility and NGC customers allowed our innovation team to quickly identify the need and deliver a solution to confidently trace and certify the origin of products for brand owners and retailers that import products from China. In addition, we see broad applicability across many industries as consumers demand greater visibility and understanding of where products are sourced and manufactured.”
The H.R. 6210 Uyghur Forced Labor Prevention Act legislation, as it is currently drafted, will block the import of any goods into the United States that cannot prove the merchandise does not contain inputs originating in China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region. This digital supply chain traceability solution provides a single consolidated view that helps brands and retailers manage one of the most urgent issues today: enabling supply chain visibility beyond Tier 1 suppliers by incorporating a private blockchain that identifies buyers and sellers from the cotton source to importer of record. The primary data from each transaction creates a digital thread that provides a deeper level of supply chain transparency than has ever existed in the industry.
To learn more about the digital supply chain traceability solution, please visit: https://www.logility.com/campaign/product-traceability-using-chain-of-custody/.
About Logility
Accelerating the digital supply chain from product concept to customer availability, Logility helps large enterprise companies seize new opportunities, sense and respond to changing market dynamics and more profitably manage their complex global businesses. Leveraging the cloud based Digital Supply Chain Platform, Logility leverages an innovative blend of artificial intelligence (AI) and advanced analytics to automate planning, accelerate cycle times, increase precision, improve operating performance, break down business silos and deliver greater visibility. Logility customers include Big Lots, Hunkemöller, Husqvarna Group, Kontoor, Lacrosse Footwear, Parker Hannifin and Verizon Wireless. Logility is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMSWA). To learn how Logility can help you make smarter decisions faster, visit www.logility.com.
About NGC
Leveraging the cloud based Digital Supply Chain Platform, NGC powers the digital supply chain, enabling brands and retailers to maximize revenue and profit by accelerating lead times, streamlining product development and supply chain management, and optimizing distribution.
Leading global brands and retailers rely on NGC solutions, including Brooks Brothers, Carter’s, Destination XL, Fanatics, Foot Locker, Jockey International, Lacoste, Spanx, VF Corporation and many others. NGC has offices in Miami, New York, Los Angeles, Canada, China, India, Mexico, and El Salvador and is a wholly owned subsidiary of American Software, Inc. (NASDAQ: AMSWA). For more information, visit www.ngcsoftware.com.
The SaaS-based platform available through Logility and NGC transforms sales and operations planning (S&OP) and integrated business planning (IBP) processes; demand, inventory and replenishment planning; global sourcing; quality and compliance management; product life cycle management; supply and inventory optimization; manufacturing planning and scheduling; retail merchandise planning, assortment and allocation spanning the entire concept to customer lifecycle, including PLM, SCM, quality and compliance, as well as integrated business planning and demand, inventory, supply and retail optimization.
Forward-Looking Statements
This press release contains forward-looking statements that are subject to substantial risks and uncertainties. There are a number of factors that could cause actual results to differ materially from those anticipated by statements made herein. These factors include, but are not limited to, continuing U.S. and global economic uncertainty, the timing and degree of business recovery, unpredictability and the irregular pattern of future revenues, dependence on particular market segments or customers, competitive pressures, delays, product liability and warranty claims and other risks associated with new product development, undetected software errors, market acceptance of NGC’s products, technological complexity, the challenges and risks associated with integration of acquired product lines, companies and services, as well as a number of other risk factors that could affect the Company’s future performance. For further information about risks the Company and American Software could experience as well as other information, please refer to American Software, Inc.’s current Form 10-K and other reports and documents subsequently filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission. For more information, contact: Kevin Liu, American Software, Inc., (626) 657-0013 or email [email protected].