ToolsGroup, a vendor of supply-chain planning software, has created an outsourced service which feeds optimized inventory targets to customers.

Warehouse-management system (WMS) software is hardly new, but users are increasingly on the lookout for new applications that can be implemented more quickly and less painfully, says Diego Pantoja-Navajas, president and chief executive officer of Logfire. Among the new features they are exploring is the software-as-a-service (SaaS) model, dubbed more recently cloud-based technology.

Initiatives such as the Global Supply Chain Forum, which resides at Ohio State University's Fisher College of Business, give the business world access to academic expertise and valuable research, says forum director Douglas M. Lambert. Such efforts are becoming more common, he says, adding that "the business community ought to be our laboratory."

Hubspan Inc., a vendor of business-integration software based in the cloud, has released six new business-to-business applications, built using the NetSuite SuiteCloud Computing Platform.

Encompass Global Logistics LLC, a third-party logistics provider specializing in the trans-Pacific trade, has launched a mobile application for cargo management, compatible with all Apple iPhone, iPad and iPod products.

Oracle Corp. has developed a mobile expense-management software application, under the JD Edwards EnterpriseOne brand.

Inttra, provider of an independent platform for booking and managing ocean freight, has created what it says is the industry's first standardized electronic bill of lading.

The Open Group has issued a "preview" of its new standard for promoting best practices in the area of supply-chain security. The Open Trusted Technology Provider Standard (O-TTPS) Snapshot, developed by The Open Group Trusted Technology Forum (OTTF), was designed for use by global providers and users of commercial off-the-shelf (COTS) products for information and communication technology (ICT).

Avnet Electronics Marketing Americas has launched the Rapid Benefit Escalation Tool (RaBET), enabling customers to model the cost savings to be derived from the use of Avnet products.