First Board Meeting Launches the Trade Data Exchange
Logistics leaders initiate first-ever global clearinghouse for supply chain data
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The inaugural meeting of the Trade Data Exchange (TDE) Board of Directors on Tuesday signals a change in the way supply channel partners work together and indicates improved communication and sharing of key data across the global supply chain.
“The TDE represents a significant industry shift,” said Chris Gutierrez, President of Kansas City SmartPort, which served as an incubator for the TDE concept. “The TDE organization helps us fill mutual needs, so we’re doing what no single company can do,” Gutierrez added.
TDE is a member-run and a member-owned community of supply chain partners who will solve critical common challenges in technology, standards and trade processes. TDE seeks to provide relief for common industry pain points, such as border delays, unreliability of shipment data and opportunities for miscommunication.
At the meeting, board members will launch the first-of-its-kind clearinghouse for supply chain data using a community approach that will help solve today’s supply chain challenges. TDE, which has global reach, will save members time and money by reducing or eliminating the so-called “black holes” of supply chain movements where transportation data is temporarily lost, absorbing time and resources.
TDE complements the Electronic Freight Management (EFM) initiative, a USDOT-sponsored project that applies Web technologies that improve data and message transmissions between supply chain partners.
TDE is actively recruiting members to use its “Real Trade Data,” a technology that enables multiple partners to track shipments for the logistics industry in a more visible way. It connects the entire supply chain, including shippers, carriers, customs brokers, global trade management software (GTMS) providers, warehouse companies, container freight station (CFS) companies, third and fourth party logistics providers, (3PLs/4PLs), financial companies and insurance agencies. Real Trade Data helps enhance visibility as shipments change hands across borders and across town.
“The Trade Data Exchange is about improving processes, not about technology. But the technology allows us to create a shared platform to improve supply chain communication,” Gutierrez said.
Board members attending Tuesday’s meeting include Jeff Clark, ODW Logistics; Bob Davidson, Demdaco Corporation; Howard Heim, American National Standards Committee; Ken Hoffman, Dysart Taylor; Tim Feemster, Grubb & Ellis Supply Chain Group; Alfred J. Figuly, Greater Kansas City Foreign Trade Zone, Inc.; Chris Gutierrez, Kansas City SmartPort; Robert Marcusse, Kansas City Area Development Council; Steve McElhiney, EWI Risk Services; Murray Messner, Intermodal Marketing; Michael A. Priest, TranSystems Corporation; Roger Scarbrough, Scarbrough International; Craig Stevenson, Commerce Bank; Roger Woody, University of Kansas.
For information about membership in the Trade Data Exchange, contact Chris Gutierrez at (816) 374-5640 or at Gutierrez@KCSmartPort.com.
Note to Editors: A fact sheet on the Trade Data Exchange is attached. The Trade Data Exchange website is located at http://www.tradedataexachange.com.Media Contact
Marketing Specialist
Kansas City SmartPort
(816) 374-5640
