LogicTools Releases New Versions of Supply Chain Network Design Products That Leverage Inventory Planning to Provide Powerful Optimization Solutions

CHICAGO, IL, Feb. 4, 2003 -- LogicTools today announced the release of the latest versions of its market- leading Supply Chain Network design products. This major release of LogicTools' LogicNet(R) and LogicNet Plus(TM) allows companies to incorporate ever more sophisticated constraints when modeling their supply chains and improves the ease of use and performance of the products. In addition, by combining these products with LogicTools Inventory Optimization product, Inventory Analyst(TM), customers can accurately analyze the impact of various Supply Chain strategies on inventory and safety stock levels.

LogicTools' network design solutions are used widely by industry and government agencies from small-midsize manufacturing companies like Yankee Candle to some of the largest distribution networks such as US postal service. LogicTools' supply chain planning solutions help companies design and implement high-performance supply chains with complex challenges. Leveraging a combination of integrated products such as LogicNet Plus(TM) and Inventory Analyst(TM) enables companies to create a uniquely powerful supply chain strategy and implementation.

DSC Logistics, a leading supply chain management company with a nationwide network, has recently leveraged the power of a combined Network Design and Inventory Optimization solution with one of their customers. After developing a variety of feasible Supply Chain Network scenarios, DSC Logistics further analyzed the various scenarios by calculating the impact on inventory levels using Inventory Analyst(TM), and was able to accurately determine inventory levels across the entire supply chain. Inventory Analyst(TM) replaces the traditional rule of thumb "square root of N" formula which was typically used to approximate inventory levels.

"The ability to utilize Inventory Analyst(TM) to determine the correct safety stock levels after completing the network design analysis provided us with an excellent way to add additional value to our client by making our analysis more compelling and accurate." said John Kelly, Senior manager of supply chain solutions at DSC Logistics. "Inventory Analyst was able to incorporate the LogicNet optimized network into the inventory calculations along with actual cycle time and case fill information to produce accurate SKU specific stocking requirements." DSC Logistics has used LogicTools solutions over the last five years to provide strategic and tactical analysis to a large number of their customers.

Inventory Analyst(TM) is a web based product that optimizes inventory across the supply chain taking into account the structure of the entire supply chain in making decisions on where to locate inventory. Optimizing inventory in a multi-echelon supply chain at one time is significantly superior to sequentially calculating inventory in every echelon of the supply chain. This type of solution has only recently become available commercially because of breakthroughs in solver technology and increasing demand for optimizing inventory in many industries. Combined with network design it can provide companies with new ways to increase profitability by analyzing the supply chain structure as well as help companies determine what part of their supply chain should be "make-to-order" versus "make-to-stock".

About LogicTools

LogicTools (www.logic-tools.com), founded in 1995 by David Simchi-Levi, Professor of systems engineering at MIT, offers supply chain software and services that support strategic, tactical, and inventory planning decisions in a variety of industries. LogicTools' solutions have revolutionized the market by replacing extremely complex, expensive and customized software implementations on the one hand and limited spreadsheet analysis on the other. Optimizing the supply chain results in not only significant savings (typically 5%-15%) but also provides clarity of vision and better understanding of the various trade-offs.

LogicTools has customers in across many industries including, CPG, Food, Retail, 3PL, High-Tech, Process & Discrete Manufacturing, Automotive and Public Sector. Some of LogicTools' customers include Black & Decker, ConAgra, Del Monte, General Motors, IBM, Kraft Foods, Mercer, Ryder Systems, SC Johnson, Truserv, UPS, US Postal service and many others.


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      CONTACT:  LogicTools
                Aimee Ortiz, 888/265-4706
                info@logic-tools.com