Following the deal, the SkyChain solution will replace Swiss WorldCargo’s existing legacy platform CARIDO with a modern, flexible and modular solution. This project is in line with Swiss WorldCargo’s intention to serve niche air cargo markets.
The new platform will facilitate the development, streamlining and re-engineering of a number of key business processes. It will incorporate the latest industry trends, such as the transmission and processing of electronic messaging mandated under IATA’s e-freight initiative.
The solution, wholly developed by Mercator in Dubai, has been designed to manage every aspect of an airline’s cargo business and will be extended with additional modules specifically tailored to the needs of Swiss WorldCargo. The new system, to be called Swiss Worx is also expected to offer a number of advantages to customers and users including easy interfaces to customs systems and to industry distribution channels including GF-X. Swiss Worx will also support the monitoring of standard quality metrics specified by the Cargo2000 Group and will also have the capacity to accommodate upgrades and changes through the flexible system architecture.
“It transforms information into a powerful asset, with data fully utilised to maximise performance, raise service quality and optimise resources. Processes are streamlined and enhanced, with the latest industry developments, such as IATA’s e-freight initiative, being fully supported,” says Patrick Naef, SVP IT Emirates Group and Head of Mercator.
Swiss WorldCargo has been building its focus on serving niche cargo markets and the implementation of this solution along with the additional modules is expected to offer greater advantages to customers. Teams from both the companies will work together on this enhancement project, with the objective of putting the full system into operation in early 2008.
“The choice of a new IT platform is probably the most critical decision yet in the young history of Swiss WorldCargo. Mercator’s cargo IT solution, to be called Swiss Worx at Swiss WorldCargo, will enable us to consolidate our position in the industry in terms of innovation and focus on the needs of specific niches,” says Oliver Evans, Swiss WorldCargo’s Chief Cargo Officer.
“There has also been huge progress in the reliability and flexibility of IT platforms for the cargo industry in recent times. Our cargo division gave us a challenging and exciting assignment to replace a system that has served us well in the past but has become very expensive and cumbersome to develop and maintain. Modern technology will now enable the integration of in-house systems with the wider industry community, thereby supporting data integrity and the strategic drive to reduce costs and paperwork,” remarks Frank Meyer, CIO of SWISS. The air freight division of Swiss International Air Lines currently serves a global network of more than 150 destinations in over 80 countries.
This deal also marks a very strategic partnership for Swiss WorldCargo. “We were not looking for a supplier but for a partner,” Evans adds. According to Naef, this is also a major step forward for the cargo carrier given the fact that this implementation will help the company overcome legacy technology.
“Our next generation SkyChain solution has proved to be a success. Working together, Mercator awill help Swiss WorldCargo to further enrich the system and gain flexibility and get access to the right kind of innovative business strategies,” he says.
Other customers for Mercator’s cargo systems include key players like Air New Zealand, Air Niugini, Air Pacific, British Airways, Dnata, Emirates, Jet Airways, Kenya Airways, Qantas, Royal Brunei Airlines, Singapore Airlines, and SriLankan Airlines.