New Aberdeen Group Report Highlights Supply Chain Finance and Inventory Management Best Practices for Working Capital Optimization

TradeBeam, a leading provider of Global Trade Management (GTM) software and services, today announced the release of Aberdeen Group's Working Capital Optimization report. A complimentary copy of the report can be downloaded below.

Aberdeen surveyed 400 supply chain and finance professionals for this study. Sixty-five percent of respondents indicated that working capital optimization was a high priority for their companies. For those firms involved in global trade, it is even more critical to have the right inventory and supply chain finance practices to optimize their working capital. The report helps companies identify current best practices and strategic actions for working capital optimization.

TradeBeam's customers are keeping pace with the latest developments by reforming their supply chain finance and inventory management practices and adopting innovative technologies to achieve the next wave of working capital improvements.

"Companies are seeking best practices in how to move from working capital optimization theory to practical initiatives that will improve their corporate financial performance," said Viktoriya Sadlovska, research analyst on global trade and supply chain finance at Aberdeen Group. "Optimizing their inventory management and financial relations with customers, suppliers, creditors and debtors is critical to improving working capital management in the long run."

The top twenty percent of performers in the study (Best in Class) have an average cash conversion cycle that is 5-6 times shorter than that of the rest of survey participants. Best in Class companies in this study are:

-- 1.6 times as likely to be using supply chain/ inventory visibility
   technology.
    -- Firms that are using this technology are:
       -- Twice as likely to have reduced total landed costs over the past
          2 years
       -- 2.4 times as likely to have reduced inventory levels since 2004
       -- 3 times as likely to have faster-than-average order-to-delivery
          cycles
       -- Twice as likely to have reduced lead times and lead time
          variability from international locations in the past 2 years
       -- Almost twice as likely to report increased global supply chain
          budget accuracy over the past 2 years

-- Twice as likely as Laggards to have access to receivables/ payables/
   inventory financing at various stages in their supply chains:
   -- Firms w ith this capability are:
      -- Almost twice as likely to have reduced their cash conversion cycle
         over the past 2 years
      -- Fifty percent more likely to have improved their return on
         capital

TradeBeam helps companies achieve Best-in-Class results through a mature, full suite of supply chain finance and inventory visibility and management applications.

"Historically, the physical and financial supply chains were managed as separate entities," said Graham Napier, CEO of TradeBeam. "Maturing technology and services vendors with a global view and breadth are helping forward-thinking companies unite the two for vastly improved working capital processes that are proven to advance bottom line financial performance and free up material cash amounts for growth initiatives and other corporate priorities."

To learn more and download a complimentary copy of this report, please click on:

http://www.aberdeen.com/link/sponsor.asp?spid=30410206&cid=3996

About TradeBeam:

TradeBeam is a Global Trade Management (GTM) software and services company providing on demand solutions that streamline global trading processes for enterprises and their partners. TradeBeam's integrated solutions provide import and export compliance, inventory management, shipment tracking, supply chain event management and global trade finance solutions such as open account and letter of credit management. TradeBeam has over 3,000 customers with users in over 100 countries worldwide. For more information, please visit www.tradebeam.com .

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Media Contact: Margaret Hoerster Ruder Finn 312-329-3909 hoersterm@ruderfinn.com