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AcuSport Hits Bullseye With iWay Integration Suite
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Middleware, SDKs & Libraries
Applicable Industries
- Consumer Goods
- Retail
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Sales & Marketing
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Supply Chain Visibility
Services
- Software Design & Engineering Services
- System Integration
The Challenge
AcuSport, a leading distributor of outdoor and shooting sports products in the U.S., was facing challenges with its existing system of exchanging information with its vendors, retailers, and customers. The process of developing business-to-business (B2B) interfaces was becoming increasingly complicated, tedious, and time-consuming. The company's IT staff had to work with numerous order formats and network protocols to exchange documents, and create custom interfaces between the iSeries applications and a product information management (PIM) application from Stibo Systems. As business volume accelerated, the process of manually converting transaction information into the correct format for each system became inefficient. AcuSport began looking for a solution that would allow it to quickly integrate trading-partner documents with its software applications.
About The Customer
AcuSport is one of the leading distributors of outdoor and shooting sports products in the U.S. The company has more than 200 employees and distributes products from more than 250 worldwide manufacturers to 2,000 independent retail business owners in 4,000 retail locations. With regional offices and warehouse facilities throughout the nation, AcuSport is based in Bellefontaine, Ohio. The company provides a suite of business development solutions for independent sporting goods retailers nationwide. Retailers can efficiently access information, order goods, and make better business decisions thanks to the information that iWay supplies.
The Solution
AcuSport decided to standardize on iWay Integration Suite for all business-to-business (B2B) and application integration processes. The company replaced its legacy EDI system with cost-effective iWay interfaces based on standard protocols. iWay Integration Suite served as a middleware hub that facilitated the fast and accurate exchange of documents and data, both internally among its software applications and externally with business partners and customers. The company used iWay to create a wide variety of interfaces, including one that connects an iSeries-based e-commerce application called e-OnLine to Stibo PIM. iWay also served as the B2B gateway for EDI X12 and non-EDI X12 business transactions, reducing costs and simplifying several key business processes. AcuSport expanded the number and variety of document formats that it sends and receives, and iWay managed the exchanges and translated the data into the correct file formats.
Operational Impact
Quantitative Benefit
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