Manhattan Associates (NASDAQ: MANH), a global supply chain commerce authority, has today unveiled its Fulfillment Experience Insights dashboard. This innovative tool is designed to offer retailers a real-time analysis of how their omnichannel fulfillment operations compare with the broader industry. The dashboard represents a significant advancement in continuous benchmarking, enabling retailers to see how they fare against a wide array of peers and competitors, effectively overcoming the usual delays found in traditional benchmarking tools.

Incorporated into Manhattan Active® Omni, this novel capability provides a singular view of key digital order fulfillment metrics, including store pickup conversion, shorts and abandonment, and fulfillment timeframes. Retailers can now scrutinize, quantify, and refine their supply chain execution strategies through the use of aggregated and anonymised data from the Manhattan Active cloud ecosystem. This distinctive analytical tool allows for rapid shifting between different timeframes, offering comprehensive insights into the experiences retailers are delivering to their customers.

Discussing the new dashboard, Amy Tennent, senior director of Product Management at Manhattan, said, “Introducing cutting-edge innovation like the Fulfillment Experience Insights Dashboard is one of the reasons Manhattan continues to be ranked the only leader in omnichannel order management. For the first time ever, retail operations teams can see exactly how they are performing against the rest of the industry. This is a complete game changer, because they now have a starting point to begin creating more efficiency and improving fulfillment performance for their customers.”

Manhattan’s development of this solution is enabled by its extensive experience working with hundreds of leading global brands, which use its fulfillment execution tools to handle millions of orders weekly. Utilizing this deep knowledge, Manhattan has identified the essential performance indicators vital for fostering growth and maximising revenue.

Following last year’s introduction of the first-of-its-kind Unified Commerce Benchmark, which analysed 286 customer experience capabilities across four segments, it was evident that the ‘Promising & Fulfillment’ segment lagged behind others. Manhattan’s new dashboard offers retailers real-time insight into this critical area, aiding them in becoming frontrunners in Unified Commerce.

For a demo or more details, visit Manhattan’s Booth #3639 at NRF 2024.

NetBet, a leading gaming operator, has excitingly announced Arsenal legend Ray Parlour as their UK brand ambassador for the 2024 season, following the successful launch of their new sports betting app.

Having established a strong presence in the UK market with their sports betting and online casino offerings, NetBet’s partnership with Ray Parlour marks a significant step. Parlour, known for his extensive knowledge and popularity in football, horse racing, and golf, aligns perfectly with NetBet’s vision for a sport-packed 2024.

Parlour, an integral part of Arsenal’s renowned Invincibles, will now lend his charisma to NetBet’s sports and casino marketing efforts, promoting the brand in an engaging and responsible fashion.

Coinciding with this partnership, NetBet has introduced an updated sports betting app, packed with features like free-to-play games, daily promotions, and extensive betting markets across top sports.

Ray Parlour expressed his enthusiasm, saying, “I’m thrilled to be part of NetBet. We’ve got an unbelievable year of sport ahead and NetBet has some fantastic plans for me to get involved with.” NetBet Managing Director Marcel Prioteasa remarked, “We’re delighted to have Ray as part of our team. We know that our players know a thing or two about sport, and with Ray being one of the most loved characters in football, we’re excited for them to enjoy his exclusive content and expert opinion.”

NetBet, with a UK gambling license since 2017, is operated by NetBet Enterprises Limited and enjoys a strong global player base.

IMO, renowned as the largest car wash company in the world, is set to open six new locations in December 2023. These will be located in Genk and Beringen in Belgium; Ostrava in the Czech Republic; Miskolc in Hungary; and Warilla and Perth Airport in Australia.

Staying true to its reputation for innovation in the conveyor car wash industry, the new IMO locations will feature:

• State-of-the-art wheel scrubbing technology with a foaming alloy spa.
• A foam application process to effectively remove paint contaminants.
• A polymer-based soft brushing technique for enhanced paintwork shine.
• Door sill technology targeting the lower half of the car.
• Cutting-edge drying technology with a 155mph air speed smart nozzle.
• Soft towelling drying strips and polish options for a perfect finish.
• Contactless payment for vacuums and jet washes.
• Contactless payment for air and water services.

Additionally, IMO is introducing its Ceramic XTR in these international markets for the first time.

Tracy Gehlan, president of IMO, remarked: “Developed for people who love their cars, Ceramic XTR has been carefully created using the latest surface technology and innovative ingredients which, in conjunction with our handmade, soft foam brushes, combine to provide a showroom shine and surface protection that lasts.”

Gehlan further commented: “Ceramic XTR from IMO is the most durable paint protection car wash we have ever released. Throughout its development, our experts have continuously refined the formulation to produce an extreme ceramic coating with a deep gloss-like finish.”

VitrA Tiles, the flagship ceramics division of the Eczacıbaşı Group from Türkiye, has been inducted into the prestigious Global Lighthouse Network (GLN) by the World Economic Forum, earning its status as a Factory Lighthouse. This accolade acknowledges VitrA Tiles as a frontrunner in manufacturing innovation, especially in the application of Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) technologies.

The acceptance speeches by Atalay Gümrah, CEO of Eczacıbaşı Group, and Hasan Pehlivan, CEO of VitrA Tiles, at the Davos Summit on January 15, 2024, highlighted the transformative impact of 4IR technologies on their manufacturing processes. They emphasised how these advancements have enabled the company to excel in a volatile market environment.

This award is especially noteworthy as VitrA Tiles is the first company within the ceramic tile industry to be recognised by the World Economic Forum for its innovative use of 4IR technologies.

Atalay Gümrah shared his enthusiasm, stating, “We are thrilled that our Bozüyük Production Facility has been selected as one of GLN’s Factory Lighthouses, in recognition of the leadership we have shown in deploying Fourth Industrial Revolution technologies. Facing disruptions in manufacturing from climate change, a volatile financial landscape, and geopolitical crises that have led to fluctuating energy prices, particularly in Türkiye, this recognition underscores how we looked at these challenges not as setbacks, but as catalysts for further innovation and growth, harnessing 4IR to enhance our operational competitiveness.”

VitrA Tiles’ Bozüyük site has made significant advancements through its digital transformation strategy, achieving a 19% increase in Overall Equipment Effectiveness, a 56% decrease in scrap, a 14% decrease in energy consumption, and a 43% increase in the use of recycled content.

Hasan Pehlivan, CEO of VitrA Tiles, spoke about the value of global cooperation, “While our solutions might be unique, the challenges we face are global and we recognise the value of a global community in solving global challenges. The future of manufacturing is not about just one company, or one sector, or a single country, but about bringing the global community together to address major challenges. I believe the GLN has much to contribute to this journey, and I welcome this excellent latest initiative from the World Economic Forum.”

Members of the GLN, adopting AI and machine learning, are redefining production on a global scale. Impressively, 85% of Lighthouse factories experienced less than a 10% revenue loss during the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, a level of resilience rare among other manufacturers.