Agentrics and SINFOS Join Forces to Support Global Data Synchronization Adoption
In a move designed to re-invigorate the stalled Global Data Synchronization Network (GDSN) initiatives of retailers and suppliers worldwide, SINFOS GmbH and Agentrics LLC recently formed SA2 Worldsync. The joint venture, which combines SINFOS and the Agentrics GenSync data synchronization business unit and has operations in 15 countires, aims to help suppliers and retailers align and synchronize master data with retailers through the GDSN, but based on local/regional needs.
Heading up its management board as CEO is Nihat Arkan, who come to SA2 Worldsync from Agentrics where he was senior vice president of commercial management. He is joined by Ulf Adebahr, PIRONET NDH member of the executive board, and Jorg Pretzel, GS1 Germany chief executive officer. The venture's offerings include a range of services and supports new industry directions, such as price and product image synchronization. For suppliers in North America , SA2 Worldsync will provide free, basic data pool services and tools to help businesses self publish attributes for up to 10 items, or up to 20 global trade identification numbers.
This offering should specifically help smaller manufacturers comply with retailer requirements, regardless of to which data pool the retailer subscribes since SA2 Worldsync will fully support GDSN. For larger suppliers already synchronizing with trading partners, many through 1SYNC, there should be no additional fees to synchronize with SA2 Worldsync retailers, again, because of GDSN support. Additional costs will only be incurred if value-added services are needed.
Heading up its management board as CEO is Nihat Arkan, who come to SA2 Worldsync from Agentrics where he was senior vice president of commercial management. He is joined by Ulf Adebahr, PIRONET NDH member of the executive board, and Jorg Pretzel, GS1 Germany chief executive officer.
This offering should specifically help smaller manufacturers comply with retailer requirements, regardless of to which data pool the retailer subscribes since SA2 Worldsync will fully support GDSN. For larger suppliers already synchronizing with trading partners, many through 1SYNC, there should be no additional fees to synchronize with SA2 Worldsync retailers, again, because of GDSN support. Additional costs will only be incurred if value-added services are needed.
To truly succeed globally, particularly within supplier community, the politics that have plagued GDSN since the early trading exchange days need to be avoided. Since GS1 is involved at the management level, this joint venture is a promising sign for GDSN. Walgreens senior vice president and chief strategy officer John Gleeson agrees, "Walgreens uses global data synchronization to align our data with suppliers large and small. We support this new joint venture, which will help make this practice more prevalent across the retail supply chain. This is important to bring retailers and suppliers together in the adoption of data sync."
