Press Releases
06/25/2002
SAN FRANCISCO, June 25, 2002 - CSX Lines and its logistics technology subsidiary, Horizon Services Group, today unveiled plans to release logistics management solutions for business-to-business e-commerce based on Microsoft .NET technology.
The announcement was made at the Eye for Transport Conference, currently underway in San Francisco.
As an early adopter of the Microsoft .NET platform, CSX is one of the first companies to provide logistics management solutions based on this advanced technology. This summer, CSX and Horizon Services intend to release SEDcaptain™, a tool that will enable shippers to automatically create and file Shipper Export Declarations directly to U.S. Customs using the agency’s Automated Export System (AES). SEDcaptain™ will be the first .NET release in the CaptainSuite™ software that Horizon Services is rolling out during the next nine months.
"Microsoft is excited to see CSX Lines and Horizon Services Group developing on the Microsoft platform with .NET technologies. This is an important step for the transportation industry," said Ilya Bukshteyn, group program manager for the Developer Platform and Evangelism Division at Microsoft Corp. "Horizon has the proven track record of successful implementation at CSX Lines, and its intimate knowledge of logistics management processes ensures successful development."
The XML capabilities baked into the Microsoft platform with .NET enables enterprises to overcome stubborn business integration issues associated with traditional Electronic Data Interchange (EDI). Microsoft .NET technology makes the promise of XML-based business-to-business integration a reality, lowering the barriers for true e-commerce solutions for all companies of any size and expertise.
"All companies in transportation and logistics, but particularly the small- to mid-size organizations, are facing the same challenges to taking greater advantage of e-commerce - limited resources, limited budgets and limited time," said Duncan Wright, head of strategic sales and product development for Horizon. "Microsoft .NET technology will help companies overcome the age-old barriers to more dynamic systems integration, making possible all the cost-savings and value creation inherent in the integrated supply chain."
CSX Lines and Horizon Services join a host of other companies supporting the Microsoft platform and .NET technologies. .NET has rapidly been gaining momentum in all areas of the business application software sector since the Microsoft Visual Studio .NET launch in February 2002. Companies supporting the technology now include Adobe Systems Inc., McAfee.com, Toshiba TEC Corp., Onyx Software Corp., Symantec Corp., Plumtree Software Inc., Clarus, Centra, Avinon and IONA Technologies.
"We are prepared to help Microsoft make its vision for the future of business computing a reality in the logistics industry and excited about being part of this dynamic project," Wright said.
About CSX Lines
ACSX Lines is the ocean shipping subsidiary of publicly-traded U.S. transportation conglomerate CSX Corp. The ocean carrier is based in Charlotte, N.C. CSX Lines provides world-class ocean logistics services to thousands of shippers in the United States moving goods between the continental U.S., Alaska, Hawaii, Puerto Rico and other points.
About Horizon Services
Horizon Services Group, LLC, (www.horizonservicesgroup.com) was formed in 2001 as a wholly-owned subsidiary of CSX Lines, the ocean shipping division of CSX Corp. Horizon is based in Dallas, Texas. Its mission is to assist logistics companies in applying creative information technology solutions for improving customer service while reducing the cost of doing business.
To learn more about Horizon, contact interested@horizonservicesgroup.com
