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On-line e-marketplace and supply chain solution for a well-known Lubricant distributor in India
Summary
Cyberlube.net is an e-marketplace and supply chain solution for the Lubricant Industry in India. It is the first on-line solution for the industry in India and provides real-time electronic trading of various Lubricant products, among other services. The site addresses the trading needs of both Industrial and Retail users.
Challenge
The Indian Lubricant Industry is the sixth largest in the world and is one of the fastest growing. Its characteristics are a complex and highly fragmented retail market resulting in supply chain vagrancy for resellers. Operating costs for the supply chain are as high as 30% of the sales value. Public Sector Units (PSU’s) also dominate this Industrial segment.
If the costs of business development were reduced, there would be valuable business opportunities to reap. The scenario thereby presented the ideal case for an e-Marketplace
Therefore, Cyberlube.net was formed to provide a web-based marketplace and supply chain solution for the Lubricant Industry. Lubricant Industry experts, and top management & IT consultants are among the promoters of the project. Cyberlube.net is also backed by one of India’s largest grease manufacturing companies (a member of the Lubricant and Grease Institute).
Solution
Cyberlube decided to partner with Calsoft for the design, development, and implementation of the solution. Cyberlube features RFQ's and forward auctions for various products used in the Lubricant Industry. The site is powered by Calsoft’s MarketServer with the RFQ/ Auction engine selected for the functional features of the site.
The Marketplace solution provides the various users in the Lubricant Industry a fast and efficient means to trade, collaborate and share content. The main users on the Cyberlube portal are classified according to their function, into Lubricant companies and Industrial buyers. The other users include Auction Buyers (buyers of waste oil), Dealers and Toll Blenders.
Industrial Buyers (Buyers) can set an RFQ into motion for their requirement of particular lubricant products. Selected lube companies (Suppliers) are invited for the RFQ, and present quotes for the same. The buyer, then, compares Feature the quotes based on the various trading parameters, negotiate and place order(s) to lube companies that best meet the buyer needs. Industrial buyers also initiate auctions for waste oil, in which invited buyers of waste oil (Auction Buyers) participate for a winning deal. The site also features a user-friendly customizable and searchable product catalog that comprehensively classifies and lists lubricant products and their attributes.
Among the value-added services offered are:
- Analysis of the movement of various brands of oils according to Geographical locations.
- Consultancy services for the Industry
- Feature to facilitate Lube Condition Monitoring
- Project Update facility to provide information on various projects from the industry
- Feature to manage trader portfolios in a simple manner
- Advanced administration features for content, data and site management
Technology
The site was built using Calsoft's MarketServer product based on Microsoft Technologies. The solution follows a 3-tier architecture using technologies such as ASP, JavaScript, IIS, and COM. The database is Oracle 8i. The site was built to have high security enforced by applying encryption techniques for sensitive data, user authentication on all critical pages and preventing URL copying. The site employs a session-variable-less session management.