New managed file transfer service set to transform manufacturers’ supply chains

Aimed particularly at handling large or bulk files, it’s based on Internet technology and open standards, and GXS says it offers manufacturers an easy integration with their trading partners that’s ultra-scaleable and automatically provides visibility for auditing and tracking purposes. Most important, says Bobby Patrick, senior vice president of marketing at GXS, you get all that without the expense of supporting proprietary protocols in-house. “The demand for a viable, flexible MFT service spans many industries and file types, including banks transferring large volumes of digital check images and manufacturers exchanging CAD files for collaborative engineering,” says Patrick. “In-house software implementations for managed file transfer are costly and proprietary [but] due to the significant advancements in secure, Internet-based communication protocols, such as SFTP and HTTPS, the days of being locked into proprietary technologies are gone,” he adds. With GXS MFT, businesses can consolidate all their file transfer solutions, eliminating the need for proprietary software and gaining faster and easier trading partner on-boarding, he asserts. “By leveraging GXS’ 40 years of experience in B2B, GXS MFT liberates companies from paying software maintenance fees, maintaining their own MFT platform and keeping up trading partner integration requirements.” And Allan Gray, managing director of GXS user Atlas Products International, confirms the thinking: “Successful B2B integration is about choice, flexibility and security. While basic EDI software or services meet the needs of many businesses, other businesses – such as banks and product design firms – need a solution to support their unique, file transfer needs at a price point that makes sense. “GXS MFT coupled with Atlas Secure Data Exchange (SDX) gives these businesses an affordable, large file transfer solution with digital signatures and non-repudiation that requires little management on their part, ensuring that they incur no additional costs for in-house hardware or personnel. “We are pleased to be adding GXS MFT to the robust portfolio of B2B services offered by Atlas, as it will meet the needs of our customers seeking a services-based, affordable, easy-to-manage, secure MFT solution.”