Samsung SDS expands into global supply chain software biz

Samsung SDS CEO Hwang Sung-woo, center, poses with o9 Solutions co-founders Chakri Gottemukkala, left, and Sanjiv Sidhu, second from left, Thursday. Courtesy of Samsung SDS

By Baek Byung-yeul

Samsung SDS will team up with U.S. and Korean companies to jointly develop and sell global procurement supply chain management software-as-a-service (SaaS) solutions, the Korean IT company said, Thursday. The partners are U.S. supply chain platform company o9 Solutions and Korean supplier relationship management (SRM) company Emro.

Samsung SDS said it is expanding in this area because companies' demand for superior software for supply chain management is growing at a time when the COVID-19 pandemic and geopolitical risks have highlighted the importance of supply chain management.

The three companies plan to complete the development of the software by the end of the year and start offering it worldwide next year.

Samsung SDS acquired a stake in Emro in March. The collaboration also brings o9 Solutions' global SaaS platform and global footprint to the table.

“The strategic collaboration between the three companies creates a trident against the geopolitical risks facing global businesses,” Hwang Sung-woo, CEO of Samsung SDS, said. “The combination of the strengths of the three companies makes for a perfect strategic fit.”

With the agreement, Emro is also able to secure a global sales route for its software. "We are pleased to be a part of o9 Solutions and its global expansion with Samsung SDS,” Emro CEO Jay Song said. “We will continue to be a leader in not only the domestic market but also the global market.”