Midex Airlines, the only dedicated cargo airline for the UAE, has signed up for SkyChain Lite, the new end to end cargo reservation and business management solution offered by Mercator.

Midex is the first customer for this new hosted version of the award winning SkyChain application. SkyChain is a new generation cargo management system that was initially developed for Emirates SkyCargo. It replaced 23 legacy systems with a single integrated set of applications operating on a new technology platform. The hosted version sits within Mercator's environment and is used independently by the individual airline. This service is designed for start up or small carriers.

The solution, wholly developed by Mercator in Dubai, has been designed to manage every aspect of an airline's cargo business. It transforms information into a powerful asset, with data fully utilised to maximise performance, raise service quality and optimise resources. Processes are streamlined and enhanced, with the latest industry developments, such as IATA's e-freight initiative, being fully supported. The system has the unique ability to process real time financial information for cargo operations thus optimising revenues.

SkyChain Lite will integrate with Midex's current Track and Trace system currently being used for mail and courier services. SkyChain Lite will provide the solution for their new operations at Al Ain International Airport with a modern, flexible solution designed to meet market needs while adhering to and setting the highest possible standards.

The carrier's focus on serving niche cargo markets will result in the existing SkyChain Lite solution being supplemented with additional modules to ensure maximum advantage to users and customers. Expert teams from Mercator and Midex Airlines will work together on this project, with the objective of putting the full system into operation by 15th May 2008.

Jassim Al Bastaki, Director General, Midex Airlines, said: "We were not looking for a supplier but for a partner, and we believe we have found a best-in-class solution with Mercator, who have a proven track record of development and have taken care of the implementation in a matter of few weeks."

Duncan Alexander, Vice President, Sales and Market Development, Mercator, said: "I'm confident our SkyChain Lite solution will prove to be a great success for Midex. Working together with the cargo airline, we will further enhance the system to offer unprecedented flexibility, and the support needed to develop innovative business strategies with certainty."

About SkyChain Lite:
SkyChain Lite is the hosted version of SkyChain which is a New Generation Cargo System built on state of the art technologies. This has the benefits of reducing time to market, reducing cost of ownership and optimising return on investment. The solution is offered either with a license model or an ASP (hosted) model. A licensed version is currently being implemented at Swiss.
 
The application is easy to learn, adopt, deploy and use. Industry standards have been adhered to and enhanced which truly sets this solution as a new benchmark for Cargo process automation. The application will continue to be developed, driven by user input and needs and supported by real industry expertise, state of the art technology, processes and tools.

The application has been fully deployed within Emirates SkyCargo and is attracting a great deal of interest from the cargo community as a whole.

Top