SkuSphere seeks to unify residential supply chain

New on the distribution scene is SkuSphere, a new database with a mission to streamline the user workflow and unify the wider supply chain.

The new SkuSphere catalog provides automated product, takeoff and SKU level detail on all residential construction products, and it's compatible with any existing bidding, sales, selections, procurement, CAD or enterprise planning system.

"This industry-wide, free catalog should help bridge the supply chain impediments which arise from conflicts in nomenclature among thousands of manufacturers, distributors, installers and builders," said David Deniger, chairman of Hyphen Solutions LLC, creator of the catalog. "This shared catalog, available to the entire supply chain, will add clarity and reduce transaction costs for builders, installers, distributors and manufacturers while providing specificity of items purchased and installed."

Hyphen Solutions is the creator of BuildPro and SupplyPro, a 35,000-user supply chain application. The supply chain network has been around for 12 years and distributed 15 million homebuilder purchase orders to trades in 2014, worth more  than $15 billion in PO dollars. 

"SkuSphere will enhance our SupplyPro Connect customers' fulfillment, which today, enjoy direct integration from customer builder's ERP into vendor order entry systems with enhanced mapping of PO line item detail", said Felix Vasquez, president and CTO of Hyphen Solutions. "As the residential supply chain adopts the data feeds from the new catalog, buyer and seller technologies will perfectly integrate to include mapped manufacturer, distributor, installer, and builder nomenclature into a shareable item master complete with retail or wholesale descriptions.  These common links will forever marry product specifications with bidding, procurement and fulfillment systems, eliminating manual processes and allowing construction automation to take a giant step forward, which would be consistent with other manufacturing sectors.  This communal catalog is offered and supported without charge."

Heading up SkuSphere will be John R. Nygard III, former CIO at Lennar Corporation. In his new role as president of SkuSphere-Residential, LLC, he will be responsible for the recruiting of manufacturer/distributor/installer data and the deployment and enhancement of the builder ERP item masters.

"I am pleased to be spearheading the effort of creating a unified approach to product/item data management for homebuilders and their trade partners," said Nygard. "I have worked tirelessly to drive this effort through my consortium activities and with my peer CIOs at other homebuilders."