Retail EDI

SPS Commerce announced today that it acquired San Diego-based EDI Direct, which will give them direct access to EDI Direct’s 2,000 customers and as well as strengthen SPS as one of the industry's largest and fastest growing providers of cloud-based supply chain solutions. Details follow below.

http://www.globenewswire.com/newsroom/news.html?d=222292

As we move into 2011, recovery seems to be moving along at an acceptable pace as good news slightly outweighs the bad. The U.S. manufacturing trend reflects a healthy rebound in automotive and stronger exports for larger firms. If the housing and commercial real estate markets return, even modestly, manufacturing could be the catalyst for stronger economic growth in mature economies.

Customer sentiment is a bit fickle, lingering around the group psychology of “it’s not getting better, but it’s not getting worse,” but with employment numbers looking better at the end of the year and a relatively strong 2010 holiday season, renewed consumer confidence could push economic growth even higher.

Overall the prospects for recovery are delicate; 2010 results had the benefit of being compared with a lousy 2009, and there is some question as to whether 2011 can keep up the growth. However, profitability is solid, and that will give manufacturers some operating flexibility. And it may all come down to how much the consumer buys into the recovery. The industry is ready to grow but wants to get better sense of the pace.