Sterling Commerce, the multi-enterprise collaboration company and a subsidiary of AT&T Inc., announced recently it has agreed to acquire Nistevo, a leading provider of on-demand transportation management solutions. The transaction is subject to Nistevo shareholder approval.

According to Manufacturing & Logistics IT, the addition of Nistevo's Collaborative Logistics NetworkSM expands the sterling Commerce supply chain application portfolio. The Nistevo Collaborative Logistics NetworkSM is an on-demand, Web-based network that enables shippers and carriers to improve the efficiency of their logistics and supply chain operations with low start-up costs when compared to traditional software solutions. To date, the Collaborative Logistics Network has been adopted by more than 60 shippers, spans a community of over 6,400 carriers, and manages approximately 65 million transactions annually.

"The opportunities for our customers are significant," said Sam Starr, President and CEO, Sterling Commerce. "Our combined solutions will not only provide customers with a way to cut costs in an industry estimated by analysts to be almost a trillion dollars in the US alone, but also improve customer satisfaction and loyalty through an integrated, end-to-end solution that improves visibility and control over their entire supply chain."

"We are seeing increased demand for end-to-end solutions delivered through innovative methods," said Kevin Lynch, president and CEO of Nistevo. "The expertise of Sterling Commerce in multi-enterprise collaboration and the power of its global presence will help increase the value of our solutions and bring them to a broader market."

Nistevo brings extensive on-demand expertise and technology to Sterling Commerce. On-demand solutions require fewer IT resources and provide faster return on technology investments. Nistevo on-demand solutions will complement several solutions Sterling Commerce already offers as part of the company's efforts to provide a wide range of deployment choices for its customers.