Visibility, the real-time awareness of a product's position in the supply chain, is a crucial tool for companies to handle changing business conditions. A new suite of software tools announced by Softeon can help achieve it. The ELITE enterprise logistics management system includes seven modules to span the materials handling lifecycle: orders, warehousing, distribution, forecasting, resources and labor, kitting and assembly, and the vehicle yard. ELITE has a browser-based interface, so anyone can use it. And its Java framework means it can run on any platform, and with any relational database, says Steve Gant, vice president of supply chain solutions. That flexibility also means ELITE can share data with external applications, such as third-party logistics providers.