Xbox 360 Launch Logistics Disclosed

Date: Friday, March 17 @ 09:05:50 UTC
Topic: Xbox 360

BAX Global Inc., an international freight transportation and supply chain management company, revealed today the complex logistics required for the worldwide launch of the Xbox 360.
BAX was enlisted by Microsoft in secrecy over a year in advance of the console’s launch. The software giant decided to bypass the request for proposal to maintain the needed level of confidentiality regarding the Xbox 360 launch and based on the experience with the Xbox launch, Microsoft was confident BAX Global would execute well.

Nearly 90 dedicated 747 air charters were executed by BAX Global throughout the world for the Xbox 360 launch and between mid-October 2005 and early February 2006 BAX Global has operated 87 charter flights on B747 airplanes to transport Xbox 360 systems from Hong Kong to the U.S. and Europe.

Within North America., BAX Global operated 69 flights on B747 airplanes from Hong Kong to its dedicated hub in Toledo, Ohio. In Europe, the company operated 18 B747 from Hong Kong to Cologne. For Japan, a combination of commercial air capacity and ocean freight was used.

“If bad weather reduced a plane’s payload, for example, we wanted to have a backup plan,” said Bill Best, senior logistics manager with Microsoft.

Microsoft and BAX developed a launch plan a year ahead and ran through various scenarios and created mitigation and contingency plans.

“Our success so often depends on the customers letting us be successful,” said Julie Smith, global account director with BAX Global. “The supportive expertise of the Microsoft people brought BAX into the planning process very early. That was a key part of BAX’s operational success.”

Currently, BAX Global continues to support distribution of the Xbox 360 as the console launches in Australia, New Zealand, Hong Kong, Singapore, Taiwan, Korea, Mexico, and Colombia throughout 2006.

News-Source: http://www.teamxbox.com



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