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End-to-end timber trading platform

In the pre-digital era, the timber industry was ensnared in a web of inefficient, manual trading processes. From initial order to delivery, businesses waded through a quagmire of endless emails and phone calls. The challenge was monumental: to revolutionise these outdated practices with a digital solution that streamlined the entire trading process, enhancing both transparency and efficiency.
End-to-end trading platform interface showcasing intuitive design and advanced trading features

The customer

Introduction:
edTimber is a groundbreaking end-to-end timber trading platform, revolutionising the global timber market with its seamless and efficient trading experience. The platform leverages the extensive industry expertise of its founders, Josef and Ali Al Dilaimi, to offer reliable, transparent, and streamlined transactions.
Founders:
Josef
  • Austrian-born with over 42 years in the timber industry.
  • Extensive experience in exporting European timber to North Africa, the Middle East, and Asia.
  • Built a vast network of major sawmills and clients worldwide.
Ali Al Dilaimi
  • Slovenian-born, educated at the University of Ljubljana.
  • Over 30 years experience in shipping, agency, and chartering.
  • Owner/manager of Navigo, a leading shipping agency in Central Europe since 2005.
Together, Josef and Ali's combined expertise and networks have positioned edTimber as a leader in global timber trading, providing a modern, reliable solution to meet the industry's evolving needs.

Business challenge

In the pre-digital era, the timber industry struggled with inefficient, manual trading processes that relied heavily on endless emails and phone calls. This outdated system lacked transparency and efficiency, making the entire trading process cumbersome and slow.

The challenge was to revolutionise these antiquated practices with a digital solution that could streamline the entire trading process. The goal was to create a platform that enhanced both transparency and efficiency while ensuring security and trust among stakeholders.
Key Objectives:
  • Develop an end-to-end digital trading platform for the timber industry.
  • Integrate advanced features for price negotiation, digital contracts, and shipment tracking.
  • Enhance platform security with multi-factor authentication.
  • Create a unified and comprehensive trading experience from order to delivery.
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Solution

Strategy Development
To tackle the inefficiencies in the timber trading industry, our team began with an in-depth review of the existing manual processes. We identified key pain points and areas for improvement to enhance the overall user experience. This analysis informed our strategy to create a streamlined, digital solution tailored to the industry's needs.
First requirements
First requirements
First requirements
First requirements
Solution Design
The design phase involved several critical decisions to ensure the platform's success:
  • User-Centric Prototyping: We developed comprehensive prototypes to cover all necessary functionalities and workflows for different user scenarios. These prototypes were created with direct input from customers and potential users, ensuring relevance and usability.
  • Digi-wood prototype 4
  • Agile Methodology: Utilising an agile approach, with constant brainstorming sessions and feedback loops, we were able to finalise prototypes within three weeks. This iterative process allowed us to adapt quickly to user feedback and refine the platform continuously.
Technical Implementation
The technical implementation was key to realising the vision for edTimber. Here are the main components:
  • Technologies Used:
    • PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React: Core technologies for building a robust and user-friendly interface.
    • Amazon Web Services (AWS):
      • Amazon S3: Secure storage for documents and files.
      • Amazon SES and SNS: Email notifications and SMS-based multi-factor authentication (MFA).
      • Amazon SQS: Managing email notifications reliably.
      • Amazon RDS: MySQL database.
      • AWS CloudFront, ELB, and Secrets Manager: Fast content delivery, load balancing, and secure management of sensitive data.
  • Security Enhancements:
    • Integrated multi-factor authentication (MFA) with options like Google Auth App, email one-time password, and SMS one-time password to protect user accounts.
    • SMS one-time password verification as an emergency option for users unable to access their primary verification method.
Development Process
  1. Review and Analysis: Understanding the current process and identifying improvement areas.
  2. Prototyping Phase: Developing and testing prototypes to ensure all functionalities and workflows were covered.
  3. MVP Scope Definition: Defining the minimum viable product (MVP) scope and initiating the first release.
  4. Agile Development: Conducting delivery and demo sessions every two weeks to gather feedback and iteratively improve the platform.
Key Features
  • Advanced Price Negotiation: Transforming trading dynamics by enabling transparent negotiations and finalising the best offers within a unified platform.
  • DocuSign Integration: Streamlining digital contracts and ensuring transaction integrity.
  • Live Vessel Tracking: Providing real-time shipment insights for a comprehensive trading experience.
This structured approach ensured the successful development of the edTimber platform, with continuous improvements based on real user feedback. By leveraging advanced technologies and focusing on user needs, edTimber has revolutionised the timber trading landscape, offering a secure, transparent, and efficient trading experience.
By leveraging the latest technologies and focusing on user needs, edTimber has successfully revolutionised the timber trading landscape, offering a secure, transparent, and efficient trading experience.

RESULTs

  1. Platform Launch: Successfully launched the edTimber platform, providing a digital marketplace for timber trading.
  2. Key Features Implementation:
  3. Enhanced User Experience: Improved the overall user experience by streamlining workflows and providing a user-friendly interface.
  4. Security Enhancements: Strengthened platform security with robust authentication measures and encryption protocols.
  5. Continuous Improvement: Established a framework for ongoing development and updates based on user feedback and industry trends.

Technologies

PHP, HTML, CSS, JavaScript, React
On the project we use the following Amazon services:
After registration on the timber platform, users may set up 2FA and choose from 3 options: Google Auth App, email one-time password, or SMS one-time password. Also, it is possible to use SMS one-time password verification as an emergency option in case the user has no access to their main verification option.

Contact us for a non-commitment discovery call to unlock your project's potential.

Our team is committed to actively contributing to your project's success. We'll delve deep into your challenges and opportunities, offering our expertise every step of the way.
Expect a tailored proposal designed to address your specific needs. Whether it's improving existing systems or building from scratch, count on us to be your reliable partner on the journey to success.
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