How does an event from the aftermath of World War II fit in with a modern IT solution? Take a look at an amazing story.
Berlin, 1948 – The airlift is established. At that time, millions of tons of supplies had to be transported to West Berlin within a very short period of time. Planes landed every minute – but one problem remained: The cargo manifests were inconsistent, often written in different formats and even languages. Keeping track of everything was nearly impossible.
The solution came from Edward A. Guilbert (a U.S. Army Master Sergeant) and his team. They developed a standardized system for cargo manifests that could be transmitted via radio, telex, or telephone. Suddenly, thousands of tons of goods could be efficiently tracked and managed every day. A simple idea – with an enormous impact.
In the 1960s, Guilbert revisited this principle – this time in the business world. He developed standardized electronic message formats for the exchange of transport data between companies. Shortly thereafter, logistics firms began transmitting shipping data directly electronically and importing it into computer systems. Electronic Data Interchange (EDI) was born.
What followed was a quiet but profound transformation. In 1968, transportation companies founded the “Transportation Data Coordinating Committee” to develop common standards. In the years that followed, other industries (the food retail sector, the automotive industry, and large retail chains) followed suit, making digital data exchange increasingly mandatory. The benefits were clear—less paper, fewer errors, faster processes.
But progress came at a price. It wasn’t until the advent of the internet in the 1990s that this changed fundamentally. Web-based technologies made data exchange more affordable and flexible. Large, globally active online companies seized these opportunities and drove digitalization forward.
Today, EDI is an indispensable part of the global economy. Modern cloud solutions have significantly lowered the barriers to entry. And while much of it now functions digitally as a matter of course, an inconspicuous trail leads back to a historic moment: the Berlin Airlift.
Picture credits:
https://www.bigstockphoto.com/de/image-5261149/stock-foto-platz-der-luftbr%C3%BCcke
