One sure sign that global supply chains are expanding: Sales of global trade management (GTM) software are on the rise. A new report from ARC Advisory Group forecasts that GTM software sales, which totaled $503 million in 2007, will grow at a compounded annual growth rate of 10.1 percent over the next five years, reaching $814 million in 2012.

Global trade management solutions help users stay on top of changes in global trade regulations and navigate the often murky waters of international trade financing and settlement. They can also provide visibility into the movement of goods around the globe and facilitate the flow of information, money, and goods between the various parties involved in the transaction.

Although enterprise resource planning (ERP) vendor SAP is the largest player in the GTM market, a number of specialized "best of breed" vendors also offer top-rated solutions, according to the report, Global Trade Management Worldwide Outlook: Market Analysis and Forecast Through 2012. "This is an interesting market, where the growth of ERP suppliers with global trade management solutions does not come at the expense of certain types of best-ofbreed solutions," wrote ARC analyst Steve Banker in the report.