Supply chain consulting firm Fortna Inc. has opened a software development hub in Hanoi, Vietnam, to capitalize on a sophisticated talent pool of developers in order to meet global demand for the company's systems and services.

Reading, Pa.-based Fortna said it would use the new Vietnam office to develop future releases of its "FortnaWCS" and "FortnaWES" software. Those warehouse control system (WCS) and warehouse execution system (WES) applications help users integrate and automate their material handling equipment in distribution operations to improve fulfillment flow, speed, and resource utilization.

Distribution center operators are scrambling to meet the growing demands of omnichannel strategies and e-commerce sales, and are looking to warehouse software to deliver solutions to complex fulfillment challenges, the company said.

Fortna turned to Vietnam after determining the country's growing cadre of software developers would be up to the task, Fortna's Group Vice President Nikko Pianetto said in a statement on Thursday, when the West Reading, Pa.-based company made the announcement. "Vietnam is becoming recognized as an innovation hub and is well known for excellence in software development," Pianetto said.

Fortna has seen fast growth in recent years, expanding its sales base into Mexico, Latin America, and the Europe/Middle East/Africa (EMEA) region by increasing its investment in systems, methodologies, and research and development, the company said.