Supply-Chain Monitoring Lets Celarix Celebrate

With businesses keeping close tabs on their supply chains in these recessionary times, Celarix, which provides supply-chain analysis and monitoring applications and services, attracted $17 million in fourth-round funding last week. New investor Austin Ventures joined previous backers, including Charles River Ventures and J.P. Morgan Capital, in this round.

Celarix, in Cambridge, Mass., offers hosted supply-chain connectivity and visibility applications that let its customers communicate with their suppliers and determine where items are in the supply chain at all times. Celarix services include logistics management, data-quality control, contract management, and business intelligence. It lists Abercrombie & Fitch, Lowe's, and Sharp Electronics among its customers.