Company
Fresh Pack Logistics B.V. (FPL) is a young dynamic organization. FPL offers a total package of logistics services to trading companies within the fruit & vegetable sector. At FPL’s logistics location in the heart of the fruit and vegetable trade in Barendrecht, the Netherlands, FPL has a modern cold store with independent refrigerated compartments and a variety of packaging machines. FPL’s third party logistics (3PL) services are aimed at providing customers with the best possible logistics service and consist of: Warehousing; Value Added Logistics; Repacking and Packaging; Quality Control; Transport and Customs Clearance.
Challenge
Due to increasingly extensive customer requirements and stricter requirements in areas such as quality, more and more is expected of a logistics service provider in this day and age, especially in the area of information provision and capture. In order to facilitate these information needs, an ERP/WMS selection process was initiated to select a platform in which information throughout the supply chain can be recorded and made transparent in a correct manner (both internally and available to customers). Within the platform, this information provision is accommodated through portals and interfaces via an Enterprise Service Bus (ESB). Because of this digital information exchange, the many daily contact moments (telephone/mail) have been significantly reduced.
In addition to external information provision, efficient operational control is essential for the effective service FPL strives for. During the selection process, automated warehouse control capabilities were fundamental to the choice of ERP/WMS system.
FPL strives to maintain a uniform way of working for all of its customers, but also wants to remain flexible to meet the varied demands of customers. Because each customer has specific process requirements and also often has unique system support, it was challenging to ensure the desired uniformity. Particularly by setting up a comprehensive ESB, FPL can set up its processes uniformly and still meet the varied customer demands.
Role Chainresult
Chainresult started with the inventory of all processes and interfaces with the desired system support. Together with the input of the key users, a Request for Proposal (RFP) was sent out and the selection process was completed under the guidance of Chainresult.
During the implementation phase, Chainresult was responsible for both project management and substantive support on key topics within the project. The correct monitoring of integrality in the project with many internal and external stakeholders was of great importance to the successful implementation.
Project Benefits
By migrating to the new platform, FPL is able to serve existing customers even better and provide real-time information to customers in the desired areas, making many communications (phone/mail) a thing of the past. Internal processes are even more automated and information is clearly and conveniently recorded. This has contributed to an even more efficient collaboration between the back office staff and the colleagues on the floor.
Both the entire financial support and services for one of FPL’s largest customers are now housed within the ERP/WMS system. The generic interface makes it relatively easy to hook up new customers without having to make many changes to the customer’s or FPL’s information system.
