Tempe, AZ December 17, 2002 Solution providers WhereNet and Elogex are partnering to offer an integrated supply chain solution that they say will bridge the gap between traditional transportation systems and yard management applications.
WhereNet offers wireless location and communications solutions for managing mobile assets and resources. Elogex provides network-based logistics solutions.
The two providers said that by integrating WhereNet's WhereSoft Yard management system with Elogex's OneNetwork transportation management system, companies in the consumer products supply chain will be able to locate, track and manage assets in their distribution centers and across a network of manufacturers, carriers and retailers in real time, all through one Web-based point of access.
Traditionally companies have had to manually integrate data from standalone transportation and yard management applications, resulting in latent, error-prone data that compromises the effectiveness of both systems. The integrated solution can help companies avoid those problems while optimizing dock door scheduling, reducing yard congestion and improving on-time delivery performance by synchronizing the inbound and outbound load plans with the available trailer pool.
In addition, carriers will be able to use the integrated solution to track resources across their transportation network, whether in motion or at rest.
Grocery distributor ES3 adopted the WhereNet and Elogex integrated solution in July to manage and optimize its operations. With plans for 1,900 trailer slots across 250 acres and a schedule for consolidating loads at dock doors once every 20 minutes, the company's distribution center is relying heavily on the integrated applications to manage transportation and yard operations, according to Geoff Davis, executive vice president of ES3.
"By interfacing WhereNet's yard management software and wireless real-time location applications with Elogex's logistics framework, ES3 can optimize every move from the moment a truck rolls into our yard," Davis explained. "The transition from inbound to outbound shipments is so efficient, we are able to deliver multi-manufacturer consolidated orders to customers throughout the Northeast and mid-Atlantic regions within 24 hours, a response time that's unprecedented in the industry."
"This partnership is a natural fit for us, as it extends the benefits of WhereSoft Yard and our real-time location system beyond the yard and into the transportation segment of the supply chain," said Matt Armanino, vice president of business development for WhereNet. "Typically, only warehouse management systems have been interfaced with transportation management systems, leaving a disconnect in the yard. WhereNet shines a light on the 'black holes' in the yard by providing constant visibility and status information for every mobile asset. Through continuous data feeds between the Elogex logistics network and the WhereNet applications, our customers will be able to optimize every inbound and outbound shipment."
"The unique network platform and transportation applications of the Elogex OneNetwork, coupled with WhereNet's yard management functionality, enable our customers to access a complete transportation logistics management system through one software application," said J Rollins, senior vice president of sales and marketing for Elogex. "With total visibility of the supply chain operations beyond the traditional 'four-walls' system, manufacturers, retailers and carriers alike will be able to reach out to their network of trading partners to create broader efficiencies, resulting in additional cost savings and a greater return on their investment."
For more information on wireless tracking solutions for the supply chain, see "Needle in a Supply Chain Haystack," the Net Best Thing column in the January 2002 issue of iSource Business.
