WEBINAR - HARNESSING REAL TIME TRANSPORTATION VISIBILITY PLATFORMS - February 16 - 11:00 EST | 17:00 CET
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4flow is a leading global provider of supply chain consulting, software and fourth party logistics (4PL) services. Each year, 4flow carries out more than 200 projects with clients all over the world. As a neutral 4PL, 4flow management handles the continuous planning, optimization, and management of a large number of transportation networks and global end-to-end supply chains on behalf of small to medium-sized companies as well as internationally operating companies representing a range of industry verticals. These include automotive, machinery manufacturing, consumer packaged goods and retail, life science and high tech. With over 700 employees, 4flow is a global partner for its customers at 17 locations in Europe, Asia, and in North and South America. The company’s global headquarters is in Berlin, Germany.
Real-time visibility is necessary to manage logistics networks proactively and efficiently. A lack of visibility results in inefficiencies and increased costs from deviations and exceptions, such as late penalties and dispute management costs, and in the worst cases, extended supply chain disruptions. Additionally, late identified delays mean the time needed to take preventative measures is lost, potentially leading to late fees and penalties. If shipping status data is not automatically exchanged between supply chain partners, time-consuming manual communication between carriers, customers and transport planners is also required. Lastly, carrier performance was also difficult to manage without objective data.
As a neutral 4PL that is not fleet-based, 4flow did not have access to real-time transportation data and was looking for a strong partner to provide visibility to its customers. This included using, for example, the estimated time of arrival (ETA) in proactive execution processes.
Shippeo’s real-time transportation visibility allows 4flow to increase supply chain transparency and leverage data to boost efficiencies for shippers, carriers, and end customers. The integration of real-time tracking information, provided by Shippeo, into 4flow’s IT system creates the data layer necessary to identify deviations much earlier – thus reducing additional costs and unlocking the productivity and service benefits of real-time tracking.
Now it is possible for 4flow’s transport execution teams to instantly trace a single part right down to the truck carrying it. These are displayed on a map within the platform and alert users if there is a delay. The information and transparency gained can be shared with customers at any time. This real-time data and optimized ETA calculation, combined with 4flow’s deep understanding of supply chain optimization, are helping to build more resilient and efficient supply chains for 4flow and Shippeo’s joint customers.
"Our teams continuously monitor networks and manage issues arising in the supply chain. With the integration of real-time tracking information provided by Shippeo into our iTMS, we can identify deviations much earlier, thereby reducing additional costs."
4flow can use Shippeo’s accurate arrival time calculations to support customers quickly and proactively by evaluating shipping delay impacts on supply chain processes, reducing dispute management time by as much as 10%. This results in more efficient exception management. At warehouses and loading sites, resource utilization has improved, and premium freight costs were reduced by up to 20% thanks to better risk mitigation. Streamlined communication between carriers, customers and transport planners has led to up to a 50% reduction in penalties overall.
By partnering with Shippeo, 4flow has created the necessary data layer to unleash the full potential of real-time tracking, thus enhancing the 4flow integrated transportation management system (iTMS). Accurate time of arrival calculations enable 4flow to optimally support its customers and assess impacts on processes and production faster. This has led to a significantly more efficient exception management. By integrating real-time tracking information provided by Shippeo into the iTMS, 4flow teams monitoring customers' logistics networks were able to detect deviations much earlier and thus reduce additional transportation costs. Resource utilization at warehouses and loading points was also improved, reducing transportation costs by double digits. Increased supply chain visibility has also increased efficiency and full transparency for carriers, customers, and transportation planners.
Deviations from previously planned transport processes are increasing rapidly. To react to every deviation as quickly as possible and to avoid additional costs, early detection is crucial. Customers need absolute supply chain visibility, preferably with real-time data.
4flow implemented real-time tracking information provided by Shippeo into the 4flow iTMS (integrated transportation management system).
