Visibility is key. If your supply chain operation manages transport and distribution efficiently but is let down by bottlenecks in the arrival of trucks at warehouses, then help might be at hand. David Priestman went to the launch of an enhanced Yard Management System (YMS) in Birmingham.
Montreal-based C3 Solutions was founded in 2000 by Nicholas Couture (CEO) and Greg Braun (CRO) and the company are experts in the critical niche of YMS. Why is it critical? Because operators are frustrated by manual processes from the DC or hub entry gate to the loading bay docks. C3’s survey found 40% of supply chain leaders site inefficiencies in the yard as the top challenge.
The company has customers in more than thirty countries, with its Dock + Yard + Gate platform used at over 2000 DCs. 250,000 drivers use C3 Hive and 350,000 use C3 Hub. With twenty major customers in the UK, including large retailers and couriers, Birmingham seemed the natural location to unveil significant upgrades to its ‘Reservations’ and ‘Yard’ products, as well as introducing ‘C3 Hive’ as the new, web-based integration layer that puts an entire network in one workspace, enabling co-ordination of dock scheduling and yard management for carriers, drivers, suppliers, stores and customers.
Brum for Lorries
Britain’s second city has strategic importance as a logistics operational hub, with a concentration of key industry players in the West Midlands. Many British C3 users were in attendance to hear the launch and question the development team.
Transport providers often juggle multiple systems, such as WMS, TMS, ERP, CRM and dock scheduling software. Customers usually want to use just one platform. Real-time yard visibility is a key priority for warehouse users and retailers. Some operators are still using pagers and/or LED signs in the yard for communications and directions. Now they can have automated vehicle access control – a contactless and human-free gate – powered by AI that leverages existing security cameras to identify trucks and trailers, analysing up to 25 data elements including licence plates and DOT numbers. Covid helped expedite the need for this automation as it keeps the driver in the cab.
One platform. One click
With C3’s ‘Hive Gate & Site’ App driver check-in can be streamlined via a simple and intuitive process with minimal data entry and intelligent trailer assignment functions, also providing pre-arrival visibility. Seal management, regulatory and safety check enforcement can also be conducted via an audit module. Automated gate passes use QR codes or PIN, with email notifications to carriers and suppliers and optional vision AI camera integration. The platform uses geofences that can detect entry/exits from these. Hive clearly covers areas that TMS does not.
Everyone in the loop
C3 Hive Catalyst is the new supply chain collaboration tool. Rather than replacing what has been built (in C3 Hub) it extends the power of an existing C3 environment by bridging the gap between the operations and logistics ecosystems, bringing suppliers, carriers, stores, and drivers into one synchronized environment for all communications.
What if we eliminate the duplication of information in our reach?… By empowering automation, we can boost interaction and efficiency
asks CEO Nicholas Couture
Hive Catalyst facilitates routes to be built for delivery and pick-up between sites using C3. This can then be synched with a TMS. “You can add your own rules to the configuration,” says Couture. “Non-C3 user shippers can now access the platform via an API to track yard arrivals.” They need to subscribe to communicate on the platform, however. Exceptions such as delays can be handled easily.
Catalyst will help customers in planning by querying ‘what if’ scenarios and getting forecasting projections, using real-time data, which should lead to better decisions for things like delivery windows and dock maintenance. It facilitates planning and execution. Reporting is another new function. For example, arrival reports can be generated, or shunter utilisation analysis. Users can pick an operational area and perspective and get the tailored answer, based on their data, with charts. By subscribing, reports can be scheduled to land in an email Inbox hourly, daily or weekly.
Catalyst can co-exist with a TMS, Couture says, but it has the potential to replace it. “Scrap your TMS and come with us (eventually)! he exclaimed confidently. “Instead of just storing data, get KPIs.”
Safekeeping
“Cybersecurity is our core business,” says Couture. “We couldn’t sell our system without it. We find partners like Microsoft that can prove processes, so we end up being a group taking care of this.” Customers can now choose their data residency and customer networks cannot be accessed via C3 as it is web-based. Watch this space for news on AI chatbot integration by C3.
Trade Show Presence
C3 Solutions will be exhibiting at Warehouse & Yard (stand D7), NEC Birmingham, June 30th-July 1st, which is part of the UK Logistics Week alongside Multimodal, eDelivery Expo and Road Transport Expo. Greg Braun (pictured, above) and his team would be happy to run through a demo and answer any yard-base logistical questions there.
