Tag: IT|logistics|software

COTRA Autotransport AG will be relying on INFORM’s IT solutions at its vehicle logistics centre in Studen in the canton of Bern, Switzerland. This is the first time that the vehicle logistics systems developed by the global software company from Aachen will be used in Switzerland – following successful projects in seven other European countries, as well as the USA, Mexico, Saudi Arabia and Chile. The digitalisation and optimisation project aims to ensure full transparency of all vehicle logistics processes, greater efficiency based on algorithmically optimised work sequences, and improved flexibility with customers.

As a specialist for vehicle logistics and vehicle transport, COTRA in Switzerland counts among its customers not only car manufacturers but also dealerships, second-hand dealers, vehicle subscription services and other companies, providing these with a very broad range of upstream and downstream services. At its vehicle logistics centre in Studen alone, the company processes over 50,000 new and used vehicles annually. This includes handling the return of used hire cars, company, leased and subscription vehicles, as well as inspections, technical and optical preparation, maintenance, and customer-specific PDI (pre-delivery inspections), customs clearance, cleaning, storage and transport of vehicles. The new systems from INFORM, which are based on operations research and artificial intelligence, are set to make complex logistics processes even more flexible and transparent.

Individual workflows tailored to customer requirements

According to Hartmut Haubrich, Vehicle Logistics Director at INFORM: “Vehicle logistics in general and the high-growth used car market in particular are known for having to meet customer requirements that often change at very short notice. In many cases, our customers need to be able to map new process steps for all vehicles of a particular manufacturer or for specific models within just a matter of days. Our algorithms are designed for dynamic process planning and optimisation in real time.”

At COTRA, the SYNCROTESS vehicle logistics system will, in the near future, take care of the optimised allocation of vehicle movements to employees, selection of parking spaces and the sequencing of selected tasks in the workshop. Vehicle movements or the unloading of trains are, for example, planned according to priority, availability of required resources, and impact on adjacent processes. If, say, an employee drives a vehicle from A to B within the parking space, this person is next assigned a task (where possible) that begins close to the last parking spot so as to minimise walking distances. A variety of other optimisation logics are integrated into the system, while COTRA can also configure and implement its own workflows at any time. Each task is documented by the employees themselves using a mobile application, which ensures that transparent data is available for subsequent planning, as well as controlling, billing, and communication with customers.

Future-proof and resilient

With over 180,000 vehicles transported each year, around 45 percent of all cars on Swiss roads have, at some stage, passed through the hands of COTRA’s more than 250 employees. According to Remo Sollberger, Operations Manager of the Vehicle Logistics Center in Studen: “One of our unique selling points is that we’ve been making all of our customers’ individual requirements a reality for 55 years. Changing customer requirements motivated us to rethink our processes and systems and to consistently drive digitalisation forward. This is how we came into contact with INFORM GmbH and, after a pilot project, we were satisfied that their SYNCROTESS solution was the one for us. Once it is implemented, we’ll be in a position make our processes even more customised, dynamic, and transparent to plan, control, and analyse. This allows us to create even more significant added value for our customers and supports our forward strategy in vehicle logistics.”

Hödlmayr International AG continues to make progress with its digitalisation strategy. This includes the end-to-end digitalisation of internal logistics processes for around 500,000 vehicles annually. For the areas of yard and workshop management, the Austrian vehicle logistics expert relies on the SYNCROTESS solution from the Aachen-based software company INFORM. The project will initially start at Hödlmayr’s four Austrian locations and will then be expanded to all other locations in Europe.

Starting with the company headquarters in Schwertberg, east of Linz, the cooperation of the vehicle logistics expert Hödlmayr with the internationally active software company INFORM from Aachen begins. There and at three other Austrian locations in Vienna, Wiener Neustadt and Graz, the new systems based on operations research and artificial intelligence will replace the previous in-house developments of the Austrian family-owned company. It is planned to connect all European locations with the new software over a period of four years.

Digital decision support in the yard and in the workshop

Hödlmayr specialises in the entire supply chain of vehicle logistics, from the takeover of vehicles from the factory or port of entry to delivery to the fleet owner, vehicle dealer or end customer by means of home delivery. With around 600 vehicle transporters and 20 block train systems, the company operates one of the largest transport fleets in Europe.

In 12 vehicle logistics centres, the company stores, maintains, checks, services and modifies new and used cars, commercial vehicles and agricultural machinery. The 1,590 employees handle over 1.7 million vehicles annually.

In the long term, the parking space and workshop processes of all logistics centres are to be planned, controlled and optimised with the help of a uniform, but regionally configurable IT solution. “It was important to us that we create a uniform, flexible IT solution for all compounds of the Hödlmayr Group. The standard solution from INFORM supports us in this. This allows us to react independently, flexibly and as quickly as possible to new process and customer requirements,” says Robert Horvath, CFO and Board Member of Hödlmayr International AG.

“Mathematical optimisation algorithms and artificial intelligence processes will recalculate by the second which tasks need to be carried out with which resources, where and in which order, so that the respective location operates optimally,” says Hartmut Haubrich, Director Vehicle Logistics at INFORM.

“In Hödlmayr’s case, the algorithms will in future take over, for example, the allocation of vehicle movements to employees, the selection of parking spaces and the sequence of orders to be processed in the workshops. This automatic scheduling will take place in a central control station on the basis of the rules defined for each location.

“In addition, media disruptions are avoided, as data from all relevant sources converge in the solution. This enables Hödlmayr to manage by exception, i.e., the dispatchers only intervene in special cases, but for their part have holistic transparency of the condition and status of each vehicle and order,” adds Haubrich.

Within just two weeks, Aachen-based optimisation specialist INFORM implemented its Vehicle Yard Management System in Hemau, at AUTO1 Group SE’s first own production centre in Germany. The system supports the operator of the online trading platforms with end-to-end transparency of the up to 16,000 vehicles at the site, more efficient processes and an increase in on-time delivery. A rollout of the solution to other AUTO1 Group production centres is also planned.

AUTO1 Group operates leading trading platforms for the online purchase and sale of used cars, namely wirkaufendeinauto.de and associated sister brands, Autohero, and AUTO1.com. More than 450,000 vehicles were sold through the company’s channels across Europe in 2020 alone. To meet strong customer demand and prepare for the continued rise in importance of the used car market, the company secured internal production capacity for 90,000 cars per year at full capacity.

The first in-house production centre for reconditioning used cars intended for the company’s proprietary Autohero platform began operations in September 2021 in Hemau, Bavaria, near Regensburg.

INFORM’s specialised planning and scheduling software is now being used to further optimise and increase the efficiency of internal processes at the 35,000 sq m site. “Full capacity utilisation, short lead times, flexibility and operational robustness are key for us,” said Karol Niznik, Vice President Logistics and Production at AUTO1. “INFORM’s yard management system is a powerful tool that helps us to achieve those goals.” The system was implemented at the site within just two weeks. This was made possible through close collaboration between AUTO1 and INFORM and the INFORMs system configurability which includes a built-in business process modelling tool. A roll-out to other sites in Europe is being planned.

By digitising internal vehicle logistics, the responsible dispatchers and planners are able to always track exactly where any particular vehicle is at any given time and when it will undergo which work step. This allows the dynamic process to become more efficient.

“Usually, vehicles have to be moved and parked several times inside a yard. This is where companies can leverage significant efficiency gains by means of an optimised operation,” said Hartmut Haubrich, Director Vehicle Logistics at INFORM. “Transparency is a cornerstone for cost savings and reducing turnaround times. One example is that vehicles can be parked in an optimal sequence close to a car wash or workshop.”

Mathematical algorithms based on operations research and artificial intelligence are among the distinctive features of INFORM’s system. They are able to calculate optimised scheduling sequences in real time, taking company-specific planning parameters into account, and automatically assign tasks to suitable resources. “As volumes increase, optimisation becomes ever more important for us. With INFORM’s yard management system we now have several options at hand to support us on our growth trajectory,” Karol Niznik added.

 

Leading in-transit visibility provider Tive and Transporeon, a leading digital freight platform that powers the largest global freight network of 1,200 shippers, 100 retailers and more than 120,000 logistic service providers and carriers with its real-time visibility solution Sixfold, are entering into a partnership. By integrating data and insights beyond shipment location and condition, the new partnership will provide mutual customers with insights that deliver a better end-customer experience through a single source where appropriate.

Logistics professionals are demanding next-generation actionable insights to manage their customers’ growing expectations actively. This partnership enables shared efficiencies for all logistics partners in all supply chains. Transporeon’s extensive data set and AI-driven platform allows all network users to optimize processes through each transportation cycle continually. With Sixfold, Transporeon already offers a powerful telematics-based real-time visibility solution which has been recognised by Gartner as a challenger in RTTVP solutions. Sixfold is prepared for collaboration via its Open Visibility API.

“Increasing collaboration among supply chain solutions providers is pivotal for the future efficiency and sustainability of in-transit visibility,” said Stephan Sieber, CEO, Transporeon. “We are excited about our partnership with Tive and are looking forward to joining other leading supply chain insights providers to propel innovation and vastly improve end-customer experiences.”

“Working in collaboration – rather than competition – in supply chain visibility is what we strive for every day here at Tive,” said Tive CEO and Founder Krenar Komoni. “Combining all aspects of real-time shipment data, customers everywhere get true real-time information on what is happening with their shipments. We are excited for Transporeon to join this powerful partnership to help make global supply chains more efficient.”

 

The Information Factory, an independent software vendor specialising in the logistics sector, has launched Business Intelligence as a Service, an end-to-end, fully managed data reporting and analytics system, available on a subscription basis and operating with cloud based technology.

Logistics is a data driven industry with many complex moving parts requiring monitoring and measuring in order to keep on top of costs, revenue and performance. The pressure on margins, time, customer expectation, service standards and shipment sensitivity increases the need to have oversight across the whole logistics process plus a detailed view on individual elements and support activities.

When harnessed effectively data helps people to improve decision making, identify problems (and solutions), optimise processes and identify trends & opportunities. This is what The Information Factory provides with its new Business Intelligence as a Service. The system connects to the client’s data sources, integrates the data into a secure cloud based warehouse & transforms it into simple to use dashboards, visualisations and detailed reports tailored to company and department KPIs.

The benefits of this service based approach to business intelligence / analytics can be classified in three main categories:

Customer/user experience. The end-to-end approach means that the complete package is provided, all the way from data extraction to reporting and ongoing support. Reports are customised to individual requirements, easy to use and need little user training. Data consulting is also provided to help customers make the best use of their data.

Business insights. Consolidating and managing data from different sources enables ‘one version of the truth’ to be created across the company. More people can access data and the insights it delivers when transformed into reports, charts and dashboards.

Productivity: Business Intelligence as a Service automates the analytics process, improves data quality and delivers at speed. This significantly reduces the time, money and resources needed to be spent manually producing reports.

Robert Jordan, CEO of The Information Factory, says: “We’ve built on our 15+ years of developing tailor-made data driven solutions to offer Business Intelligence as a Service specifically for the logistics, postal, parcel and ecommerce sectors. It’s a market we are very  familiar with and we’re excited at the opportunity to help even more businesses to harness the potential of their data.”

LogiNext, a global technology company on a mission to optimise and automate delivery management for enterprises, has launched MILE, an integrated last-mile delivery platform.

This is the first time a cloud-based software has brought together various elements in the shipper, carrier and dispatcher ecosystem to deliver a Transportation Management System 2.0 which LogiNext calls a Transportation Automation Platform.

Legacy on-premise software has existed for the logistics industry, but this is the first time all elements of delivery management have been brought together under one SaaS offering. An integrated last-mile delivery platform is an interconnected ecosystem of web applications and mobile apps for operation managers, CSCOs, delivery partners and end customers to ensure a seamless last-mile delivery experience.

“On demand delivery has skyrocketed in the past two years with a major shift in consumer behaviour due to the pandemic. Same-day delivery is the norm and consumers now expect deliveries in a preferred time window with real-time delivery communication. To ensure brands can deliver up to the promise, we’ve launched LogiNext MILE to help our clients in various industries provide a world-class delivery experience to the end user,” said Dhruvil Sanghvi, Chief Executive Officer of LogiNext.

Brands like McDonald’s, UPS or Walmart can use the LogiNext MILE portal to collect all orders (via their own app, third-party aggregators, etc.), and then the AI-powered route planner generates trips for drivers on the LogiNext driver’s app. The entire delivery experience is digitally recorded to give insightful data and analytics which ensures delivery compliance.

Enterprises in various industries – CEP (Courier, Express, and Parcel), QSR Chains, eCommerce & Retail, and Transportation – are using LogiNext MILE to reduce costs, improve operational efficiency and deliver a brilliant customer experience.

“We’ve built a plug-and-play product which enterprises are using to go live instantly to automate delivery management, be it a B2B or B2C play. Brands are seeing delivery efficiency shoot up 20% within a few months and this helps tremendously in increasing revenues and staying ahead in the curve of digital transformation that the world of logistics is going through,” said Dinesh Dixit, VP of Client Excellence, LogiNext.