Flexport Case Studies Digital Transformation of American Metalcraft's Supply Chain with Flexport

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	Digital Transformation of American Metalcraft's Supply Chain with Flexport Flexport

Digital Transformation of American Metalcraft's Supply Chain with Flexport

Flexport

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Inventory Management Systems Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms
Applicable Industries	Finance & Insurance Transportation
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases	Inventory Management Supply Chain Visibility
Challenge	American Metalcraft, a leading wholesale producer of kitchen and restaurant-ware, was struggling with outdated supply chain processes. The company's focus on product development had led to the neglect of upgrading its supply chain processes. The legacy logistics processes made it difficult for the company to efficiently manage its in-transit inventory and accurately measure its total product cost. The company was working with a forwarder for over a decade, and the relationship was described as 'quintessentially legacy'. The team was always waiting for a few days for updates on their shipments, which was a significant challenge for a company with thousands of simultaneously moving pieces of inventory. Read More
About Customer	American Metalcraft is a leading wholesale producer of kitchen and restaurant-ware, based in Franklin, Illinois. The company, which started in the 1940s producing hubcaps for automobiles, has reinvented itself into a major national wholesaler of kitchen and restaurant-ware. They sell over 3000 trend-focused bar, kitchen, table-top, and buffet supply products to wholesale buyers nationwide. The company has a focus on product development and has a history of transformation, which is evident in their shift from producing hubcaps to kitchen and restaurant-ware. Read More
Solution	American Metalcraft sought a digital upgrade to the freight forwarding portion of their supply chain and found a technology-based solution in Flexport. This solution provided their buying and finance teams with more visibility and control over shipments in their supply chain, enabling them to make smarter and quicker decisions. With Flexport, American Metalcraft's buying team gained greater transparency into their in-transit inventory, enabling them to move quicker and smarter. The finance team also benefited from the real-time notifications and added visibility, which allowed them to pull timely financial data to assess the financial health of their supply chain. The invoice data available on the Flexport platform enabled them to accurately calculate the product cost across shipments and efficiently reconcile what's in-transit with what's on their balance sheet. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Inventory Management Systems

Platform as a Service (PaaS) - Application Development Platforms

Applicable Industries

Finance & Insurance

Transportation

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Warehouse & Inventory Management

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Supply Chain Visibility

Challenge

American Metalcraft, a leading wholesale producer of kitchen and restaurant-ware, was struggling with outdated supply chain processes. The company's focus on product development had led to the neglect of upgrading its supply chain processes. The legacy logistics processes made it difficult for the company to efficiently manage its in-transit inventory and accurately measure its total product cost. The company was working with a forwarder for over a decade, and the relationship was described as 'quintessentially legacy'. The team was always waiting for a few days for updates on their shipments, which was a significant challenge for a company with thousands of simultaneously moving pieces of inventory.

About Customer

American Metalcraft is a leading wholesale producer of kitchen and restaurant-ware, based in Franklin, Illinois. The company, which started in the 1940s producing hubcaps for automobiles, has reinvented itself into a major national wholesaler of kitchen and restaurant-ware. They sell over 3000 trend-focused bar, kitchen, table-top, and buffet supply products to wholesale buyers nationwide. The company has a focus on product development and has a history of transformation, which is evident in their shift from producing hubcaps to kitchen and restaurant-ware.

Solution

American Metalcraft sought a digital upgrade to the freight forwarding portion of their supply chain and found a technology-based solution in Flexport. This solution provided their buying and finance teams with more visibility and control over shipments in their supply chain, enabling them to make smarter and quicker decisions. With Flexport, American Metalcraft's buying team gained greater transparency into their in-transit inventory, enabling them to move quicker and smarter. The finance team also benefited from the real-time notifications and added visibility, which allowed them to pull timely financial data to assess the financial health of their supply chain. The invoice data available on the Flexport platform enabled them to accurately calculate the product cost across shipments and efficiently reconcile what's in-transit with what's on their balance sheet.

Impact #1	The digital transformation of American Metalcraft's supply chain processes with Flexport has not only provided more transparency and an updated workflow but also led to a change in mindset and culture. The company experienced an 'aha moment' after switching to Flexport, challenging the notion of 'Well, that’s how we’ve always done things'. The digital transformation of their processes led to a change in the company's culture. The company found a true partner in Flexport, which worked with them each step of the way to ensure they were getting the most out of their platform and partnership.

Impact #1

The digital transformation of American Metalcraft's supply chain processes with Flexport has not only provided more transparency and an updated workflow but also led to a change in mindset and culture. The company experienced an 'aha moment' after switching to Flexport, challenging the notion of 'Well, that’s how we’ve always done things'. The digital transformation of their processes led to a change in the company's culture. The company found a true partner in Flexport, which worked with them each step of the way to ensure they were getting the most out of their platform and partnership.

Benefit #1	10% fewer annual inventory stockouts experienced with Flexport
Benefit #2	18 team members onboarded that collaborating via the Flexport platform
Benefit #3	5.2M+ Units of product shipped with Flexport

Benefit #1

10% fewer annual inventory stockouts experienced with Flexport

Benefit #2

18 team members onboarded that collaborating via the Flexport platform

Benefit #3

5.2M+ Units of product shipped with Flexport

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Overview

Digital Transformation of American Metalcraft's Supply Chain with Flexport

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit