Blue Yonder Case Studies Driving Out the Competition

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	Driving Out the Competition Blue Yonder

Driving Out the Competition

Blue Yonder

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Applicable Industries	Food & Beverage Retail
Applicable Functions	Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases	Inventory Management Warehouse Automation
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	NFT, a leading provider of time-sensitive, chilled food and drink logistics services in the UK, was facing operational challenges that were preventing it from optimizing performance. The company's traditional pick-face approach was leading to underutilization of its 220,000 square-foot warehouse, immense SKU proliferation, and almost unmanageable replenishments and put-backs. Additionally, the way manufacturers produced their products was creating issues with sell-by dates and misrotation, leading to waste, extra administrative burden, fines, claims, penalties, returns, and rejections. NFT wanted to protect its business reputation, preserve customer sales, and improve performance. Read More
About Customer	NFT has been at the forefront of providing time-sensitive, chilled food and drink logistics services for over 30 years. An industry leader in the United Kingdom (UK), NFT operates as the intelligent link between food and drink manufacturers and suppliers, and their retail customers. The company delivers primary and secondary services through its transport, warehousing and logistics solutions, with the objective to minimize complexity, reduce cost and drive greater customer satisfaction. On behalf of its retail supermarket and grocery customers, NFT provides a consolidated transport and distribution service point for approximately 250-400 international food and drink suppliers into the UK market. Additionally, NFT provides secondary logistics services to major UK grocery retailers, managing the entire process of collection, warehousing, consolidation and onward distribution of chilled, ambient and fresh product daily. Read More
Solution	NFT decided to replace its traditional pick-face approach with an automated warehouse allocation solution. After evaluating various warehouse management technologies, the company selected solutions from JDA Software’s Intelligent Fulfillment™ suite. The initial project took place at NFT’s flagship Daventry depot, and NFT is currently utilizing the solution in three of its warehouses as well as in a customer warehouse. It also leverages JDA Warehouse Management modules to handle workforce management, third-party billing, and integration functions. JDA alliance member LXE Inc., now Honeywell, provided the RF capability. The enhanced solution allowed a low-risk, phased transition by customer, delivering prioritized EBITDA wins, and NFT achieved project ROI in less than 30 days. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

Applicable Industries

Food & Beverage

Retail

Applicable Functions

Warehouse & Inventory Management

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Warehouse Automation

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

NFT, a leading provider of time-sensitive, chilled food and drink logistics services in the UK, was facing operational challenges that were preventing it from optimizing performance. The company's traditional pick-face approach was leading to underutilization of its 220,000 square-foot warehouse, immense SKU proliferation, and almost unmanageable replenishments and put-backs. Additionally, the way manufacturers produced their products was creating issues with sell-by dates and misrotation, leading to waste, extra administrative burden, fines, claims, penalties, returns, and rejections. NFT wanted to protect its business reputation, preserve customer sales, and improve performance.

About Customer

NFT has been at the forefront of providing time-sensitive, chilled food and drink logistics services for over 30 years. An industry leader in the United Kingdom (UK), NFT operates as the intelligent link between food and drink manufacturers and suppliers, and their retail customers. The company delivers primary and secondary services through its transport, warehousing and logistics solutions, with the objective to minimize complexity, reduce cost and drive greater customer satisfaction. On behalf of its retail supermarket and grocery customers, NFT provides a consolidated transport and distribution service point for approximately 250-400 international food and drink suppliers into the UK market. Additionally, NFT provides secondary logistics services to major UK grocery retailers, managing the entire process of collection, warehousing, consolidation and onward distribution of chilled, ambient and fresh product daily.

Solution

NFT decided to replace its traditional pick-face approach with an automated warehouse allocation solution. After evaluating various warehouse management technologies, the company selected solutions from JDA Software’s Intelligent Fulfillment™ suite. The initial project took place at NFT’s flagship Daventry depot, and NFT is currently utilizing the solution in three of its warehouses as well as in a customer warehouse. It also leverages JDA Warehouse Management modules to handle workforce management, third-party billing, and integration functions. JDA alliance member LXE Inc., now Honeywell, provided the RF capability. The enhanced solution allowed a low-risk, phased transition by customer, delivering prioritized EBITDA wins, and NFT achieved project ROI in less than 30 days.

Impact #1	Increased SKU-picking capability by more than fifteenfold to a weekly average of 1.6 million cases — peaking at almost 2 million — in less than three years
Impact #2	Increased pick rates by 15-30 percent across various customers
Impact #3	Improved picking accuracy to more than 99.95 percent most weeks

Impact #1

Increased SKU-picking capability by more than fifteenfold to a weekly average of 1.6 million cases — peaking at almost 2 million — in less than three years

Impact #2

Increased pick rates by 15-30 percent across various customers

Impact #3

Improved picking accuracy to more than 99.95 percent most weeks

Benefit #1	27 percent improvement in reach truck utilization
Benefit #2	Business has grown to an average of more than 1.6 million cases picked each week
Benefit #3	Zero NFT misrotations in allocation and picking

Benefit #1

27 percent improvement in reach truck utilization

Benefit #2

Business has grown to an average of more than 1.6 million cases picked each week

Benefit #3

Zero NFT misrotations in allocation and picking

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Overview

Driving Out the Competition

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit