Case Studies Generac meets rapid growth with global supply chain visibility

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	Generac meets rapid growth with global supply chain visibility

Generac meets rapid growth with global supply chain visibility

Technology Category	Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP) Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
Applicable Industries	Consumer Goods Equipment & Machinery
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation Procurement
Use Cases	Fleet Management Predictive Maintenance Supply Chain Visibility
Services	Data Science Services System Integration
Challenge	Generac experienced a period of rapid growth post-IPO, acquiring companies around the world. They needed to revamp their global supply chain and integrate operations as rapidly as possible. When Alan Rowlett Jr. joined Generac as director of logistics in early 2016, the company had selected SAP to be its new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Connecting the newly acquired companies to SAP was underway, but current transportation management system (TMS) functionality needed a boost to support the company’s growing logistical demand. Generac had a goal of better understanding their overall transportation spend across a multitude of transportation providers and identifying potential efficiencies. Read More
About Customer	Founded in 1959, Generac Power Systems (“Generac”) was the first to engineer affordable home standby generators and is now the #1 manufacturer of home backup generators. They take pride in protecting the things that power our lives by providing quality, affordable power solutions. With Generac issuing their IPO in 2010, it further facilitated the company’s growth from $588 million to nearly $1.5 billion in sales, enabling acquisitions both domestically and overseas. Generac saw the opportunity to review their global supply chain and identify new efficiencies to enable the next stage of growth. Read More
Solution	Generac and C.H. Robinson collaborated to develop a comprehensive, global supply chain solution. The solution incorporated trucking, ocean, air, customs brokerage, port services, and data management, and provided full visibility. The most impactful decision Generac made was to integrate their ERP with Navisphere®, C.H. Robinson’s single global TMS platform. In addition to handling EDI transactions, implementing Navisphere helped Generac standardize operations across business lines and geographies and obtain shipment visibility across multiple languages, regions, and modes. Generac worked with TMC, a division of C.H. Robinson, to automate processes through Navisphere. Today, Generac uses Navisphere to manage their complex and robust supply chain that serves thousands of customers. The technology enables the company to optimize shipments, select the best mode, and experience near real time visibility across the globe. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration

Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)

Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)

Applicable Industries

Consumer Goods

Equipment & Machinery

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Procurement

Use Cases

Fleet Management

Predictive Maintenance

Supply Chain Visibility

Services

Data Science Services

System Integration

Challenge

Generac experienced a period of rapid growth post-IPO, acquiring companies around the world. They needed to revamp their global supply chain and integrate operations as rapidly as possible. When Alan Rowlett Jr. joined Generac as director of logistics in early 2016, the company had selected SAP to be its new Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system. Connecting the newly acquired companies to SAP was underway, but current transportation management system (TMS) functionality needed a boost to support the company’s growing logistical demand. Generac had a goal of better understanding their overall transportation spend across a multitude of transportation providers and identifying potential efficiencies.

About Customer

Founded in 1959, Generac Power Systems (“Generac”) was the first to engineer affordable home standby generators and is now the #1 manufacturer of home backup generators. They take pride in protecting the things that power our lives by providing quality, affordable power solutions. With Generac issuing their IPO in 2010, it further facilitated the company’s growth from $588 million to nearly $1.5 billion in sales, enabling acquisitions both domestically and overseas. Generac saw the opportunity to review their global supply chain and identify new efficiencies to enable the next stage of growth.

Solution

Generac and C.H. Robinson collaborated to develop a comprehensive, global supply chain solution. The solution incorporated trucking, ocean, air, customs brokerage, port services, and data management, and provided full visibility. The most impactful decision Generac made was to integrate their ERP with Navisphere®, C.H. Robinson’s single global TMS platform. In addition to handling EDI transactions, implementing Navisphere helped Generac standardize operations across business lines and geographies and obtain shipment visibility across multiple languages, regions, and modes. Generac worked with TMC, a division of C.H. Robinson, to automate processes through Navisphere. Today, Generac uses Navisphere to manage their complex and robust supply chain that serves thousands of customers. The technology enables the company to optimize shipments, select the best mode, and experience near real time visibility across the globe.

Impact #1	Generac worked with C.H. Robinson to identify key metrics of success and actionable reporting that enables continuous improvement.
Impact #2	Vendors communicate with Generac using a variety of methods, including EDI, online order entry, phone calls, and emails in multiple languages.
Impact #3	Generac has reduced their inland containerized freight by nearly 33 percent and reduced costs by implementing a new solution.

Impact #1

Generac worked with C.H. Robinson to identify key metrics of success and actionable reporting that enables continuous improvement.

Impact #2

Vendors communicate with Generac using a variety of methods, including EDI, online order entry, phone calls, and emails in multiple languages.

Impact #3

Generac has reduced their inland containerized freight by nearly 33 percent and reduced costs by implementing a new solution.

Benefit #1	Reduced inbound international expenses by 9% and containerized freight expenses by 14%.
Benefit #2	Neutralized pricing increases, despite an FSC change from 18.7% to 22% in 2016.
Benefit #3	Reduced containerized freight from LA Long Beach to Whitewater, WI, by 33%.

Benefit #1

Reduced inbound international expenses by 9% and containerized freight expenses by 14%.

Benefit #2

Neutralized pricing increases, despite an FSC change from 18.7% to 22% in 2016.

Benefit #3

Reduced containerized freight from LA Long Beach to Whitewater, WI, by 33%.

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Overview

Generac meets rapid growth with global supply chain visibility

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit