Case Studies Improved Collaboration Through the Visibility of BluJay’s Transportation Management

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	Improved Collaboration Through the Visibility of BluJay’s Transportation Management

Improved Collaboration Through the Visibility of BluJay’s Transportation Management

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)
Applicable Industries	Packaging
Applicable Functions	Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases	Fleet Management Process Control & Optimization Supply Chain Visibility
Services	Software Design & Engineering Services System Integration
Challenge	With growth through mergers, acquisitions, and global expansion, transportation became increasingly complex for AEP. The company added multiple new product lines servicing both regional and long-distance markets in North America. The tremendous growth for AEP created challenges with logistics processes, which provided disconnects and missed opportunities. AEP had outgrown the returns process; service to internal and external customers was suffering, transportation costs were escalating, and increased visibility into freight movements was defined as a major opportunity. AEP established a list of goals for the transportation system and services: Bring transportation management in-house, Utilize a SaaS platform, Increase visibility with customers, Improve operational efficiencies and savings, Enable new modes of transportation. Read More
About Customer	AEP Industries is a large manufacturer of plastic packaging, films, and one of the largest US manufacturers of stretch film. The company produces over 15,000 types of multi-purpose packaging and other films for a variety of industries, including deli meat bags, cereal bags, consumer trash bags, and stretch wrap for industrial use. AEP is growing by doubling in size every four years for the last 15 years through acquisition and new market opportunities. From a transportation perspective, AEP has a centralized logistics management approach with 12 distribution centers that ship approximately 1.4 billion pounds of freight annually while managing millions of pounds of vendor pickup and return-related inbound shipments. AEP has 2,500 employees, and 250 of those are in the logistics, warehousing, and transportation division. Read More
Solution	AEP decided to gain tighter control of logistics processes by bringing the management of transportation in-house utilizing SaaS-based technology. BluJay’s Transportation Management provides the best return on investment option with low up-front cost and fast implementation. Fast ROI was a driving factor since Transportation Management implementations typically take 10 to 12 weeks with a lower implementation fee and a “pay as you go” model. This allows AEP to attain ROI and savings much faster than with an installed or hosted TMS software purchase. AEP gains flexibility and efficiency with BluJay’s Transportation Management technology to automate and manage day-to-day transportation. AEP can now collaborate with carriers, customers, and operation facilities, so everyone works from the same platform with complete visibility into shipment status. With the scalable nature of Transportation Management, AEP is able to quickly onboard carriers and get new facilities running sooner. Through better visibility and metrics, AEP attracts a better carrier base and increases the number of carriers while still maintaining cost. With detailed knowledge of carrier metrics, AEP easily identifies suitable new carriers while utilizing their core carrier base. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Transportation Management Systems (TMS)

Applicable Industries

Packaging

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation

Use Cases

Fleet Management

Process Control & Optimization

Supply Chain Visibility

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

System Integration

Challenge

With growth through mergers, acquisitions, and global expansion, transportation became increasingly complex for AEP. The company added multiple new product lines servicing both regional and long-distance markets in North America. The tremendous growth for AEP created challenges with logistics processes, which provided disconnects and missed opportunities. AEP had outgrown the returns process; service to internal and external customers was suffering, transportation costs were escalating, and increased visibility into freight movements was defined as a major opportunity. AEP established a list of goals for the transportation system and services: Bring transportation management in-house, Utilize a SaaS platform, Increase visibility with customers, Improve operational efficiencies and savings, Enable new modes of transportation.

About Customer

AEP Industries is a large manufacturer of plastic packaging, films, and one of the largest US manufacturers of stretch film. The company produces over 15,000 types of multi-purpose packaging and other films for a variety of industries, including deli meat bags, cereal bags, consumer trash bags, and stretch wrap for industrial use. AEP is growing by doubling in size every four years for the last 15 years through acquisition and new market opportunities. From a transportation perspective, AEP has a centralized logistics management approach with 12 distribution centers that ship approximately 1.4 billion pounds of freight annually while managing millions of pounds of vendor pickup and return-related inbound shipments. AEP has 2,500 employees, and 250 of those are in the logistics, warehousing, and transportation division.

Solution

AEP decided to gain tighter control of logistics processes by bringing the management of transportation in-house utilizing SaaS-based technology. BluJay’s Transportation Management provides the best return on investment option with low up-front cost and fast implementation. Fast ROI was a driving factor since Transportation Management implementations typically take 10 to 12 weeks with a lower implementation fee and a “pay as you go” model. This allows AEP to attain ROI and savings much faster than with an installed or hosted TMS software purchase. AEP gains flexibility and efficiency with BluJay’s Transportation Management technology to automate and manage day-to-day transportation. AEP can now collaborate with carriers, customers, and operation facilities, so everyone works from the same platform with complete visibility into shipment status. With the scalable nature of Transportation Management, AEP is able to quickly onboard carriers and get new facilities running sooner. Through better visibility and metrics, AEP attracts a better carrier base and increases the number of carriers while still maintaining cost. With detailed knowledge of carrier metrics, AEP easily identifies suitable new carriers while utilizing their core carrier base.

Impact #1	With BluJay’s Transportation Management, AEP evolved from managing transportation with Excel spreadsheets and large volumes of paper to using real-time SaaS-based software that provides visibility and collaboration to the entire supply chain.
Impact #2	Visibility improvements help AEP sustain transportation costs even as average order sizes decreased.
Impact #3	The number of LTL shipments has increased as a percent to total yet AEP did not see significant growth in the cost of LTL, proving that visibility and standard processes provided by BluJay’s Transportation Management allowed for greater freight savings.

Impact #1

With BluJay’s Transportation Management, AEP evolved from managing transportation with Excel spreadsheets and large volumes of paper to using real-time SaaS-based software that provides visibility and collaboration to the entire supply chain.

Impact #2

Visibility improvements help AEP sustain transportation costs even as average order sizes decreased.

Impact #3

The number of LTL shipments has increased as a percent to total yet AEP did not see significant growth in the cost of LTL, proving that visibility and standard processes provided by BluJay’s Transportation Management allowed for greater freight savings.

Benefit #1	AEP ships approximately 1.4 billion pounds of freight annually.
Benefit #2	Transportation Management implementations typically take 10 to 12 weeks.
Benefit #3	Intermodal capabilities represent 7 to 8% of the total outbound volume.

Benefit #1

AEP ships approximately 1.4 billion pounds of freight annually.

Benefit #2

Transportation Management implementations typically take 10 to 12 weeks.

Benefit #3

Intermodal capabilities represent 7 to 8% of the total outbound volume.

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Overview

Improved Collaboration Through the Visibility of BluJay’s Transportation Management

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit