Alpine Featured in Inbound Logistics on 3PL Innovations

Alpine Featured in Inbound Logistics on 3PL Innovations

by | Jan 9, 2020 | Supply Chain Consulting

In the current issue of Inbound Logistics, Alpine’s Michael Wohlwend shares his thoughts on technology innovations and process insights for enhancing the value that 3PLs bring to shippers.
 
Many 3PLs continually invest in warehouse, transportation, and labor management systems. “Those are real-time execution systems to help plan labor and equipment and maximize space,” says Wohlwend. “Slotting optimization is also popular to support a 3PL customer’s lifecycle.” In addition, many 3PLs are looking for e-commerce capabilities.
 
Read the full article here: 3PLs Add Value
Short excerpts from the Inbound Logistics article:
Indeed, many 3PLs continually invest in warehouse, transportation, and labor management systems. “Those are real-time execution systems to help plan labor and equipment and maximize space,”says Michael Wohlwend, managing principal with Alpine Supply Chain Solutions Consulting. “Slotting optimization is also popular to support a 3PL customer’s lifecycle.”
In addition, many 3PLs are looking for capabilities, such as the ability to pick and fill online orders and provide next-day service, that will enable them to help clients more effectively navigate a market increasingly ruled by e-commerce.

(In regards to streamlinging e-commerce): The growth of online ordering has enhanced the value 3PLs can provide. Customers’ increasing expectation of next- or same-day delivery adds to transportation complexity. Many 3PLs have gained experience in tight delivery deadlines and omni-channel distribution, and companies in other industries are leveraging that expertise.

“Companies are focusing on their core competencies and letting companies that specialize in logistics manage the distribution,” Wohlwend says.

Free Business Intelligence: WMS Systems White Paper!

Free Business Intelligence: WMS Systems White Paper!

by | Dec 11, 2019 | Warehouse Management

Business Intelligence is all the rage these days, and Alpine now offers a WMS Advanced Reporting solution that can give you data for days, including:

 
-Key Performance Indicator (KPI) analysis
-Trend analysis
-Financial performance tracking
-On-time and In-Full performance
-Function-specific cycle times
-Dock-to-Stock
-Capacity
-Labor Management
-Fill rate
-Inventory on hand
-Cycle counts

To determine if your operation could benefit from an advanced reporting solution, reflecton these questions:

  • Do I rely on base GUI screens for business insights into my WMS?
  • Do I have to export data from my WMS into Excel and run macros and pivot tables in order to get the information I need?
  • Are my supervisors spending unnecessary time after every shift calculating UPH metrics or other necessary KPIs?
  • Can I quickly provide my team with easy-to-read visuals that quickly show how effectively each team member is performing?
  • Are there parts of your operation that fall into the “black box” category, leaving you guessing why the WMS is behaving in a given manner?

If you answered any of the above questions with a less-than-favorable response, it maybe time to step up your business intelligence (BI) game!

If you want more in-depth, actionable data from your JDA, see our white paper, “Operational Efficiencies Realized Through Business Intelligence” to learn how need-based reporting can breathe life into a stagnant WMS.
Free WMS WhitePaper Download!

Free WMS WhitePaper Download!

by | Nov 21, 2019 | Supply Chain Consulting

Do you have difficulty selecting a warehouse management system?

Ready, Set, Delay! The Pitfalls and Gotcha’s of a New WMS Software Selection and Implementation Project.

Selecting and installing a WMS is an expensive and long-term decision that can often make or break a career. Choosing the right system for your current and future needs takes a lot of work, and you need to take into consideration your resource constraints, industry knowledge and overall strategies and put together an end-to-end plan that will accomplish your goals. 
Download our free white paper to walk through the steps:
-Determining what type of warehouse solution you need
-Creating an RFP
-Assessing, comparing and selecting the right vendor
-Negotiating contracts
-Making a solid plan for implementation. 
Do you need help navigating the perils of a 7-15-year WMS decision? Give us a call – we’ve been doing it for many years and we’re happy to help. 
Download the Warehouse Management Systems White Paper today! Also, check out our white paper on business intelligence!
Excerpt from “Ready – Set – Delay!: The Pitfalls and Gotcha’s of a new WMS Vendor Software Selection
and Implementation Project”:
Much has been written and showcased on the topic of selecting and implementing a new Warehouse
Management System (WMS), pronounced in my part of the country as “Dubya-M-S”. You can Google the
topic and you will get ~ 99,700 results, varying in detail from supply chain vendor websites, published
articles and topics totally unrelated to what you were looking for.
If you filter your results into a more manageable set of results, you will find varying opinions on the Top
“X” number of Factors/Successes/Steps/Benefits on how to successfully choose the right software
vendor to satisfy your business goals. Good luck weeding through the reams of documented “what and
what not to do’s.” For many people, selecting and installing a WMS is a once, maybe twice in a career
decision. Unless of course you move companies often. Even then, the average lifespan of an installed
WMS is about 7-15 years, and longer in some vertical markets. Not to spook you, but this is an
expensive, long-term decision that can often make or break a career.
First, let’s decide what is a Warehouse Management System. In the 80’s, 90’s and even the early 2000’s,
it was a pretty simple and straightforward explanation. Today, however, the topic can be and is often
heavily debated…
Free Webinar! 3PL Effective Collaboration

Free Webinar! 3PL Effective Collaboration

by | Oct 28, 2019 | Warehouse Consulting

Alpine Managing Principal, Michael Wohlwend, teamed up with Kevin Coleman of DSC Logistics, and Charlie Piper of Saddle Creek Logistics to discuss lessons that you can leverage for your successful third-party logistics partnerships during the October 10th Warehouse Education Research Council (WERC) webinar. Whether public warehouse or contract logistics, use these tactics for more effective 3PL collaboration!
Click below to watch the webinar now.

About DSC Logistics:

When Dry Storage Corporation was founded in 1960, we provided our customers space to store their products and a promise to meet their changing needs by, in the words of our founder, Jim McIlrath, “doing a better job tomorrow than we did today.” Ann McIlrath Drake, Jim’s daughter, joined in 1994 as CEO, and her vision unified our organization from a public warehousing company of 22 acquired affiliates to “one great company: DSC Logistics.” Under Ann’s leadership, we established our strong reputation for strategic collaboration, providing integrated supply chain solutions to many of the world’s leading companies.

 

About Saddle Creek Logistics:

Saddle Creek is an asset-based third-party logistics provider based in Lakeland, Florida. We specialize in designing and delivering omnichannel logistics solutions for manufacturers, retailers and ecommerce companies.Our approach is solution based and data driven, using the most advanced operational methods and sophisticated technologies.

Watch Webinar
The Rise of Robots in Distribution Centers

The Rise of Robots in Distribution Centers

by | Oct 23, 2019 | Supply Chain Consulting, Warehouse Management

Check out this great article we saw in Supply Chain Dive about the dramatic rise of robotics in distribution centers!

At Alpine, we’ve been working with many of our clients on the same thing. As the cost of labor is rising and the cost of automation is coming down, the tipping point for robotics is upon us. Many of our clients are analyzing opportunities for robots and we have recently helped three of them justify “goods to person” system. And, we are installing one right now!

In addition, the success of several robot installations in a “Layer” pick environment has been proven, so now we are working with several CPG companies to develop an adoption plan for this application. There are some great insights from Gartner in the article, as well, from their “Hype Cycle for Supply Chain Execution Technologies” report. Check it out!

READ THE ARTICLE

Excerpt from the article:

RaaS warehouse solutions require little infrastructure and can be flexibly deployed in any facility, Parks said. InVia Robotics offers an automated picking system to manage a network of picker robots that can autonomously move inventory from one point to another. The compact robots are two feet tall by two feet wide, can reach up to eight feet high and can carry standard totes weighing up to 40 pounds.

“There really isn’t much infrastructure required,” he said. “You just basically put a bunch of stickers on your existing shelving and the robots go and pick.”