Global supply chain optimization provider Manhattan Associates announced that Publix Super Markets has selected Manhattan Associates’ Transportation Lifecycle Management (TLM) suite to optimize its transportation management processes. As part of the Manhattan SCOPE (Supply Chain Optimization – Planning through Execution) portfolio, TLM is an integrated solution that will enable Publix to maintain complete control of its network and confidently make the right transportation decisions across departments and external entities based on service needs, locations, carrier commitments and costs. With the addition of Publix, Manhattan Associates now counts as customers five of the top eight supermarket chains in the United States.
“Difficult economic conditions, skyrocketing energy costs and sustainability pressures are making transportation management systems (TMS) one of the fastest growing application segments with double-digit market growth expected for 2008,” said Dwight Klappich, a Gartner, Inc. Research VP focused on supply chain execution.
In addition to enhancing its transportation procurement process, Publix will optimize transportation decisions in several areas, including store and warehouse replenishment, manufacturing raw materials and transferring products among facilities through both the company’s private fleet and contracted carriers.
“Our reputation for being where shopping is a pleasure starts with our mission statement of being passionately focused on our customers and intolerant of waste,” said Maria Brous, Publix director of media and community relations. “Our passion begins behind the scenes by having the right inventory available to our stores. As a sustainable company, we look to ensure that our trucks are filled to capacity with the correct products and that they are efficiently routed to our stores. Manhattan Associates’ transportation solution supports our philosophy that ‘every day is earth day’ by helping us to continue to improve our judicious use of fuel and energy.”
Manhattan’s TLM solution enables private fleet dispatch, appointment scheduling and incremental bidding to compare and help manage food manufacturer freight allowances, the company says. It also provides capabilities to manage specific challenges in the produce industry, and delivers full visibility into vendor managed deliveries. As a result, Publix will be able to manage inventory more efficiently, increase utilization of its fleet with planned and opportunistic backhauls while not violating tractor, trailer or driver rules, save fuel and ultimately enhance customer service while lowering costs.
“Manhattan’s TLM solution directly supports Publix’s focus on environmental sustainability and its promise to ‘make shopping a pleasure’ by having stores stocked with the products
customers want,” said Jeff Mitchell, executive vice president, Manhattan Associates. “Our work with leaders in the grocery industry has helped us craft capabilities extremely well-suited to wisely using fuel, fully tapping capacity in trucks and warehouses, intelligently delivering different types of products with varying shelf lives to the right stores and managing inventory to reduce waste,” he added.
