Enterprises globally are prioritizing the optimization of their manufacturing and logistics operations to achieve ‘operational efficiency’. In-plant logistics, a critical yet often overlooked link between production and outbound deliveries, is now under the spotlight. With increasing pressures to reduce costs, enhance accuracy, and speed up operations while maintaining excellence, the shift towards automating in-plant logistics is becoming essential.
Traditional methods involving manual processes, paper, and spreadsheets are simply no longer sufficient. These outdated approaches lead to bottlenecks, delays, and a high risk of errors; resulting in longer turnaround times, inefficient loading, compromised compliance, and decreased customer satisfaction.
Automation of in-plant logistics, thus, is not merely a technological upgrade. It’s a strategic necessity that equips businesses to remain agile, compliant, and ahead of the competitive curve. Automation introduces a level of consistency and predictability into operations that manual processes simply cannot match. And, what better way to achieve this than with a TMS or Transportation Management Software.
A sophisticated TMS like Fretron can help companies eliminate the key pain points associated with manual systems, such as siloed data and the resulting inefficiencies. Continue reading to discover how.
In-plant logistics is the unsung hero of the supply chain, ensuring a smooth flow of goods within the four walls of your facility. The following infographic displays several critical processes that play a pivotal role in keeping the movement of inbound/outbound deliveries smoothly.
These processes must function flawlessly as that significantly reduces the likelihood of bottlenecks and errors, streamlines processes, and enhances overall efficiency. This is where a Transportation Management System (TMS) becomes invaluable. By integrating a TMS, companies can leverage technology to automate and refine these critical processes.
This brings us to discuss the powerful in-plant logistics automation capabilities of Fretron TMS that can help you supercharge every nook and corner of your plant. Let’s dive in.
A constant queue of vehicles waiting for registration and inspection is a scene all too familiar with traditional paper-based systems. This consumes valuable time and introduces human error during data entry and physical checks. Delays due to misplaced paperwork or lengthy inspections can significantly impact overall plant efficiency. Furthermore, a lack of real-time status updates on arriving vehicles makes planning and optimizing yard operations difficult.
Fretron addresses these challenges by automating the entire vehicle registration and inspection process. This automation introduces digital workflows that streamline operations and enhance efficiency. The real-time status updates provide instant visibility into vehicle queue lengths and processing status for informed decision-making. This approach ensures faster turnaround times for vehicles, tighter security measures at the plant gate, and valuable data for further analysis and process optimization.
Also read: How Digitalization Reduces Turnaround Time (TAT) In Plants
RFID tags affixed to each vehicle allow for instant identification upon arrival at the plant gate. This enables automatic recording of arrival time, vehicle information, and inspection details.
Drivers can utilize a user-friendly mobile application for digital registration, document upload, and inspection completion. This not only expedites the process but also creates a digital record for improved traceability and security.
Monitoring stage-wise turnaround times within a plant is a tedious task, often handled through outdated manual tracking and reporting on paper or basic spreadsheets. These systems are error-prone and time-consuming, hindering access to real-time data for informed decision-making. The lack of visibility into delays and bottlenecks across different stages (loading, unloading, sorting, etc.) makes it challenging to pinpoint areas for improvement and optimize plant logistics. This can lead to inefficiencies, missed opportunities, and ultimately, dissatisfied customers.
Fretron changes this forever by providing companies with granular visibility into plant operations. Real-time TAT monitoring enables data-driven decisions to optimize loading and unloading times, improve resource allocation, and ensure on-time deliveries, ultimately enhancing customer satisfaction.
Leverage the power of a comprehensive dashboard that displays live TAT data for each stage of the in-plant logistics process. The data is fetched from strategically placed data capture points throughout the plant to record timestamps as goods progress through each stage. Moreover, stage-wise analytics provides in-depth reports with visualizations to identify bottlenecks, analyze trends, and measure the impact of implemented improvements.
Such comprehensive tracking provides immediate visibility into operational delays and bottlenecks, allowing for quick remediation.
Capturing accurate tare and gross weight directly into the system has been a cumbersome job, involving manual data entry and paper-based weighbridge systems. This approach can lead to load compliance issues and dispatch inefficiencies. Manual data entry impacts the accuracy of load calculations and shipment documentation. Inaccurate weight data can result in overloading penalties, delays at weigh stations, and potential safety hazards.
Fretron streamlines this process through automated tare and gross weight capture, ensuring accurate load management and compliance. This eliminates the chances of human error and enables empowered decision-making, compliance with weight restrictions, avoiding penalties, and optimizing loading capacities for improved efficiency.
Fretron automates the capture and logging of tare and gross weight data through seamless integration with weighbridge equipment and implementation of RFID and GPS technology. This integration significantly reduces manual intervention and increases data accuracy in verification and load calculation. It also generates real-time notifications for any weight discrepancies exceeding predefined thresholds, allowing for prompt corrective actions.
Manual handling of loading bay operations and dispatch schedules typically involves paper-based systems and verbal communications. This presents inefficiencies and errors, leading to delays in loading operations and increased vehicle waiting times. Manual communication and reliance on paper create frustration among carriers. Dispatchers also struggle to track the status of vehicles and optimize loading sequences.
Fretron transforms this aspect of plant logistics with a digital loading bay management system for optimized operations and dispatch scheduling free of manual intervention. This translates to reduced vehicle wait time, improved carrier satisfaction, and increased overall plant efficiency.
The centralized online portal enables a real-time overview of the loading bay, including live status updates on vehicle allocation, and dispatch scheduling. Real-time visibility into bay availability, dock status, and arrival schedules is assisted with rule-based scheduling algorithms and guidelines for vehicles. Automated SMS or email alerts are sent to drivers informing them of their designated bay and estimated loading time. This helps in preventing congestion at the loading bays and effective utilization of the dock capacity.
Generating invoices, waybills, packing slips, and PGI/GRN documents is generally a manual and disjointed process. When led by siloed systems and manual paperwork, it becomes prone to inaccuracies and delays. Inaccuracies in documentation can cause delays at shipment points, create billing disputes with customers, and hinder compliance with tax regulations.
Fretron automates document generation, streamlining the entire process and ensuring accuracy and compliance. This translates to faster shipment processing, reduced administrative burden, and improved compliance with regulations.
Fretron enables the instant creation of crucial documents integrated with in-plant logistics operations like invoices, waybills, and PGI/GRN documents. Seamless integration with the ERP systems automates data exchange with the portal, making the documentation process quicker and more reliable.
The aggregation and analysis of plant logistics data are often manual and outdated processes. , hindering strategic decision-making and operational improvement. Without real-time visibility into key performance indicators (KPIs), it’s difficult to identify areas for improvement and implement data-driven strategies for operational excellence.
Fretron offers a solution with powerful data-driven analytics capabilities, empowering you to gain real-time oversight and actionable insights for continuous improvement. This capability empowers managers and executives to make informed decisions based on current data and trends.
The user-friendly and drag-and-drop-enabled dashboard features comprehensive real-time reporting and analytics on logistics operations, performance metrics, and trends. Monitor key performance indicators such as TAT, loading times, dispatch efficiency, and on-time delivery rates within the in-plant operations.
The dashboard can be customized to display the KPIs most relevant to your specific needs and priorities. Create personalized reports for non-tech users or different departments (e.g., operations, dispatch) to enable the best way forward for continuous improvement and strategic planning.
Effectively, a TMS enhances the functionality of these critical in-plant activities while ensuring they operate in concert to drive operational excellence and sustainable competitive advantage. The result is operational excellence characterized by reduced turnaround times, increased loading efficiency, and stringent adherence to compliance standards—all underpinned by a strategic, data-driven approach.
Connect with us to know the best strategies and how you can leverage powerful Fretron TMS’ capabilities to enable in plant logistics management automation. You can alternatively email us at sales@fretron.com or call us at +91 9711799111.
We are Fretron, India’s 1st cloud-based, collaborative Transport Management System, which connects Shippers, Logistic Service Providers, and Fleet Owners to enable a simpler, efficient & responsive logistics network.
Address: 7th Floor Plot 55P, Institutional Area, Sector 44, Gurugram, Haryana 122003
Email: sales@fretron.com
Phone: 9711799111
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