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Upgrading Your WMS: Little Pain, Lots of Gain
Modern Materials Handling
February 2009 – “Here are two proven approaches you can take when upgrading your warehouse management system.”
Hide and Seek
DC Velocity
February 2009 – “It's hard to manage what you can't see. At least that's what food and beverage giant Kraft Foods found when it came to the yards at its distribution centers...
A chance encounter between managers at Kraft's Stockton, Calif., facility and employees of a newly formed technology company helped point Kraft to a potential solution: a real-time location system (RTLS). An RTLS uses a combination of technology—like radio-frequency identification tags and readers, Wi-Fi, and in some cases, global positioning systems—to track and trace assets (in Kraft's case, trailers) in real time...
For all their advantages, real-time location systems still have some limitations. "RTLS is only part of an effective yard management strategy," cautions Ian Hobkirk, director of supply chain consulting at Forte, a supply chain consulting and integration firm.”
Warehouse Control Systems (WCS) Upgrade Logistics Logic
Modern Materials Handling
January 2009 – “Once limited to running equipment, warehouse control systems are emerging as an engine for order fulfillment—and are bringing more order to DCs.”
How to Cope With the High Cost of Shipping
Modern Materials Handling
November 2008 – “In a tough economic environment, a transportation management system is one sure-fire way to get a fast ROI.”
Warehouses: The Supply Chain's New Efficiency Experts
Global Logistics and Supply Chain Strategies
October 2008 – “Never mind the complications of global supply chains. Some of the biggest boosts in productivity are to be found within the four walls of the traditional warehouse or distribution center.”
FORTE Recognized As One of Cincinnati’s 55 Fastest-Growing Private Companies
Cincinnati Business Courier
October 2008 –The Cincinnati Business Courier announced that FORTE has been named to the 2008 Fast 55, which recognizes the 55 fastest-growing private companies in the Greater Cincinnati region. This is the fourth time in FORTE’s history they have received the award. The Courier’s annual listing spans five revenue categories (rankings within each category will be revealed at a later date) and encompasses companies within a 15-county area.
The Golden Age of Wireless
Logistics Management
October 2008 – “A new generation of wireless technologies promises that it’s possible to go beyond standard vehicle tracking and incorporate broader business intelligence that will cut costs for all parties involved in transportation. But is it being embraced?”
Business Process Management Merits New Look from Corporate Strategists
Global Logistics and Supply Chain Strategies
September 2008 – “Information technology advances, along with a need to respond to the increasingly fast pace of business, is driving renewed corporate interest in business process management.”
In Technology, the Future is Flexible
Modern Materials Handling
September 2008 – “Technology that can change functions quickly, easily and inexpensively as circumstances change looks like the future of materials handling.
These days, materials handling managers hesitate to sink big bucks into large, expensive and rigid technology systems. The future of their internal processes and demands is just too uncertain. The technology they find most attractive emphasizes flexibility—the ability to change functions quickly, easily and inexpensively. They also want options for ramping up and cutting back quickly and easily as circumstances change.
Industry analysts see a trend toward flexible technology, specifically in areas gaining interest from customers: warehouse management systems (WMS), voice, service-oriented architecture (SOA), motorized roller conveyors, pick-to-light and robotics.”
Plan for Change
Material Handling Management
September 2008 – “Experts suggest a bit of crystal-ball gazing as the way to survive in an unpredictable economy. Make retrofitting part of your original business plan.
’A lot of retrofitting comes down to starting with a good initial design,’ says Ian Hobkirk, director, supply chain consulting, Forte (Mason, Ohio). Retrofitting is about planning for contingencies and change. In a world of expanding business, building a shiny new facility is often at the top of management’s wish list. When times get tough, making due with what you have, or making some upgrades, makes more sense.”
JDA Software Swallows I2 Technologies: Big Pond, Fewer Fish
Inbound Logistics
September 2008 – “On Aug. 10, 2008, JDA Software signed a definitive agreement to acquire i2 Technologies for approximately $346 million, uniting two key rivals in the transportation management system (TMS) space.
While the implications for current customers won't become manifest until JDA releases its much-anticipated product roadmap, it is clear that the situation for mid-sized companies seeking affordable TMS just improved significantly.”
FORTE Recognized As 2008 Great Supply Chain Partner by Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies Magazine
August 2008 – Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies (GL&SCS) Magazine recently named FORTE, a supply chain solutions organization, to its sixth-annual listing of “100 Great Supply Chain Partners.” This is FORTE’s third time to be named to this elite group of organizations.
Mason’s FORTE Named One of 100 Great Supply Chain Partners
The Cincinnati Enquirer
July 2008 –“FORTE, supply-chain facilities and systems provider, was named to the 100 Great Supply Chain Partners list by Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies magazine. The list was compiled from more than 2,500 nominations from small and large companies for more than 500 vendors.”
Meet Customer Requirements and Improve Your Bottom Line
Modern Materials Handling
July 2008 – “For anyone doing business today, meeting customer requirements is, well, a requirement of doing business. That is especially true for manufacturers and distributors with customers in the retail supply chain. For them, compliance labeling, advance ship notifications (ASN), custom packaging and palletizing are par for the course… Best-in-class companies, on the other hand, are using technology tools to meet customer requirements and turn them to their advantage.”
FORTE Recognized As 2008 Great Supply Chain Partner by Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies Magazine
Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies
July 2008 – Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies (GL&SCS) magazine recently named FORTE, a supply chain solutions organization , to its sixth-annual listing of “100 Great Supply Chain Partners.” This is FORTE’s third time to be named to this elite group of organizations.
Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies magazine’s list of "100 Great Supply Chain Partners" for 2008 is the result of a six-month poll in which senior level logistics and supply chain professionals were asked to nominate organizations whose technology, logistics, transportation or consulting solutions have made a significant impact on their company’s efficiency, customer service and overall supply chain performance.
Vera Bradley Fashions New Distribution Strategy with Engineering Consulting Firm FORTE
Global Logistics & Supply Chain Strategies
July 2008 – “Vera Bradley needed to increase throughput, increase capacity and improve accuracy… The Vera Bradley project team partnered with the distribution consulting and engineering firm FORTE to improve the facility layout and distribution processes within the existing distribution center, and to design a new 200,00-square-foot operations/distribution center.
In February of 2007, Vera Bradley simultaneously went online with four major supply chain projects: the opening of our new operations/distribution center, the transition to a new enterprise resource planning system, the implementation of a new best-of-breed warehouse management system, and the commissioning of a material handling system featuring pick-to-light technology, a zone-routed conveyor system, and a shipping sorter. FORTE worked hand in hand with Vera Bradley to help make these projects a success.”
Aberdeen: Most Warehouses Planning Redesign by 2010
Multichannel Merchant
July 2008 – “A new report from market research firm Aberdeen finds that 97% of warehouse professionals are planning to redesign their facilities in the next 24 months -- with 56% of best-in-class companies planning to improve operations within the next year.
According to the report, ‘Agile Logistics: Transforming the Distribution Center,’ sponsored by C3, FORTE, Manhattan Associates, and Vocollect, most small- to medium-sized companies with warehouses are planning to adopt a centralized management approach. Some expect to invest in warehouse management systems that allow for centralized management of the entire warehouse network.
The research, based on a survey of 150 warehouse professionals in May, finds that 32% of warehouse managers plan to upgrade or enhance their warehouse management software over the next two years, while 67% will seek ways to improve processes with or without new software.
The top four priorities identified by the survey respondents include:
- Make the distribution center/warehouse more flexible and agile as business needs change
- Improve labor efficiency
- Improve visibility to warehouse activities and inventory and order status
- Improve throughput”
Ian Hobkirk Joins FORTE As Director of Supply Chain Consulting
June 2008 – FORTE, a supply chain consulting and integration firm, is pleased to announce the appointment of Ian Hobkirk to the position of director of supply chain consulting. Hobkirk will play a strategic role in leading FORTE’s consulting practice with a focus on helping clients identify and implement supply chain process improvements.
Business Shift Grows FORTE
The Cincinnati Enquirer
May 2008 – “FORTE, a 28-year-old firm that helps corporations improve the efficiency of their supply chains, is undergoing dramatic growth as a result of its decision to expand into software integration and consulting services.
The company, whose client list includes Procter & Gamble, JC Penney and Bayer, is at 50 employees and expects its headcount to grow to about 100 in a couple of years as a result of its growing pipeline of projects.”
Sortation Basics
Modern Materials Handling
March 2008 – “Today's plants and distribution centers have a range of options for automatic product sortation, from simple pushers to sophisticated crossbelt sorters.”
Gene Forte Named to Supply & Demand Chain Executive Magazine’s List of “2008 Pros to Know”
March 2008 – FORTE, a supply chain consulting and integration firm, announced today that founder Gene Forte has been named to Supply and Demand Chain Executive magazine’s list of supply chain industry innovators in the Provider Pros to Know category.
Andrew Breckenridge Appointed President of FORTE
February 2008 – FORTE, a supply chain consulting and systems integration firm, is pleased to announce the promotion of Andrew Breckenridge to the position of President. This promotion follows several years of significant growth at FORTE and recognizes the key role Breckenridge played in both building on existing strategic relationships and broadening FORTE’s footprint into key new client relationships.
WMS: Start With These 7 Questions
Modern Materials Handling
February 2008 – “When it comes to selecting the right warehouse management system (WMS), the questions you answer at the start of the process may determine your success at the end.”
How Camping World Got WMS Right
Modern Materials Handling
February 2008 – “When Camping World, a retailer of RVs, RV accessories and outdoor goods, goes live with a warehouse management system (WMS) from RedPrairie a few months from now, it will be the culmination of a careful WMS selection process the retailer conducted in conjunction with FORTE…”
Eight Signs Your Network Should Be Optimized
O+F Advisor
January 2008 – “A network optimization study can be time consuming and involved and result in fundamental changes to your supply chain. For multichannel merchants, network optimization might be even more critical to your future competitive viability.
But is it worth undertaking the effort? If you can identify with eight factors affecting your business today, then yes, network optimization is for you.”
Value-Added Services: Getting Value From Adding Value
Modern Materials Handling
December 2007– “More customers are demanding value-added services, but there are ways to do it so it's worth your while.”
Make
Room for Fashion
Stores
December 2007– “Annual growth in the neighborhood of
30 percent would not generally be thought of as a problem by most
companies. But for Vera Bradley, a Fort Wayne, Indiana-based provider
of handbags and fashion accessories, such rapid growth was putting
a severe strain on its distribution system…
In early February, Vera Bradley went live with a new 200,000 sq. ft.
facility in Fort Wayne…
Now, orders which used to take two days to fulfill can be completed
in as little as 10 minutes…”
Best
Practices for M&A
Supply
& Demand Chain Executive
November 2007– “Supply chain considerations rarely are
the driving factor behind mergers and acquisitions. But… the supply
chain function typically plays a crucial role in ensuring the success
of any union of two or more companies.”
Vera
Bradley Revisited
Material
Handling Management
November 2007– “Eighteen months ago, Vera Bradley Co.
was planning a major move to a new manufacturing and distribution
center. Here's an update—with some lessons learned.”
Are
Distribution Center and Material Handling System Audits a Good
Value?
Supply
Chain Digest
October 2007– “Like almost any system, a distribution
center, or elements of the system, such as a warehouse management
system (WMS) or material handling automation system, can degrade
in performance over time.
A variety of system consultants and solution providers offer “audit” services,
in which they will come in and perform a review of operations and
systems, and offer recommendations about how to get the system back
to more peak performance or identify other areas for improvement.
Are these audits services worth the cost and effort? Generally yes – but
as always with a few caveats.”
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