Canadian 3PL updating to Headwater's Delfour SmartEnterprise 2 suite in bid to provide better, faster service at lower cost
Brampton, Ontario — July 1, 2005 — Confederation Freezers, a multi-facility third party logistics (3PL) provider serving Canadian and international customers from four food-grade controlled temperature and ambient temperature warehouses in Ontario, is upgrading its Delfour warehouse management software, according to an announcement this week.
Headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, Confederation Freezers operates facilities representing a mix of freezer, cooler and ambient space in Ontario. The company is one of the largest public refrigerated warehousing companies in Southern Ontario.
Confederation will be upgrading to Headwater Technology Solutions Inc.'s Delfour SmartEnterprise 2 third party logistics (3PL) suite. Installation of new hardware is currently in process, with implementation and testing of SmartEnterprise 2 scheduled to follow immediately.
Upgrading to IBM Blades
The earlier version of the logistics management software has resided on an IBM RS6000 computer running IBM's AIX operating system, accessing an Oracle database. In the new implementation, the software resides on an IBM blade server that also houses one blade each for the Oracle database, the application server, the freight system and EDP operations.
Confederation has consistently kept pace with the evolution of the SmartEnterprise 2 predecessor solution. Headwater said that Delfour SmartEnterprise 2 suite not only represents an upgraded solution, but also a significant redesign that incorporates an array of new features and capabilities, among them alerts management, source imaging, expanded labor tracking, and expanded voice and data communications.
The SmartEnterprise 2 suite at Confederation includes the Enterprise Foundation, an integration layer; the RF Voice Foundation, WarehouseLogic logistics management software, the Active Desktop GUI-based single point access and control module, the d'Amigo alert management and reporting tool, and the e-Vista web-based visibility tool that enables customers to track the movement and status of their inventory in real time. Among Confederation Freezers' largest customers, 20 now use e-Vista, leading to major savings in time and money on all sides.
"Confederation Freezers has used the WarehouseLogic system successfully for more than ten years and now serves some 250 clients, with more than 19,000,000 cubic feet of storage space under management," said Joe E. Couto, Headwater senior vice president. "It is a large and complex assignment, and with SmartEnterprise 2, the company will be able to provide better and faster service at lower cost."
The company's facilities communicate with the browser-based logistics management software via the company's Telnet private network. Over time, Confederation Freezers plans to move its electronic data exchange with customers to EZConnect EDI-XML, a data translation and communications system developed by Headwater Business Partner ACOM Solutions.
Additional Articles of Interest
— For more information on the latest trends in the fulfillment space, see the article "The Analyst Corner: Fulfillment & Logistics" in the October/November 2004 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
— In order to perform on a world-class level, companies must redesign the supply and service chains to meet market demands. Dramatic changes are in order. Read more in the SDCExec.com article "Leveraging Supply Chain Logistics: Get Physical and Agile."
— How can you beat the trends and lower your less-than-truckload costs, even in a seller's market? For a guide to help you get started, read the SDCExec.com article "LTL Sourcing: Success for Buyers In A Seller's Market."
Brampton, Ontario — July 1, 2005 — Confederation Freezers, a multi-facility third party logistics (3PL) provider serving Canadian and international customers from four food-grade controlled temperature and ambient temperature warehouses in Ontario, is upgrading its Delfour warehouse management software, according to an announcement this week.
Headquartered in Brampton, Ontario, Confederation Freezers operates facilities representing a mix of freezer, cooler and ambient space in Ontario. The company is one of the largest public refrigerated warehousing companies in Southern Ontario.
Confederation will be upgrading to Headwater Technology Solutions Inc.'s Delfour SmartEnterprise 2 third party logistics (3PL) suite. Installation of new hardware is currently in process, with implementation and testing of SmartEnterprise 2 scheduled to follow immediately.
Upgrading to IBM Blades
The earlier version of the logistics management software has resided on an IBM RS6000 computer running IBM's AIX operating system, accessing an Oracle database. In the new implementation, the software resides on an IBM blade server that also houses one blade each for the Oracle database, the application server, the freight system and EDP operations.
Confederation has consistently kept pace with the evolution of the SmartEnterprise 2 predecessor solution. Headwater said that Delfour SmartEnterprise 2 suite not only represents an upgraded solution, but also a significant redesign that incorporates an array of new features and capabilities, among them alerts management, source imaging, expanded labor tracking, and expanded voice and data communications.
The SmartEnterprise 2 suite at Confederation includes the Enterprise Foundation, an integration layer; the RF Voice Foundation, WarehouseLogic logistics management software, the Active Desktop GUI-based single point access and control module, the d'Amigo alert management and reporting tool, and the e-Vista web-based visibility tool that enables customers to track the movement and status of their inventory in real time. Among Confederation Freezers' largest customers, 20 now use e-Vista, leading to major savings in time and money on all sides.
"Confederation Freezers has used the WarehouseLogic system successfully for more than ten years and now serves some 250 clients, with more than 19,000,000 cubic feet of storage space under management," said Joe E. Couto, Headwater senior vice president. "It is a large and complex assignment, and with SmartEnterprise 2, the company will be able to provide better and faster service at lower cost."
The company's facilities communicate with the browser-based logistics management software via the company's Telnet private network. Over time, Confederation Freezers plans to move its electronic data exchange with customers to EZConnect EDI-XML, a data translation and communications system developed by Headwater Business Partner ACOM Solutions.
Additional Articles of Interest
— For more information on the latest trends in the fulfillment space, see the article "The Analyst Corner: Fulfillment & Logistics" in the October/November 2004 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
— In order to perform on a world-class level, companies must redesign the supply and service chains to meet market demands. Dramatic changes are in order. Read more in the SDCExec.com article "Leveraging Supply Chain Logistics: Get Physical and Agile."
— How can you beat the trends and lower your less-than-truckload costs, even in a seller's market? For a guide to help you get started, read the SDCExec.com article "LTL Sourcing: Success for Buyers In A Seller's Market."
- More articles about Headwater Technology's Delfour solution.
