Tempe, AZ January 16, 2003 In the transportation sector this week, specialty metals producer Carpenter Technology selected Ryder System to design and implement a transportation management program, and Con-Way Transportation Services rolled out a new online shipping status tool intended to give customers more options for tracking their freight shipments using Con-Way's automated e-mail system.
With sales of $977 million in its latest fiscal year, Carpenter, based in Wyomissing, Pa., is a leading manufacturer and distributor of specialty alloys and various engineered products, which are used in applications ranging from industrial tools to jet engines and from fuel injectors and medical implants.
Ryder System is designing a transportation management program intended to cost-effectively transport Carpenter Technology's products and to manage its third party carriers. Under the contract, Ryder will plan and manage transportation of Carpenter Technology's finished products from its two mills and seven distribution centers to hundreds of customer locations. Additionally, Ryder will manage products arriving inbound to the mills and distribution centers and all interplant transfers.
The services Ryder will provide include procurement of transportation, leveraging Ryder's buying power in the industry to negotiate the best rates and service for Carpenter Technology; routing instructions; compliance management; freight bill audit and payment, as well dedicated contract carriage services.
"One of our biggest challenges in transportation is to find ways to optimize lanes and leverage services with a select group of carriers while reducing costs," said David Brouse, director of supply chain operations and services for Carpenter. The Ryder solution will let the company evaluate and leverage the best and most cost-effective use of its carrier base, Brouse added.
Robert Sanchez, Ryder's senior vice president for global transportation management, said that using Ryder's transportation management offerings will help Carpenter standardize its transportation processes and procedures, reduce its costs, provide better access to resources and foster continuous improvement across its supply chain.
Ryder said its transportation management solution for Carpenter Technology is being implemented in phases in order to provide for a smooth transition to the new operating model.
Meanwhile, Ann Arbor, Mich.-based Con-Way Transportation Services, the $2 billion transportation and services company, this week took the wraps off its new "Track via E-mail" tool intended to make it easier for customers to track their freight shipments by using the company's automated e-mail system.
Con-Way said the new functionality, available to registered users on Con-Way's Web site under the "PowerTools" option, is designed to give users more flexibility in the options that allow them to trigger the tracking and notification process. Users also can now set up two additional e-mail addresses to receive the updates, and Con-Way plans to expand the number of possible e-mail recipients in the future.
E-mail notifications can be received based on a shipment's identification number, a shipper's location and by shipping event. Within these parameters, additional customizing options allow shippers to design the receipt of notifications for easiest utilization.
"With this new capability, customers can receive real-time status reports on their shipments with very little effort," said Bryan Millican, executive vice president of sales and marketing at Con-Way. "They also have the discretion to set up other interested parties to receive e-mail status reports on any shipment."
Con-Way is a subsidiary of Palo Alto, Calif.-based CNF Inc.
