Kimberly-Clark Europe Brings TMS In-house

Tempe, AZ  January 9, 2003  The European branch of consumer products company Kimberly-Clark is set to bring its transportation management in-house, signing up to use a solution from its long-time transportation service provider, Schneider Logistics.

Kimberly-Clark Europe is part of Kimberly-Clark Corp., a $14.5 billion global enterprise employing more than 64,000 people worldwide. Its tissue, personal care and health care products are manufactured in 42 countries and sold in more than 150.

Kimberly-Clark has been working with Schneider Logistics in the United States for more than 15 years and has been outsourcing its freight management in Europe to Schneider Logistics Europe since 1999. Within the framework of a strategic decision to centralize a range of tactical activities, Kimberly-Clark Europe decided to move freight management execution in-house by adopting a transportation management system (TMS).

Adopting the Schneider solution was a logical step, according to Nigel Wakeling, transportation manager at Kimberly-Clark Europe. "We had seen what the technology could do as a result of our previous work with Schneider Logistics Europe, so it was an easy decision for us to select the company as our TMS technology provider," Wakeling said. "This agreement will enable us to centralize a range of functions on a European scale in order to be well-positioned for growing our market share."

In the new agreement, Kimberly-Clark Europe will execute transportation management functions using Schneider's transportation management solution. For an initial period of three years, Kimberly-Clark Europe will use SUMIT, Schneider Logistics' application suite, in a hosted environment. SUMIT will give Kimberly-Clark Europe access to Schneider Logistics' supply chain management technology, access to an established network of global providers and logistics industry expertise.

"Kimberly-Clark Europe was looking for a & system to support its centralized freight management operations," said Walter Kleine, vice president of European operations and managing director of Schneider Logistics Europe. "Schneider Logistics' hosted model gives our customers access to technology without the huge investments of time and money that come with traditional licensed software."

Kleine said that SUMIT would provide Kimberly-Clark Europe with execution, monitoring, reporting and analysis capabilities on volume and carrier performance.