Shelton, CT January 7, 2003 Retailer Family Dollar Stores is set to use a logistics solution from provider G-Log to optimize and manage its global freight processes.
Founded in 1959, Family Dollar operates about 4,700 discount retail stores in 41 states and is one of the fastest growing retail chains in the United States.
The retailer will begin implementing G-Log's Global Command and Control Center (GC3) application immediately and expects to be using GC3 for inbound freight planning, execution and tracking by the second quarter 2003.
This initial phase will include online participation by hundreds of Family Dollar suppliers in communicating the "ready-to-ship" status of their inbound purchase orders. Family Dollar will immediately move to add import management and store delivery optimization to their process later in 2003.
"GC3 will not only provide an online 'ready-to-ship' portal for Family Dollar's suppliers, but its advanced event management capabilities will also monitor the path of Family Dollar's purchase orders through the entire procurement process, alerting logistics and merchandising personnel of potential problems before they occur," said Jim Burns, vice president of transportation for Family Dollar.
Burns said the retailer selected G-Log after a detailed search and comparison of major transportation software suppliers. "G-Log's singular focus on global logistics, its collaborative, Web-native technology and its success with its existing retail clients were all important factors in our decision," Burns said. "We felt that G-Log was the best software partner to provide a single system to manage both our domestic and import freight processes."
"On the import management side, Family Dollar joins the growing list of retailers that realize that simple visibility of their international freight is only a partial solution," said Tony Cianci, vice president of strategic accounts for G-Log.
Cianci added that GC3 would allow Family Dollar to actively optimize, execute and manage its import freight, and integrate its freight forwarders and service providers into the process.
