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Blue Yonder > Case Studies > Americold Drives Innovation in Cold-Chain
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Americold Drives Innovation in Cold-Chain

Technology Category
  • Functional Applications - Enterprise Resource Planning Systems (ERP)
  • Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Applicable Industries
  • Food & Beverage
Applicable Functions
  • Logistics & Transportation
  • Warehouse & Inventory Management
Use Cases
  • Inventory Management
  • Warehouse Automation
Services
  • System Integration
The Challenge
Americold, the world's largest temperature-controlled warehousing and distribution services provider, was facing challenges with its legacy warehouse management and labor management systems. These systems lacked the flexibility to adapt quickly to the fast-evolving marketplace. Americold needed to increase the productivity and efficiency of their logistics personnel to meet growing customer demand. The company also aimed to drive innovation in the cold-chain industry as the hub between food manufacturers and retailers, which required advanced capabilities and efficiencies not available from their legacy solutions. To address evolving customer requirements and develop new and innovative supply chain solutions, including cross-docking capabilities and other value-add products and services specifically designed to complement traditional temperature-controlled supply chain activities, Americold needed to upgrade from its legacy warehouse and labor management solutions.
About The Customer
Americold is the largest temperature-controlled warehousing and distribution services provider in the world, with over 150 locations worldwide. The logistics and fulfillment giant is continually innovating to meet the changing goals of its customers, making it critical to have the right supply chain platform. Americold serves as the hub between food manufacturers and retailers, driving innovation in the cold-chain industry. The company aims to develop new and innovative supply chain solutions, including cross-docking capabilities and other value-add products and services specifically designed to complement traditional temperature-controlled supply chain activities.
The Solution
Americold deployed Blue Yonder’s warehouse management and warehouse labor management solutions to support their innovation and efficiency goals. With Blue Yonder, Americold modernized its legacy warehouse environment through real-time visibility into delivery, labor management, and operations to satisfy escalating customer expectations, save valuable resources, and reduce overhead. The ability to optimize any order configuration from full pallets to mixed cases to eaches has enabled a highly flexible and responsive supply chain. Blue Yonder’s warehouse labor management capabilities have supported the implementation and monitoring of workforce incentives to promote associate productivity. Baseline metrics and KPIs provide the measuring stick to calibrate and reward performance, resulting in up to a 5 percent improvement in productivity. The system also enables more accurate forecasting for workforce planning by providing trends based on the latest labor standards.
Operational Impact
  • Americold has modernized its legacy warehouse environment through real-time visibility into delivery, labor management, and operations.
  • The ability to optimize any order configuration from full pallets to mixed cases to eaches has enabled a highly flexible and responsive supply chain.
  • Blue Yonder’s warehouse labor management capabilities have supported the implementation and monitoring of workforce incentives to promote associate productivity.
Quantitative Benefit
  • Reduced labor costs by 5% - 10% through more effective labor standards, monitoring and incentives.
  • Offering flexible, more advanced warehouse management capabilities to support evolving marketplace requirements increased Americold profitability and customer loyalty.
  • Reinvested savings from optimized warehouse operations into ongoing cold-chain innovation.

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