News
Howard Tenens Meets Complex and Changing Demands of 3PL Operations with the HighJump WMS
23.10.2008
High Jump today announced that its warehouse management system (WMS) has improved operations in the Andover warehousing and transport facility of Howard Tenens, one of the largest privately owned third-party logistics (3PL) management groups in the UK.
With a turnover in excess of £70 million, Howard Tenens operates with many blue chip customers across the UK, dealing within the food, automotive and paper industries. The HighJump Warehouse Advantage WMS is providing a robust and flexible system that delivers enhanced interface links between Howard Tenens and its customers.
“Our main reasons for selecting HighJump Software were ease of configuration, adaptability and the concept of having a product specifically designed to support 3PL businesses,” commented Tom Bain, Group Operations Director, of Howard Tenens. “We were also looking for a company that could work with us in close collaboration and offer first-class, 24-hour technical support, especially during the initial go-live phase. The HighJump system has exceeded our expectations, resulting in cost savings, enhanced levels of customer service and increased productivity in Andover.”
When considering a new WMS, Howard Tenens needed a solution that would be flexible enough to cope with the multifaceted distribution, storage and operational services undertaken by the group across its 15 locations and 3 million sq ft of warehouse space. It also had to react quickly to changing customer demands and manage a variety of customer interface requirements. Furthermore, it needed to be Web based for rapid multi-site installation and easy maintenance by the IT department.
The Howard Tenens Andover facility, which covers 335,000 sq ft and provides 3PL operations for major food retailers, was chosen as the first site to go live with HighJump Warehouse Advantage. A total of 30 staff, including managers, administrators and warehouse operatives, use the WMS, and Howard Tenens is particularly pleased at how quickly they learned the various procedures and processes with minimal training required.
Howard Tenens Andover can now, with the HighJump WMS, conduct fast cycle count routines with accurate results. Furthermore, put away and picking rules have reduced stock controller workload and picking times have improved. The move from manual to automated allocation of delivery orders has eliminated incorrect stock lines, quantities and best before end (BBE) dates. Automatic invoice data capture and key performance indicator (KPI) information has also allowed better forecasting, budgeting and work scheduling.
Howard Tenens’ customer service levels have significantly improved using the WMS’ real-time reporting tool. Customers can log on to the system remotely to view current stockholding, supplier collection and delivery information. They can also export data into their own management system to facilitate forward planning.
The initial roll out plan covers the three sites closest to Howard Tenens’ headquarters in Stroud, Gloucestershire. Swindon and Sharpness (Bristol) will be the next two to go live with a view to company-wide roll out in the very near future.