Flowers Foods Speeds Perishable Baked Goods Through Supply Chain With Highjump Warehouse, Yard And Transportation Management Systems

Eden Prairie, MN - HighJump Software, a 3M company, a global provider of supply chain execution solutions, recently announced Flowers Foods is generating strong results from its recent implementation of HighJump warehouse, transportation and yard management systems. With $1.9B in 2006 sales, Flowers Foods is a leading producer and marketer of fresh and frozen bakery goods, including top brands like Nature's Own, Cobblestone Mill, Sunbeam, Blue Bird, and Mrs. Freshley's. The company has leveraged its HighJump solutions to increase order fulfillment accuracy to above 99 percent without adding to its labor force.

The company operates under a lean inventory model and utilizes its HighJump warehouse management system (WMS) in its Crossville, Tenn., facility to perform advanced functions like cross docking and high-speed replenishment. This approach enables it to distribute highly perishable goods to retail and food service customers more efficiently than before. Flowers Foods also has a clearer picture of inventory outside the warehouse. By using the HighJump yard management system, Flowers Foods runs its yard more effectively with automated work direction, appointment scheduling and complete visibility of trucks, trailers, drivers and goods.

Flowers Foods ships its products more efficiently by using intuitive transportation planning tools that include load and route optimization. These tools also help the company analyze transportation costs alongside sales data to determine a cost to serve each customer. This information helps Flowers Foods keep its customer service levels high while understanding fluctuations in cost allocations over time.

"We selected the HighJump suite to support our goal of minimal inventory," said Vyto Razminas, vice president and chief information officer, Flowers Foods. "Our HighJump solutions give us visibility across multiple nodes in our supply chain, enabling us to make intelligent business decisions that support our corporate initiatives for growth and outstanding customer service."

"An integrated strategy for warehouse and transportation management is something many leading companies are moving toward in their efforts to reduce costs and deliver on customer promises," said Joel Levinson, president, HighJump Software. "We're pleased Flowers Foods is getting powerful, actionable metrics with its new HighJump solutions."

SOURCE: HighJump Software