Page 109 - Inbound Logistics | April 2017 | Digital Issue

INPRACTICE

IT Toolkit | by Elaine S. Silver

Hitting a Freight

Management Bull’s Eye

en E. Keith, one of the oldest and largest foodservice distributors
in the United States, had an increasing need to make its 30,000
Byearly inbound freight loads as full and efficient as possible. So
the company took a hard look at its logistics program and zeroed in on its
antiquated transportation management system (TMS).

Ben E. Keith, headquartered in a trade show led the company to
Fort Worth, Texas, is a heavy hitter in ArrowStream, a foodservice logistics
the crowded food distributor playing software developer, and to its per-
Ben E. Keith takes aim field. It offers a full line of food ser- formance management platform.
at freight management vice products: produce, frozen foods, Crossbow sits on top of the company’s
TMS, and gives Ben E. Keith access
meats, dry groceries, paper goods, and
inefficiencies with equipment. The foodservice division to the information it needs to see into
serves 14 states and includes a bever- its routes, loads, and timing in a more
Crossbow technology. age division. usable way, leading to consistently
The company employs more than fuller trucks and lower freight costs.
4,000 people and purchases more Most importantly, Crossbow allows
than 2 billion pounds of product from the purchasing and logistics depart-
close to 2,000 vendors. It services ments to partner together to increase
about 18,000 retailers throughout managed freight–by 20 to 30 percent
Texas. Ben E. Keith has to manage all in some departments.
of this product as it flows through its Owen Stull, Ben E. Keith’s direc-
eight distribution centers (DCs). tor of logistics, has to keep track
A serendipitous encounter at of all these moving parts. He says

April 2017 • Inbound Logistics 107