New services enhancing inventory visibility, supplier collaboration, ISF compliance and trade document automation

New services enhancing inventory visibility, supplier collaboration, ISF compliance and trade document automation

Del Monte Foods, a global producer, distributor and marketer of branded food and pet products for the US retail market, has enhanced the capabilities of its global supply chain operating platform – a cloud-based technology service delivered on the GT Nexus trade and logistics platform.

Since 2007, Del Monte has used GT Nexus as its global transportation management system of record. The expanded services go a step further by automating the inventory and document management processes between Del Monte and its international supplier community.

Improving global supplier processes

“Our International supply chain is an important area of focus,” said Robert Lim, Del Monte Foods vice president of demand and supply planning. “GT Nexus has delivered strong results for our transportation services organisation, so we turned to it to help enhance the company’s inventory tracking and customs compliance processes. GT Nexus is now helping drive efficiency with the way we work with suppliers.”

Delivered through the same web platform that Del Monte uses for its ocean freight management, the new capabilities are designed to provide views and controls to support orders, inventory, shipment plans and trade documentation.

The provider said the new capabilities will offer Del Monte enhanced inventory visibility across transport modes, from order to final destination, Importer Security Filing (ISF), supplier collaboration and order management, and shipment planning at origin.

Increasing visibility and compliance

“Along with a number of other tools we have implemented, these new capabilities have injected an additional level of transparency and control to our supply chain,” said Lim. “We are driving value through lower safety stock levels, cycle time reduction, ISF risk mitigation and demurrage fee reductions.”

The provider added that it is also serving as Del Monte’s central supply chain information hub for managing international shipments. It said the system captures real-time status information and digitised documents from suppliers, carriers, logistics providers, brokers and the US government. This data is standardised online and available to a broad spectrum of users across the company. This information is a searchable and measurable record of activities in the Del Monte supply chain, it added.