The sandman, a travelling salesman, and a dispatcher of building materials – what do they have in common? We’ll find out in this new episode of “Logistics Tech Shorts on the Road”.

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On our roadtrip today, we’ll show you that you don’t need hundreds or trucks or a big in-house IT crew to benefit from our transport solution. Follow us to our customer Ross Bauservice, a medium-sized aggregates and asphalt producer right in the center of Germany.

Language: English

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Now is the time for intelligent pooling. In this Logistics Tech Short we will examine how pooling operators can improve transitions between their container and reusable packaging software and other supply chain systems to boost their overall productivity.

Language: English

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Over the past 25 years, we at INFORM have been providing logistics transport software to the building materials industry. We and our customers have learned a bit along the way. On today’s road trip, we’ll explore the 5 key lessons for you.

Language: English

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The road to digital transformation can be long and winding. Some companies take unintended detours, while others are overrun with digital tools. Each tool seems to be useful on its own, but because there are so many, and so much data to pair with them, many building materials producers simply do not use their pile of technology effectively.

Language: English

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Whether you deliver lightside or heavyside materials, being able to take fast turns in load and route planning can mean the difference between winning or losing the daily race for competitiveness. AI provides unrivalled digital torque that allows dispatchers to do incredibly complex, time-critical calculations with ease – moving more payloads with fewer vehicles each day.

Language: English

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In a bold move to reach net-zero, many building materials producers are currently on a “moonshot” mission to reduce the carbon footprint of their products. A mission-critical source of greenhouse gases, however, is often neglected: logistics and transport. In this webinar, we will take you on a journey to lower carbon emissions in building materials logistics.

Language: English

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From in-plant to outbound, from robots to routing, and from trucking to tracking: Automation in logistics has reached new levels. But despite all the tools and excitement, the question remains: What does it bring to the table? Where can we find the greatest return on investment? Which mobile tools provide the highest digital torque?

Language: English

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The stats don’t lie: Algorithms have proven to be the best passers in pooling operations. Their ability to move the right containers, at the right time, to the right place is of unmatched quality. But algorithms are also great team players when it comes to progress the game to other software systems along the supply chain, for example, TMS, YMS, or APS.

Language: English

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Some cement producers have optimized their yard processes, while others have optimized their transport processes. And the lucky few who have optimized both, in-plant and outbound logistics, hesitate to connect the two worlds. Yard and distribution, however, are key drivers for customer satisfaction and a stronger bottom-line.

Language: English

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From palletized to stackable and from bagged to bulk – Less than truckload (LTL) planning in the building materials industry is a tough challenge. Whether you’re a building materials supplier or producer, being able to take fast turns in LTL transport planning can mean the difference between winning or losing the daily race against the clock.

Language: English

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CO2 reduction in the cement industry focuses mainly on production processes. Logistics and transport, however, are also a relevant source of greenhouse gases and air pollutants. Compared to the challenges in cement production, logistics are a low hanging fruit that allows producers to improve their overall carbon footprint.

Language: English

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Subtracting and adding load carriers or balancing their demand and supply seems to be a simple exercise. But in the daily grind of asset pooling this often turns out to be a complex calculation with various unknowns. Many software solutions are good at managing and tracking your assets. Some fail when it comes to distribution and dispatch. And only few receive top marks when reliable predictions are required.

Language: English

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Logistics in the cement, ready-mix, and aggregates industry is facing a major overhaul. Traditional tools and processes are being enhanced or replaced by Machine Learning (ML) and Artificial Intelligence (AI). When it comes to automated decision-making in transport planning, algorithms are pushing and challenging long-established mindsets and practices.

Language: English

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We’ve all heard the saying, “Data is the new oil.” Where we might differ is that we see it as lubricant for the innovation and improvement “engine” rather than Black Gold – a commodity. Data, more specifically Big Data, has empowered AI and Machine Learning (ML) such that we’re now seeing a sharp rise in practical, niche AI and ML solutions in almost every industry – terminal operations is no exception.

Language: English

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From cement bags to drainage coils, from a heavy concrete manhole to a small pack of screws, and from hardwood to drywall – Less Than Truckload (LTL) planning in the building materials industry is a tough challenge. Whether you’re a wholesale distributor or a materials producer, being able to take fast turns in transport planning can mean the difference between winning or losing the daily race against the clock. And only on-time and in-full deliveries will be rewarded with applause by construction site managers.

Language: English

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Technology drives almost all business initiatives today. When it comes to driving environmental innovation in your terminal operations, technology too, can help to improve your green credentials. Using Artificial Intelligence (AI), you can achieve green initiatives that not only improve your terminal’s environmental impact, but as well, deliver measurable value to your terminals efficiency and bottom line.

Language: English

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Whether they’re made of plastic, wood, or metal - Returnable Transport Packaging (RTPs) are an integral part of many supply chains and industries, including food and automotive. Compared to traditional single-trip packaging, RTPs often provide significant long-term savings and have a positive impact on your environmental footprint. However, with raised awareness for sustainability and stricter regulations, the road to net-zero carbon emissions in the pooling cycle requires more efforts than just buying software to manage and control your assets.

Language: English

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Algorithms have become a major efficiency driver for outbound transport optimization in the ready-mix concrete industry. But many RMC producers still lose traction when it comes to manage and optimize their inbound aggregates supplies. Companies either operate their own quarries, rely on third-party quarries, or have a mix of both in place. The same applies to the actual deliveries.

Language: English

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Algorithms are a major efficiency driver for logistics assets in the building materials industry. But many producers still lose traction when it comes to create optimal shift schedules for their human assets. They still use old technology that is neither suited to synchronize the competing interest of employee needs and operational objectives, nor provide the planning comfort or intuitive logic of the latest workforce management tools. This often results in expensive overtime, non-productive idle times, lower employee morale, poor customer service, and, worst case, loss of production.

Language: English

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Digital twin technology is not new. Why is everyone talking about it now? How can pool managers of crates, boxes, containers and other load carriers benefit from using digital twins? Evolving technologies work like a rocket boost for their performance. With an intelligent load carrier management software, you will be head of mission control creating operational and financial advantages for your company.

Language: English

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Dynamic pricing is a strategy in which businesses set flexible prices for products and services based on current market demand. While common practice in many industries, cement producers still heavily rely on static pricing models with long-term contracts between vendors and buyers. Should cement producers revisit their current static pricing models and prepare for a transition to more dynamic models to overcome bottlenecks at plants and to attract customers that are more flexible with their demand?

Language: English

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Old and familiar practices have been turned on their head by the shift to data-driven management of load carriers. With the rise of new technologies, the digital workforce uses tools and processes based on real-time information and automated decision-making. These tools allow for accurate demand forecasts, real-time tracking and tracing, optimized distribution as well as automated transport organization.

Language: English

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So, your dispatcher team just returned from the training course where they brushed up their scheduling skills, ready to work at peak performance? But back in the corporate grind, they quickly realize that neither the processes nor the legacy IT system supports their ambitions. Worse, the only item from the course syllabus that they can apply immediately is the part on customer complaint handling.

Language: English

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So, your dispatcher team just returned from the training course where they brushed up their scheduling skills, ready to work at peak performance? But back in the corporate grind, they quickly realize that neither the processes nor the legacy IT system supports their ambitions. Worse, the only item from the course syllabus that they can apply immediately is the part on customer complaint handling.

Language: English

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Similar to chess, assigning trucks to transport orders is a continually changing matrix with many variables. Managing freight rates and assigning the most cost-efficient haulier to each shipment can be a daunting task. To add further complexity to the game, many bulk material producers operate a mixed fleet of their own trucks and hired hauliers and/or use auctioning portals to integrate a larger number of hauliers into the pool. Algorithms can help planners and dispatchers avoid checkmate from their first move.

Language: English

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Blockchain is the latest in a long line of hype-driven technologies that is almost impossible to escape. From tracking tuna to tamper-proof money transfer, it seems to be a game changer for business and society. Understanding the rules of this technology, however, lags well behind the innovation.

Language: English

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With one foot in its science fiction past and the other in our daily lives, artificial intelligence (AI) is making steady inroads into the logistics workplace. While human-level AI is not yet looming around the corner, a practical degree of AI can help planners and dispatchers in the cement industry to drive their performance.

Language: English

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The shift to data-driven transport planning in cement logistics has turned old and familiar practices on their head. With the rise of new technologies, the digital logistics workforce uses tools and processes based on real-time information and automated decision-making.

Language: English

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Transportation costs are a major expense for cement suppliers, and so many try to make best use of their trucks in order to reduce costs by improving productivity. However, truck productivity optimisation does not necessarily imply a return on investment (ROI) for the cement supplier, as the ROI greatly depends on the way hauliers are paid in the day to day business.

Language: English

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