Transport and Logistics

Project:

Transport and logistics with online scheduling and traceability

Client:

Murray Goulburn

Web: http://www.iconglobal.com.au/milklink

About Icon:

Icon Global is a software solutions provider based in Geelong, Victoria. The company has been in operation for over ten years. Customer segments include transport/logistics companies and organisations involved in food.

Icon Global's goal was to provide a holistic solution that integrated our existing applications for food and transport/logistics and provide enhanced data capture and data dissemination throughout the "Paddock to Plate" supply chain. This was an extension of Icon Global's recently completed pilot project with FCL Transport and one of their major cool chain customers linking data capture elements for product condition (temperature) tracking from the manufacturing facility in Melbourne to the manufacturer's retail customer in Perth. Agreement was reached with Murray Goulburn to pilot the holistic solution at their Maffra site.

Icon Global developed the previous stages of this project, scoping paper and pilots, with the assistance of State and Regional Development of Victoria. This is the first project Icon Global has worked on with Intelligent Transport Systems.

Project Overview:

There is a lack of integrity and accurate information along the supply chain for perishable products, which was scoped and confirmed with Murray Goulburn. The key issues are:

• Lack of track and traceability throughout the supply chain
• Inadequate addressing of food safety issues such as temperature and contamination
• Lack of forward planning (strategic) as well as the planning knowledge of day to day operations for logistics and manufacturing
• Lack of timely data for planning.
• Abundance of paper documentation, re-keying and transcribing of information at each juncture of the supply chain.
• Icon Global's purpose is to provide greater transparency and control in the supply chain by integrating Logistics and Quality within the supply chain through a seamless process management system which has advanced

Purpose:

To demonstrate with Murray Goulburn that a system can monitor all integral information (Consignment Note, Product Temperature, Food Safety/ Quality Plan, Proof of Delivery, Demand Planning, etc) for Murray Goulburn and their fresh food chain partners:

• Farmer
• Processor
• Transport Provider

Deliverables

Icon Global delivered the following from the project:

• A working demonstration system for the participating Farmers, Processor and Transporter based on the scope below, which can be marketed and viewed by other stakeholders, potential target clients, agencies and media for promotional purposes

Projected savings identified below as Pilot benefits:

• Documented definable benefits of the system which supply chain participants including farmers, wholesalers, transporters and retailers can achieve by using the technology
• Promotion of the project milestones, deliverables and demonstration system through press, relevant industry conferences, Industry Bodies and eventual marketing channels

Scope:

• Milk Tanker Utilisation
• Driver and Tanker Productivity
• Milk Care Electronically Enabled
• Electronic Audit of Milk Care
• Track & Trace of Milk through the supply chain
• Track and Trace of Milk samples through the supply chain (Possible Inclusion)
• Production Facility Utilisation

Benefits:

There are many benefits of the fully implemented system, including cost savings as well as improved product quality.

Technology:

• Hand held PDA data capture devices
• Online web based databases
• Process management software

Articles: