FMCG Supply Chain Management

Moving your supply chain forward

In the fast-moving world of consumer goods, delivering goods the first time and in full is critical. The FMCG supply chain is highly structured to ensure goods reach stores efficiently and with minimal re-handling. Whether via a distribution centre and their networks or as direct deliveries. Each approach has very structured set of electronic trading, shipping and packing rules to manage thousands of suppliers and products

Logistics processes

Many supermarkets and retailers in the FMCG industry run very structured buying and distribution processes with strict on time and in full (OTIF) measurements, largely due to the non-durable nature of the consumer products in question and the high volumes and turnover. These measurements in turn are used to examine supply agreements and how they will impact future agreements.

Distribution centre centric model

The FMCG industry runs very much on a distribution centre (DC) model. This means that goods are consolidated, packed and shipped to DC's for on-shipping to stores. Therefore, picking and packing are crucial to how the end-point has ordered the goods and impacts how suppliers ship these goods via the DC. This also means cross-doc and other requirements need to be met in many markets.

FMCG

With DC centric models, many buyers across the FCMG supply chain require advance shipping notes (ASN's) as well as supporting cross-doc processes, labels and packaging based on end shipping points. This means that the systems need to be able to support this and warehouse staff must be able to manage this on a customer by customer basis.

Supply supplier channel diversity

While many suppliers ship into the FMCG industry they also have many other markets and industries they operate in so it means they have a neccessity to support and manage many supply chain requirements which aren't restricted to FMCG so supply can be complex for supporting staff to manage.

Solutions for the FMCG industry

EDI

B2BE’s EDI network handles any of the FMCG’s document requirements whether you need to support a DC based cross-doc approach or ship directly. B2BE handles any document type or format and can intelligently rout documents to third party 3PLs, if required, who may manage your organisation’s warehousing and shipping requirements, or data in reverse to update your inventory and stocking systems. Likewise, moving documents in and out of workflows to better streamline FMCG buyer’s needs or into scan pack software for the picking and packing and ultimate creation of the ASN. The EDI network also includes Customer Centre access to give visibility and enable you to set up alerts and notifications to pro-actively monitor systems.

Web EDI

B2BE’s Web Trader solution allows retailers or other buyers to trade electronically with suppliers who cannot support an integrated EDI solution or in some cases where some elements need to be managed outside an integrated solution. The solution is highly modular, allowing the buyer’s electronic requirements to run different process models for suppliers within the FMCG supply network. DC or direct to store can be supported. It also enables configurable process models for different functional requirements and rules, all in one simple-to-use web interface which means suppliers can comply with the needs of the FMCG supply chain, technically and contractually.

Scan Pack

The B2BE Scan Pack solution is a web based scan pack tool to enable your organisation to manage the picking, packing and shipping elements to meet the buyer’s cross-doc or labelling requirements.

Once the goods have been picked and packed it manages the labelling requirements and produces the delivery confirmation or ASN which is then sent electronically which means you can easily support your FMCG customers no matter how they operate.

Web Portal

B2BE Web Portal solution helps to assist with overall visibility and provides users with a number of tools on either side of the FMCG supply chain. The Web Portal provides a secure login with user authentication, providing access to all B2BE products and services through a single interface. This solution includes access to a number of workflows to support electronic trading, access to historic documents and scan pack if you need a solution to support the picking, packing and shipping of your goods. Ultimately everyone in your business will then have visibility to ensure OTIF measures are met.

Helping your FMCG supply chain thrive

Compliance

Many FMCG buyers as part of their supply contracts require suppliers to be EDI compliant to initiate trading. This also means compliance testing for some. Whether you use an integrated EDI solution from B2BE or the Web EDI (Web Trader) solution B2BE can help you on your journey to ensure you're compliant.

Electronic workflows

B2BE understands that to meet the requirements, compliance or technical in the FMCG industry you may need to manage data as it parses through the systems to ensure you can manage your supply chain correctly. B2BE has a number of workflows to help with data enrichment, validation and revision to ensure you can deliver on time and in full without making the process manual.

Reduce complexity

B2BE’s EDI and Web EDI solutions removes the need to allocate specific resources, hardware or the requirement from an already complicated supply chain. All your organisation needs is to be able to send and receive data in a format you can handle and B2BE can manage the on-boarding and accreditation processes for you.

Real-time information

B2BE allows clients to access real-time information through user dashboards either using the B2BE Customer Centre or with a tailored and functionally rich Web Portal. These approaches mean your organisation has full visibility of the traffic and can set up alerts and warnings and have different functions own its processes without having to rely on your IT department for the day to day.

3PL and logistics integration

Many suppliers in the FMCG industry will use 3PL's and logistics partners to manage aspects of their supply chain. From fully outsourced warehousing, customer services and delivery to more standard transport solutions. B2BE's EDI network is highly flexible so electronic documents can be sent to multiple places and received from multiple places to be able to manage the transaction set of documents required in FMCG which ensures you or your logistics partner don't need to change processes.