Today, consumers are placing ever-higher demands on fast, reliable deliveries, and with the current shortage of drivers, many companies are working to improve the productivity of their vehicle fleets. One example is SIG plc, a leading European supplier of specialty building materials which has implemented Descartes' comprehensive solution for last-mile deliveries, including solutions for route planning, execution, and electronic proof of delivery.
In the construction industry, smart last-mile deliveries are a competitive advantage. The ability to deliver to customers quickly, reliably, and accurately—while offering value-added services—can improve customer relationships and increase revenue. Planning that accounts for real-world constraints and workflows must be combined with smart route optimization systems that can develop models for last-mile deliveries and create routes that provide the best customer service and maximize profitability. Because last-mile deliveries are so critical to customer satisfaction, they are crucial for many companies in the construction industry. Those that do not adopt the best practices risk losing the competitive advantages they previously relied on. Against this backdrop, SIG has increased productivity and optimized its last-mile deliveries with the support of solutions from Descartes. According to a press release, SIG has increased its OTIF (On-Time-In-Full) deliveries by 10–15 percent and boosted delivery volume by 25 percent using its existing vehicle fleet, thanks to Descartes’ software solution.
– The building materials industry is highly dynamic, and SIG stands out by offering a flexible and reliable service to our customers. Descartes’ solutions help us manage our distribution centers and delivery areas more efficiently, with access to real-time information on how to optimally organize and manage our deliveries. This has improved our offering to our customers, and we can now utilize our resources more efficiently,” says Edward Carbett, Program Manager at SIG.
