Schurman Fine Papers Is At Cutting Edge Of Technology With RedPrairie Execution Systems
Schurman Fine Papers, the wholesaler and retailer of the Marcel Schurman Collection of upscale paper and social expression products, prides itself on balancing classic and elegant styles with a cutting edge product line. Consistent with this strategy, Schurman has automated their fulfillment operations and given their sales force cutting edge technology through deployment of supply chain execution solutions from industry-leader RedPrairie Corporation. This advanced technology is needed to support their double-digit growth and drive their business to the next level of performance and customer service.
"To give our customer service department a competitive advantage, we're providing them with real-time access to inventory and distribution processes through RedPrairie's LENS visibility software and DLx Warehouse WMS," says Mark Lacey, Schurman Fine Papers Director of Operations.
This state-of-the-art customer service and order fulfillment capability is a major step forward for Schurman and positions them to leap from their present mid-market position to Tier One status in their industry.
Explains Lacey, "Previously, distribution was done manually and we had gotten about as much as we could from our process controls. But to support our double-digit growth, we were looking for Tier One execution technology to take us to the next level by improving productivity and accuracy, and also to support the EDI requirements of some of our customers."
As an importer, wholesaler and retailer, Schurman has complex inbound and outbound logistics requirements. Their two-facility distribution campus near Nashville, TN handles inbound shipments from over 200 suppliers around the world, warehousing and cross-docking of inventory, and distribution to their 160 Papyrus upscale paper stores and upper-class retailers such as Macy's, Bloomingdale's, Marshall Fields, Borders and Barnes & Noble, as well as numerous specialty shops and drugstores. In total, Schurman distributes products to approximately 30,000 retail outlets.
Key criteria in their selection of new supply chain execution technology included user configurability, low total cost of ownership, third-party distribution capabilities for their wholesale business and a proven interface to their J.D. Edwards ERP system.
"We felt that RedPrairie's WMS would give us the lowest total cost of ownership," noted Lacey. "The base package is a good fit for our needs without modification, which will make upgrades easy, and the system's wizards enable our warehouse management team to do our own configurations without a DBA."
"We also needed a system that could cube out and cartonize orders," continued Lacey. "RedPrairie's product does this very well. This will smooth distribution flow and allow us to eliminate the packing process, saving us the cost of that operation. Plus, system directed replenishment will eliminate stock-outs, improving customer service and sales growth."
Schurman also licensed RedPrairie's DLx Scorecard performance measurement system to provide the distribution center and corporate management immediate visibility to key performance indicators (KPI).
Comments John Jazwiec, RedPrairie Company Leader, "Many forward-thinking companies like Schurman Fine Papers are turning to cutting edge technology to supply the competitive advantage they need to move to the next level of performance and market success. With our advanced SCE solutions and the RedPrairie Approach, which has a laser focus on enabling our customers to achieve measurable logistics results, RedPrairie provides the methodology, technology and partnership to support this transformation."
Schurman went live in less than 5 months with DLx Warehouse, LENS and DLx Scorecard on June 2 and was at full production, processing 20,000 order lines per day, in the first two weeks. They are also considering future deployment of RedPrairie's DLx Labor to further improve productivity and DLx Supplier to create a virtual inbound yard with web-based advance ship notices (ASNs) for overseas suppliers.
About RedPrairie Corporation
RedPrairie delivers superior logistics results by driving out more logistics costs than anyone in the industry, and enabling customers to consistently achieve their supply chain objectives. This is accomplished through an integrated suite of DigitaLogistix solutions that provide the industry's leading transportation, productivity, and distribution management capabilities, enhanced with action-oriented components for real-time visibility, control and performance measurement. These solutions are deployed through an end-to-end results delivery system (the RedPrairie Approach) that ensures results achievement. RedPrairie delivers measurable results for customers in many markets, including high-tech and electronics, consumer goods, food and beverage, third party logistics, retail and wholesale, service parts, and make-to-order manufacturing. Customers include Compaq Computer, Procter & Gamble, Nestle, Panasonic, Georgia-Pacific, Eveready, Unilever, Exel, General Electric, Amazon.com, and many others. For additional information, call 1.888.624-8448.