Week of July 20th, 2020
Linking technology news with Dangerous Goods compliance
Technology can impact every part of the supply chain. But in order to achieve real business value from it, organizations must select the right solutions and have the right processes in place.
To help companies keep a pulse on technology trends impacting business and the movement of dangerous goods throughout the supply chain, Labelmaster has launched “Supply Chain Moves,” a bi-weekly report linking the latest technology news to dangerous goods compliance.
Let’s examine the recent supply chain technology and industry news.
TECHNOLOGY
- Why Dangerous Goods Technology Alone Can’t Improve Your Performance: Are you getting the most out of your technology? Here’s a quick guide to improving your hazmat supply chain operations by leveraging data, processes and technology.
- 4 Ways Artificial Intelligence Is Transforming Supply Chain Management: AI has the potential to radically transform the supply chain and drive down costs. Here are four ways these processes are being applied in supply chain management.
- How to Get Benefited by ERP Systems in Supply Chain Management: The inward and outward flow of materials and products is vital for manufacturers and distributors. And an effective ERP system can help in the entire supply chain management cycle.
- UPS Takes a Look at the Future of E-commerce Fulfillment: UPS is redesigning its fulfillment processes to meet new challenges, inside and outside the warehouse.
- Transportation Chain: Emerging Technologies and Trends in Trucks, Trucking and the Supply Chain: A look at technologies and trends that have emerged during the COVID-19 pandemic and their effects on the transportation industry.
3PL TECH
- C.H. Robinson, Microsoft Partner to Boost Supply Chain Digitization: Collaboration will integrate C.H. Robinson’s Navisphere® and Microsoft Azure cloud technologies to help shippers and carriers more quickly digitize their supply chains.
- Information Age Roundtable: The Power of Data in Transport and Logistics: More than ever, transport and logistics is harnessing the power of data to ensure a quick recovery from the current pandemic.
- How to Solve the Digital Transportation Puzzle: Transportation is a critical component of the supply chain and digitalization is emerging as a valuable means to improve visibility and cost. But how do you know where to invest to see the maximum return?
Technology & Dangerous Goods Compliance
Shipping hazmat is hard and complex, and mistakes can be costly. That’s why so many Dangerous Goods shippers rely upon technology that guides them through what can be shipped, by which modes, and how it should be packaged and labeled. But simply having technology won’t automatically improve your operation’s performance.
According to a recent Labelmaster blog post, while technology is an integral part of the solution, it can’t be the whole solution all by itself. Good software without good data and good processes simply will not work.
“It’s similar to the three pillars of a successful project—scope, resources and timing,” says Labelmaster VP, Software & Customer Success Mario Sagastume. “If one pillar is off, then the others have to change, and the project changes.”
In a recent webinar, Sagastume and ProShip Senior Sales Engineer Clint Boaz described a process that starts with the decision to add a hazmat item to inventory and runs all the way through post-shipment incident response and returns. And technology plays an important role—when used correctly.
Getting the most out of your technology starts with getting comfortable with the data and the processes you need for shipping DG. Complete, accurate data is the foundation. Master data—complete, detailed information about a product’s components, makeup, dimensions and origins—is the information that forms the basis of every process required for compliant Dangerous Goods shipping. Yet many shippers simply don’t have it.
However, data itself is only part of the answer—how it’s managed can improve processes throughout your operation. That’s why it’s important to integrate your DG technology with other organization-wide systems (such as an ERP, a TMS or a WMS) and along with training and other supply chain processes.
Technology can play a role in almost every step of the hazmat shipping process, impacting classification, data entry, fulfillment, shipment processing, packaging, labeling and documentation. Just make sure you’re combining it with good master data and supply chain processes in order to achieve real business value.
Are you getting the most out of your hazmat technology?
To learn more about dangerous goods software or how to establish a safer, more compliant supply chain, visit https://www.labelmaster.com.
Have questions about dangerous goods transport? Call the Labelmaster Regulatory Hotline at 1.800.621.5808.
Labelmaster’s Dangerous Goods Information System (DGIS) is the leading SaaS solution to help companies more efficiently and accurately manage their Dangerous Goods shipments. DGIS validates your Dangerous Goods shipment data against the latest regulations, ensuring a more efficient supply chain and reducing friction found in Dangerous Goods shipments. DGIS is a certified partner/validation solution with ERP, transportation and warehouse management systems.
