Shippers require systems that are simple to use, innovative, and designed to address specific needs and ever-changing industry regulations. Whether deployed individually or as an integrated suite, the right software and services reduce costs and streamline operations.
Best practices to consider when streamlining your shipping operations:
- ERP Order Integration. Avoid manual and duplicate entry of transactions by system synchronization with the corporate ERP to process customer and purchase orders for all loading, unloading, shipping, and receiving transactions.
- Switching Operations and Inventory. Site logistics staff should be able to easily request and confirm railcar movements to and from the railyard as well as internal tracks.
- Equipment Inventory. The ability to automatically monitor locations of cars on storage, loading, unloading, repair, and cleaning tracks and the exact status of each railcar.
- Rack Scheduling. Optimize loading/unloading events based on product and equipment availability and planning of future events. Also, ensure that orders align with the proper customer railcar specifications.
- Volume Correction. Optimize loads and verify unloads of liquid and gas products through outage and volume correction calculations.
- Load Bay Quality. Implement failsafe controls to prevent the misload of product to the incorrect car. Ensure real-time validation of product quality with LIMS or other quality systems.
- Railcar Inspection. Easily create and use railcar inspection lists customized by product, customer, and railcar specifications for FRA safety and compliance.
- Demurrage. Accurately log all railcar facility events and times to support demurrage audit.
- AEI Systems. Extend controls into the field with stationary and portable AEI-scanning equipment for railcar inventory, inspection, loading/unloading, and capture of security seals.
- Photo and Video Records. Utilize fixed and portable AEI scanners to record events such as loading verification or equipment damage.
- UMLER Integration. Incorporate live UMLER integration for accurate railcar loading, unloading, and shipment pricing.
