Inbound Logistics | January 2024

MULTI-ORGANIZATION SOLUTIONS PROVIDE VISIBILITY Historically, information-sharing has been handled through one-to- one connections between a supplier and customer. As supply chains have become more complex, companies need solutions that work across multiple organizations. Technology like block- chain and IoT can facilitate this. Additional options include digital solutions, such as multi-enterprise supply chain platforms. Extending

visibility across the entire supply chain, including upstream and downstream partners, into a unied platform creates a “control tower” view that enables real-time decision-making and enhances agility.

of products from a distribution center. When it enters the loading dock, computer vision with generative AI can detect the pallet. Generative AI models can also be trained to understand the normal distribution of products on a pallet. Deviations from this expectation can then be agged as anomalies, indicating potential product shortages. “Instead of a person inspecting the pallet, technology generates the data,” says De Muynck.

GAINING PREDICTIVE INSIGHT AND VISIBILITY WITH AI

Articial intelligence (AI) can help supply chain organizations gain both visibility and predictive insight. Say a store is scheduled to receive a pallet

RHEE BROS GAINS REAL-TIME VISIBILITY TO DELIVERIES

RyderShare enables everyone involved in moving goods through a supply chain—from shippers to receivers to carriers and service providers—to easily see across the supply chain in real time, says Paul Woodmansee, Ryder’s director of customer logistics. They then can work together to prevent costly delays and find eciency gains. “Rhee Bros. and our customers can easily see where all of our deliveries are at any time, exactly what’s in them, and the minute they’ll arrive at their destinations,” Rhee says. With this information, Rhee’s customers can be staed for deliveries and communicate with their customers as well. If an issue arises with a delivery, Rhee and his team can see it in real time and work collaboratively to minimize delays. The data and insight have helped Rhee Bros improve delivery route planning, positively impacting productivity and profitability.

Rhee Bros is one of the largest importers and distributors of Pan-Asian food in the United States. Because most of the company’s customers are in the grocery business, Rhee Bros experienced a spike in volumes during the pandemic and needed to scale quickly, says company president Robin Rhee. To accomplish this, the company had to make several changes, including quickly expanding its fleet to service a growing customer base located across a larger geographic footprint. On top of that, it had to do this when available truck capacity and drivers were nearly impossible to find. Rhee Bros has been working with Ryder, a provider of supply chain solutions, for more than 20 years, so Ryder is tightly integrated into Rhee Bros’ business. RyderShare, a visibility and collaboration platform from Ryder, has been key to addressing the challenges Rhee Bros faced.

94 Inbound Logistics • January 2024