Eliminating a Supply Chain ‘Blind Spot’: Georgia-Pacific Automates Its Yard-Management Operations

Georgia-Pacific’s extensive manufacturing and distribution network comprises sophisticated procurement technology, skilled transportation management and hundreds of facilities, all of which come together to move millions of loads each year. But one piece of the puzzle wasn’t keeping pace.

The company ranks among North America’s largest manufacturers of building products, tissue, packaging and consumer goods. The one thing preventing it from delivering all that efficiently, however, was the yard.

Operations there were stuck in manual mode, with drivers checking in through a paper-based process that took an average of five to 10 minutes per truck. Staff at the gate carried clipboards and made phone calls to verify load assignments, then communicated with spotter drivers via radio. Often the tracking of trailer locations depended on yard workers’ institutional memory, rather than a formal system of record.

The consequences were significant. Carrier schedules were often disrupted and exposed the system to detention charges. Trucks might depart without valid load authorizations. And drivers, lacking a self-service check-in option, would often leave their vehicles, exposing them to active yard traffic.

This story was originally published by SupplyChainBrain. Read the full story at SupplyChainBrain →