The customer: Fairfield Dairy
The implementation: Cquential Warehouse Management System
When: 2010
About Fairfield Dairy
In 2005, Fairfield Dairy moved to new and improved factory premises in the KwaZulu-Natal Midlands. The business is founded on a belief that technology and world-class health standards are of the utmost importance in the production of the highest quality dairy products.
Fairfield Dairy strives to provide the best quality milk and service to its customers as well as living up to being one of South Africa's most trusted and respected dairies. Fairfield Dairy started from humble beginnings and places great importance on the well-being of its cows, as it is only through their comfort and happiness that they produce the best milk possible to make Fairfield’s dairy products.
“At Fairfield, we believe that innovation is the key to a successful future in the dairy industry in South Africa. Technology and world-class health standards are of the utmost importance to producing better dairy products,” says Fairfield Dairy Admin Executive Steven Fly.
The challenges:
Fly explains that Fairfield Dairy’s product shelf-life requires adherence to strictly mandated stock rotation cycles based on best before dates (BBD) – this is also often compounded by the fact that there are different consignees with varying BBD rules.
“Controlling stock rotation requires 100% picking accuracy. Moreover, temperature and quality control management with tight transportation schedules all prove challenging.
"Returned stock can quickly become worthless, which, of course, impacts on revenues. Traceability through the pick face is crucial and replenishment management is key to both traceability and efficiency.”
Fly says the company’s business challenges include short shelf life; batch and BBD traceability; food production guidelines/regulations; varying consignee rules; and supply chain optimisation.
The solution:
Cquential Customer Services Executive Rina Redelinghuys says the warehouse management innovator originally implemented its WMS at Fairfield in 2010, at a time when Fairfield consolidated its production facilities and built a new cold room with racking.
“Over the years, Cquential has optimised a few features that facilitate efficiency improvements, including allowing operations to distinguish between replenishment tasks and full pick tasks, plus providing optimal prioritisation and reduction in delays. We also introduced a system of management of shelf life and batch dates; shelf life per customer; batch expiry calculations; and releasing short picks,” she says.
The Cquential WMS solution is hosted in a world-class data centre, which provides the highest level of availability, performance and security.
Business benefits at a glance:
- Improved traceability and efficiencies.
- Reduction in delays.
- Ability to distinguish between replenishment tasks and full pick tasks.
- Management of shelf life per customer.
- Management of batch dates and expiry calculations.
The future:
Redelinghuys confirms the relationship is ongoing. “There is always room for ongoing improvement within all businesses, especially when it comes to re-evaluating current processes, especially in light of continual changes in technologies, customers and workplace cultures. In the near future, Cquential and Fairfield plan to review operational processes within the warehouse to identify how to optimally improve according to best practices,” she says.
About Fairfield Dairy: https://www.fairfielddairy.com/
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