Q&A with Sri Gopinath, Director of Global Procurement Strategy at Schneider Electric

Sri Gopinath, Director of Global Procurement Strategy at Schneider Electric is a senior procurement leader with in-depth knowledge of global strategic sourcing and comprehensive experience in business strategy, transformation and change management.

Sri leads the Procurement Strategy function for Schneider Electric globally with responsibilities for Supply Base Management, Relationship Programs, Category Strategy and Business Transformation initiatives. He previously managed an internal business transformation team within Nissan and led a special assignment for the President of Nissan Brazil to enable business expansion in that market.

MEDIA 7: What do you look forward to most when you get up in the morning?
SRI GOPINATH:
I look forward to making a difference – I have been very fortunate to be able to have gained professional experiences internationally, in many diverse industries and create value for my employers and customers. As part of the procurement and supply chain community, our business and macroeconomic environment is always changing. It greatly motivates me to think about how strategies can be translated into meaningful actions to create value for our customers and stakeholders.

No two days are the same, and this makes me excited to contemplate new possibilities each day. Further, I enjoy interacting with talented people in procurement and supply chain and contributing to their career aspirations and development.  I never run out of opportunities!


M7: Could you tell me a little about yourself and what led you to your position as Procurement Strategy Director at Schneider Electric?
SG: It would be helpful if I connected my career evolution to how I came to Schneider Electric. I came here 5 years ago after gaining valuable experience in leading companies like Nissan Motor Company, Motorola and in management consulting. By working with many talented and senior executives from many leading companies, I learned about best practices and how to understand the CEO perspective early in my career. I then discovered my passion – how to enable boardroom strategies and to be able to make it real and achieve tangible results.

Schneider Electric offered me the opportunity to apply my skills in a global organization, interact with people from many countries while driving strategic transformation and change. Most importantly I really connected with the people who share my passion and desire for results. As a case in point, Schneider Electric was ranked #34 in Gartner’s Annual Supply Chain ranking in 2015 and in 2020 we have achieved the #4 position! That is an amazing accomplishment in such a short period of time, and it is rewarding for me to have contributed to that effort.


"A supplier needs to be able to articulate and demonstrate a track record of delivering results on multiple requirements."

M7: What are some of the important qualities you look for in a supplier?
SG:
A supplier needs to be able to articulate and demonstrate a track record of delivering results on multiple requirements – although providing parts, products or services at a competitive price is a requirement, but the expectations are higher. Above all, I look for ethical, socially responsible leadership and a culture and passion for delighting customers through quality, customer satisfaction, competitiveness, innovation, sustainability and operational excellence. Commitment to collaboration and long-term relationships are key to working together effectively.


M7: Buyers and suppliers need to collaborate more to advance sustainable procurement. What is your vision?
SG: 
Sustainable procurement is the right thing to do for our society and planet, and has become a requirement for us to succeed, and exceed our customers’ expectations. I am proud to say that Schneider Electric is one of the world���s leading companies recognized for our sustainability practices. We have evolved from regulatory compliance and risk mitigation to generating competitive advantage to deliver on all sustainability goals, and we need our suppliers to work with us to be successful together. We are also strongly committed to ethical sourcing – to ensure our suppliers and their suppliers in the entire value chain adhere to safe and acceptable working practices and human rights.

In our supplier business reviews, assessments and supplier events, we not only identify areas of improvement, but also recognize and reward suppliers for leading sustainability practices and share best practices. We are committed to working with our suppliers as part of our global commitment to build a sustainable world. You can get more details here if you are interested.


"A fully flexible, low risk and highly tailored local supply chain may be cost prohibitive, while a fully global approach can be cost effective but increase risk and decrease supply flexibility."

M7: How can businesses balance local and overseas procurement arrangements in a global sourcing environment? What actions are you taking to improve cost control in today’s increasingly competitive environment at Schneider Electric?
SG:
To address the subject of local versus global sourcing, procurement leaders have to achieve the right balance between local and global sourcing strategies. There is no one right answer – each purchased category or product has its own market dynamics and supply chain footprint that needs to be managed. Some categories like electronic components and fasteners are globalized because their manufacturing is dominantly Asia-based, regardless of the final destination. Other categories like steel, metal stampings, and sheet metal parts are more localized due to the challenges of global logistics and raw materials. The best decision is achieved by collaborating with suppliers to “think global and act local” – where we can align our requirements to their capabilities in order to meet or exceed expectations.

Next, we need to understand the pros and cons and determine the key success factors. Understanding the benefits and risks of global sourcing is critical to decide how much localization is appropriate. A fully flexible, low risk and highly tailored local supply chain may be cost-prohibitive, while a fully global approach can be cost-effective but increase risk and decrease supply flexibility. Clearly, the right answer for most companies is somewhere in between. Leading suppliers figure out how to work globally and operate locally – providing strong operational performance while building stronger global relationships.

Regarding the actions we are taking to manage costs, we utilize both short term and long-term approaches to driving cost management activities. Negotiations with suppliers are conducted based on data and facts – cost savings achievement is necessary but not the only condition to meet our supplier performance requirements. We drive performance by maximizing relationships with our strategic and best suppliers and engage our internal stakeholders in driving cost improvements. Examples of such activities are, value engineering, supplier product and process innovation, streamlining the end-to-end supply chain, supplier quality and capability improvement, etc. The guiding principles of our overall cost management approach are collaboration, interaction and digitization.

M7: What are the challenges for Schneider Electric as you look at global procurement in the areas that you work in?
SG:
We have to look at achieving consistent global performance of our total cost of ownership, quality capabilities, operating performance, risk and resiliency. Our internal governance and organizational mechanisms for managing these diverse requirements require strong engagement, information sharing and communication with our suppliers and stakeholders. Sourcing strategies are also validated with the business units and product leaders in order to align the needs of our customers with supplier capabilities.


"Leading suppliers figure out how to work globally and operate locally – providing strong operational performance while building stronger global relationships."

M7: How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected your work - what day to day processes have you had to re-tool to be able to pull them off remotely? What does your remote tech stack look like?
SG:
Schneider Electric is a global company, dedicated to providing energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. We operate in environments that are considered essential – such as critical energy infrastructure, data centers, hospitals, airports and so on. Our people are already used to working in flexible environments; therefore, the pandemic was not a big shock when we were required to work from home if our role permitted us to do so. My role is global, which needed frequent travel prior to the crisis. I have maintained my global scope and interactions while working from home considering that I work with all time zones, which can get quite challenging when we are trying to work together or meet at a mutually convenient time.

Our people use industry-leading collaboration tools for voice and data communication that enables them to be effective in their work, regardless of location. We also use server and cloud-based digital applications for managing documents, supplier interactions, business intelligence tools and digital enablement of our key work processes.

M7: Speaking of fun, what’s one fun fact about you?
SG
: I have traveled to over 30 countries and climbed the Great Wall of China 4 times in different locations, starting with where the wall begins in Qinhuangdao.

ABOUT SCHNEIDER ELECTRIC

Schneider Electric is a €27bn global company headquartered in Paris, France with operations in 100+ countries with 135000+ employees worldwide. We provide energy and automation digital solutions for efficiency and sustainability. We combine world-leading energy technologies, real-time automation, software and services into integrated solutions for homes, buildings, data centers, infrastructure and industries. We make process and energy safe and reliable, efficient and sustainable, open and connected. Our technologies ensure that Life is On everywhere, for everyone and at every moment.

More C-Suite on deck

'We treat information as a critical business asset,' says Vanessa Eriksson, SVP, Chief Digital Officer at Zenseact

Media 7 | November 15, 2021

We had the opportunity to interview the data-enthusiast and the former first Chief Data Officer in Sweden, Vanessa Eriksson, SVP, Chief Digital Officer at Zenseact and Board Member at Fidesmo, where she explored the different features of the autonomous vehicle. Read on to find out more about the Zenseact protects critical business and company information.

Read More

Q&A with Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder, SharpEnd

Media 7 | April 22, 2020

Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder of SharpEnd leads the company’s mission to help brands move closer than ever to consumers by connecting packaging, retail and experiential activity. He is a regular speaker and writer on how to build brands in a connected world. He has spoken at Cannes, the Festival of Marketing, LuxePack Monaco and New York, Ad:Week Europe and New York, DMA, the Connected Consumer Conference, Mobile World Congress and the IoT World Forum. MEDIA 7: How did the idea of “the agency of things” come to your mind? CAMERON WORTH: SharpEnd was created in 2015 as the world’s first Internet of Things focused agency, so there is a slight play on words when we say we’re the Agency of Things. I think the idea of giving things their own agency is an interesting concept, and the strapline fits our capabilities on multiple levels. M7: In what way does technology drive the association of SharpEnd with global brands? What approaches are followed to enable sustainability? CW: Our simple proposition is to help build brands in a connected world, and to do that you must always start with identified consumer needs or pain points and look at technology as just an enabler to deliver an appropriate solution (when appropriate).  Take the issue of sustainability, which is often a pain point for brands that grapple with issues such as how we can reward sustainable behaviour change. One of our approaches to this could be to look at communicating the recycling credentials of the different products. Whilst the consumer can engage with a product as part of a wider consumer experience, the same technology could also house content that could tell you whether the product is recyclable, which type of bin it goes in etc. SharpEnd’s work with Unilever is a case in point. We built a digital product that incentivised recycling through gamification but also served to educate through informing people how and where to recycle in a clear fashion. All users had to do was simply scan their packaging to have all this information at their disposal.

Read More

Q&A with Tara Ryan, Chief Marketing Officer at Incorta

Media 7 | April 15, 2020

Tara Ryan, Chief Marketing Officer at Incorta has over 25 years experience and success in global marketing for technology businesses in ERP, mid-market, SMB, security, industry offerings and has driven fast growth for multiple SaaS , IPO and public companies.  Ryan works with executives and board on planning, creation and execution of global branding, communications, sites, field programs, public relations, investor relations and demand generation. MEDIA 7: When did you first start working and what was it? TARA RYAN: My first job for a real paycheck was at 15 when I worked at a deli in Fresno, CA where I grew up. M7: With over 25 years of experience in global marketing for technology companies, how has the demand generation for tech firms evolved, and how do you see it changing in future? TR: Marketing used to be a stand alone, unautomated function and in all honesty, a bit of a mystery. Now marketing is threaded through every single thing we do in business and with technology innovations, there is a real understanding of it, the programs we run, the expected outcomes and even the real time analysis of successes and failures. We used to plan a campaign, process out the creative, media and execution and wait to see effectiveness – now we do all at once. I see the future going back to simplification and less is more. We have added so many tools and ways to analyze.

Read More

'We treat information as a critical business asset,' says Vanessa Eriksson, SVP, Chief Digital Officer at Zenseact

Media 7 | November 15, 2021

We had the opportunity to interview the data-enthusiast and the former first Chief Data Officer in Sweden, Vanessa Eriksson, SVP, Chief Digital Officer at Zenseact and Board Member at Fidesmo, where she explored the different features of the autonomous vehicle. Read on to find out more about the Zenseact protects critical business and company information.

Read More

Q&A with Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder, SharpEnd

Media 7 | April 22, 2020

Cameron Worth, CEO & Founder of SharpEnd leads the company’s mission to help brands move closer than ever to consumers by connecting packaging, retail and experiential activity. He is a regular speaker and writer on how to build brands in a connected world. He has spoken at Cannes, the Festival of Marketing, LuxePack Monaco and New York, Ad:Week Europe and New York, DMA, the Connected Consumer Conference, Mobile World Congress and the IoT World Forum. MEDIA 7: How did the idea of “the agency of things” come to your mind? CAMERON WORTH: SharpEnd was created in 2015 as the world’s first Internet of Things focused agency, so there is a slight play on words when we say we’re the Agency of Things. I think the idea of giving things their own agency is an interesting concept, and the strapline fits our capabilities on multiple levels. M7: In what way does technology drive the association of SharpEnd with global brands? What approaches are followed to enable sustainability? CW: Our simple proposition is to help build brands in a connected world, and to do that you must always start with identified consumer needs or pain points and look at technology as just an enabler to deliver an appropriate solution (when appropriate).  Take the issue of sustainability, which is often a pain point for brands that grapple with issues such as how we can reward sustainable behaviour change. One of our approaches to this could be to look at communicating the recycling credentials of the different products. Whilst the consumer can engage with a product as part of a wider consumer experience, the same technology could also house content that could tell you whether the product is recyclable, which type of bin it goes in etc. SharpEnd’s work with Unilever is a case in point. We built a digital product that incentivised recycling through gamification but also served to educate through informing people how and where to recycle in a clear fashion. All users had to do was simply scan their packaging to have all this information at their disposal.

Read More

Q&A with Tara Ryan, Chief Marketing Officer at Incorta

Media 7 | April 15, 2020

Tara Ryan, Chief Marketing Officer at Incorta has over 25 years experience and success in global marketing for technology businesses in ERP, mid-market, SMB, security, industry offerings and has driven fast growth for multiple SaaS , IPO and public companies.  Ryan works with executives and board on planning, creation and execution of global branding, communications, sites, field programs, public relations, investor relations and demand generation. MEDIA 7: When did you first start working and what was it? TARA RYAN: My first job for a real paycheck was at 15 when I worked at a deli in Fresno, CA where I grew up. M7: With over 25 years of experience in global marketing for technology companies, how has the demand generation for tech firms evolved, and how do you see it changing in future? TR: Marketing used to be a stand alone, unautomated function and in all honesty, a bit of a mystery. Now marketing is threaded through every single thing we do in business and with technology innovations, there is a real understanding of it, the programs we run, the expected outcomes and even the real time analysis of successes and failures. We used to plan a campaign, process out the creative, media and execution and wait to see effectiveness – now we do all at once. I see the future going back to simplification and less is more. We have added so many tools and ways to analyze.

Read More

Related News

Supply Chain

Kinaxis Welcomes ProvisionAI to Global Partner Network

Business Wire | October 27, 2023

ProvisionAI, the only provider of a patented, optimized replenishment transportation scheduling solution, has joined the Kinaxis solution extension partner program. Through this partnership, joint customers can now extend the visibility and agility gained from the Kinaxis RapidResponse® platform, and its patented concurrent technique, into their transportation scheduling needs; in effect, eliminating latency and siloes. “The combination of RapidResponse and LevelLoad from ProvisionAI means customers can combine data from their whole network with their transportation data in real time,” said Tom Moore, CEO and founder at ProvisionAI. “By understanding real-time constraints from other parts of the supply chain, customers can create the most up-to-date replenishment transportation schedule that also takes into account lane carrier costs, warehouse capacities and inventory availability. It’s a game changer in supply chain management.” Kinaxis and ProvisionAI already share several high-profile global customers including Unilever, Diageo, Baxter and Kimberly-Clark. “Our solution extension partners are vital in the Kinaxis ecosystem, bringing unique and specialized capabilities to our customers,” said Conrad Mandala, senior vice president global partner organization at Kinaxis. “We are thrilled to welcome ProvisionAI to our global partner program and very excited to about what we’ll accomplish together.” About Kinaxis Kinaxis is the global leader in modern supply chain management. We serve supply chains and the people who manage them in service of humanity. Our software is trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. We combine our patented concurrency technique with a human-centered approach to AI to empower businesses of all sizes to orchestrate their end-to-end supply chain network, from multi-year strategic planning through down-to-the-second execution and last-mile delivery. For more news and information, please visit kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn. About ProvisionAI ProvisionAI provides global manufacturers with a transportation scheduling solution featuring optimized, capacity-constrained replenishment. LevelLoad, the flagship offering, attains long-term transportation planning objectives despite the realities of supply chain network constraints. The results include fuller loads, higher use of preferred freight carriers, and overall lower costs. Clients save millions by tendering loads early to reserve preferred carriers, filling truckloads optimally to minimize wasted capacity, improving customer order fulfillment, and ratcheting down costs. The patented technology was developed over five years by a team of logistics optimization experts that studied shippers like Unilever, Baxter, P&G, and Kimberly-Clark.

Read More

Supply Chain

Ferguson and Trimble Team Up to Digitalize Construction Supply Chain

Trimble Inc | November 08, 2023

Ferguson joins Trimble Supplier Xchange, streamlining the construction supply chain. Trimble's Supplier Xchange handles 10,000+ digital connections, 18B in monthly quotes. This integration automates pricing info to purchase orders, reducing errors and streamlining workflows. Trimble, a leading technology, software, and services solutions provider for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, and Ferguson have recently announced a significant development in the construction supply chain. Ferguson locations nationwide have officially joined the Trimble Supplier Xchange digital pricing and procurement network. This development marks a pivotal step and further digitalizes and streamlines construction supply chain operations, benefiting both mechanical and commercial customers. Furthermore, it enhances efficiency between construction teams and their most crucial business partners. Trimble's Supplier Xchange network currently facilitates over 10,000 digital connections between specialty subcontractors and their preferred suppliers. It handles an impressive average of 130,000 quote requests every month, with an average total value of USD 18 billion per month. The integration between Ferguson and Supplier Xchange enables contractors to access up-to-date, contracted pricing information and seamlessly convert it into a purchase order (PO). This PO flows directly into the contractor's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, ensuring that the order is placed and financially accounted for in the ERP system without delay. This streamlined process significantly reduces the time required and minimizes errors typically associated with manual data entry, thanks to the automatic synchronization of the purchase order. By becoming a part of the Supplier Xchange network, Ferguson, a prominent commercial mechanical distributor in the United States, is proactively addressing the common pain points faced by contractors in their day-to-day workflows. Tom Sullivan, Commercial Construction Services and Technology Director at Ferguson highlighted that prioritizing digital connections with their customers was of utmost importance. He explained that as their customers are increasingly looking for ways to cut costs and enhance efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness, Supplier Xchange would empower them to offer real-time customer-specific information. This would effectively reduce the manual processes and time needed in the workflows related to estimating, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), purchasing, project management, and accounting. The official announcement took place at Trimble Dimensions 2023, where both Ferguson and Trimble are showcasing the Supplier Xchange network. Trimble Construction Management Solutions' Vice President and General Manager Lawrence Smith emphasized that it had never been more crucial to integrate technology solutions to enhance the speed, accuracy, and seamlessness of information sharing across the construction supply chain. He stated that the data collaboration between Ferguson and Trimble was delivering increased efficiency, precision, and swiftness in their customers' workflows, encompassing estimating, procurement, purchasing, accounting, and project management.

Read More

Transportation

ACERTUS Unveils New Transportation Management System for Auto Shippers

ACERTUS | November 07, 2023

ACERTUS, a leading automotive logistics-as-a-service platform, has unveiled its new Transportation Management System (TMS). This cutting-edge system grants vehicle shippers unparalleled visibility into their operations, featuring real-time GPS tracking, advanced digital inspection data, automated reporting, and customized data visualization. By harnessing the power of machine learning and seamless connectivity with ACERTUS' digitally-enabled transport network, this platform successfully addresses a long-standing challenge within the vehicle shipping process—namely, the lack of transparency regarding asset location as it traverses the supply chain. Trent Broberg, the Chief Executive Officer at ACERTUS, remarked that modern-day technology has made it extremely easy to track products ordered online during the delivery process. However, there still existed substantial blind spots when it came to shipping cars. In this context, he explained that their new Transportation Management System is driving the industry forward by providing shippers with real-time vehicle visibility, modernizing the process, and eliminating guesswork. The TMS connects shippers with the largest multimodal transport network of carriers and drive-away drivers in North America. It simplifies and streamlines auto shipping, offering instant quotes, single and multi-VIN ordering, standard and expedited shipping rates, and API connectivity for seamless integration with existing operating systems. This release represents ACERTUS' ongoing commitment to delivering advanced, proprietary products that enhance automotive supply chain management. About ACERTUS ACERTUS is a leading omnichannel automotive logistics as a service platform that provides integrated end-to-end solutions for vehicle lifecycle management. By placing a strong emphasis on technology and innovation, ACERTUS offers a comprehensive suite of services, including vehicle storage, transport, maintenance, registration, title, care & maintenance, repossession, freight transport and compliance services, among others. The company consolidates these services under one roof, thereby significantly enhancing efficiency and reliability for its customers throughout the entire vehicle journey.

Read More

Supply Chain

Kinaxis Welcomes ProvisionAI to Global Partner Network

Business Wire | October 27, 2023

ProvisionAI, the only provider of a patented, optimized replenishment transportation scheduling solution, has joined the Kinaxis solution extension partner program. Through this partnership, joint customers can now extend the visibility and agility gained from the Kinaxis RapidResponse® platform, and its patented concurrent technique, into their transportation scheduling needs; in effect, eliminating latency and siloes. “The combination of RapidResponse and LevelLoad from ProvisionAI means customers can combine data from their whole network with their transportation data in real time,” said Tom Moore, CEO and founder at ProvisionAI. “By understanding real-time constraints from other parts of the supply chain, customers can create the most up-to-date replenishment transportation schedule that also takes into account lane carrier costs, warehouse capacities and inventory availability. It’s a game changer in supply chain management.” Kinaxis and ProvisionAI already share several high-profile global customers including Unilever, Diageo, Baxter and Kimberly-Clark. “Our solution extension partners are vital in the Kinaxis ecosystem, bringing unique and specialized capabilities to our customers,” said Conrad Mandala, senior vice president global partner organization at Kinaxis. “We are thrilled to welcome ProvisionAI to our global partner program and very excited to about what we’ll accomplish together.” About Kinaxis Kinaxis is the global leader in modern supply chain management. We serve supply chains and the people who manage them in service of humanity. Our software is trusted by renowned global brands to provide the agility and predictability needed to navigate today’s volatility and disruption. We combine our patented concurrency technique with a human-centered approach to AI to empower businesses of all sizes to orchestrate their end-to-end supply chain network, from multi-year strategic planning through down-to-the-second execution and last-mile delivery. For more news and information, please visit kinaxis.com or follow us on LinkedIn. About ProvisionAI ProvisionAI provides global manufacturers with a transportation scheduling solution featuring optimized, capacity-constrained replenishment. LevelLoad, the flagship offering, attains long-term transportation planning objectives despite the realities of supply chain network constraints. The results include fuller loads, higher use of preferred freight carriers, and overall lower costs. Clients save millions by tendering loads early to reserve preferred carriers, filling truckloads optimally to minimize wasted capacity, improving customer order fulfillment, and ratcheting down costs. The patented technology was developed over five years by a team of logistics optimization experts that studied shippers like Unilever, Baxter, P&G, and Kimberly-Clark.

Read More

Supply Chain

Ferguson and Trimble Team Up to Digitalize Construction Supply Chain

Trimble Inc | November 08, 2023

Ferguson joins Trimble Supplier Xchange, streamlining the construction supply chain. Trimble's Supplier Xchange handles 10,000+ digital connections, 18B in monthly quotes. This integration automates pricing info to purchase orders, reducing errors and streamlining workflows. Trimble, a leading technology, software, and services solutions provider for the architecture, engineering, and construction (AEC) industry, and Ferguson have recently announced a significant development in the construction supply chain. Ferguson locations nationwide have officially joined the Trimble Supplier Xchange digital pricing and procurement network. This development marks a pivotal step and further digitalizes and streamlines construction supply chain operations, benefiting both mechanical and commercial customers. Furthermore, it enhances efficiency between construction teams and their most crucial business partners. Trimble's Supplier Xchange network currently facilitates over 10,000 digital connections between specialty subcontractors and their preferred suppliers. It handles an impressive average of 130,000 quote requests every month, with an average total value of USD 18 billion per month. The integration between Ferguson and Supplier Xchange enables contractors to access up-to-date, contracted pricing information and seamlessly convert it into a purchase order (PO). This PO flows directly into the contractor's Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) system, ensuring that the order is placed and financially accounted for in the ERP system without delay. This streamlined process significantly reduces the time required and minimizes errors typically associated with manual data entry, thanks to the automatic synchronization of the purchase order. By becoming a part of the Supplier Xchange network, Ferguson, a prominent commercial mechanical distributor in the United States, is proactively addressing the common pain points faced by contractors in their day-to-day workflows. Tom Sullivan, Commercial Construction Services and Technology Director at Ferguson highlighted that prioritizing digital connections with their customers was of utmost importance. He explained that as their customers are increasingly looking for ways to cut costs and enhance efficiency, accuracy, and timeliness, Supplier Xchange would empower them to offer real-time customer-specific information. This would effectively reduce the manual processes and time needed in the workflows related to estimating, Virtual Design and Construction (VDC), purchasing, project management, and accounting. The official announcement took place at Trimble Dimensions 2023, where both Ferguson and Trimble are showcasing the Supplier Xchange network. Trimble Construction Management Solutions' Vice President and General Manager Lawrence Smith emphasized that it had never been more crucial to integrate technology solutions to enhance the speed, accuracy, and seamlessness of information sharing across the construction supply chain. He stated that the data collaboration between Ferguson and Trimble was delivering increased efficiency, precision, and swiftness in their customers' workflows, encompassing estimating, procurement, purchasing, accounting, and project management.

Read More

Transportation

ACERTUS Unveils New Transportation Management System for Auto Shippers

ACERTUS | November 07, 2023

ACERTUS, a leading automotive logistics-as-a-service platform, has unveiled its new Transportation Management System (TMS). This cutting-edge system grants vehicle shippers unparalleled visibility into their operations, featuring real-time GPS tracking, advanced digital inspection data, automated reporting, and customized data visualization. By harnessing the power of machine learning and seamless connectivity with ACERTUS' digitally-enabled transport network, this platform successfully addresses a long-standing challenge within the vehicle shipping process—namely, the lack of transparency regarding asset location as it traverses the supply chain. Trent Broberg, the Chief Executive Officer at ACERTUS, remarked that modern-day technology has made it extremely easy to track products ordered online during the delivery process. However, there still existed substantial blind spots when it came to shipping cars. In this context, he explained that their new Transportation Management System is driving the industry forward by providing shippers with real-time vehicle visibility, modernizing the process, and eliminating guesswork. The TMS connects shippers with the largest multimodal transport network of carriers and drive-away drivers in North America. It simplifies and streamlines auto shipping, offering instant quotes, single and multi-VIN ordering, standard and expedited shipping rates, and API connectivity for seamless integration with existing operating systems. This release represents ACERTUS' ongoing commitment to delivering advanced, proprietary products that enhance automotive supply chain management. About ACERTUS ACERTUS is a leading omnichannel automotive logistics as a service platform that provides integrated end-to-end solutions for vehicle lifecycle management. By placing a strong emphasis on technology and innovation, ACERTUS offers a comprehensive suite of services, including vehicle storage, transport, maintenance, registration, title, care & maintenance, repossession, freight transport and compliance services, among others. The company consolidates these services under one roof, thereby significantly enhancing efficiency and reliability for its customers throughout the entire vehicle journey.

Read More