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.
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Transportation
Business Wire | October 30, 2023
UPS announced today that it has entered into an agreement to acquire Happy Returns from PayPal (NASDAQ: PYPL). Happy Returns is a U.S.-based software and reverse logistics company that enables frictionless, no-box, no-label returns for merchants and consumers.
“We know that returns have long frustrated shoppers and retailers looking for quick and easy solutions,” UPS CEO Carol B. Tomé said. “By combining Happy Returns’ easy digital experience and established drop-off points with UPS’s small package network and footprint of close to 5,200 The UPS Store locations, box-free, label-free returns will soon be available at more than 12,000 convenient locations in the U.S.”
“Joining the UPS team is a win for both our employees and our customers,” said Happy Returns CEO and co-founder David Sobie, who will continue to lead the business for UPS after the deal closes. “In recent years, the growth of Happy Returns has accelerated, and we’ve built an enterprise-grade solution. This new chapter is a natural next step for Happy Returns and allows us to harness the power of the UPS network to transform the returns industry.”
Happy Returns offers a full stack of returns solutions, powered by software and fully scaled reverse logistics operations that facilitate frictionless returns. In a few simple steps, users can access a returns portal, make a box-free return at the most convenient location and have their item shipped, sorted and returned to the merchant. With more than 800 merchant customers, Happy Returns has a strong track record of providing hassle-free, no-box returns, reducing the cost of e-commerce for all players and creating a more efficient, sustainable supply chain.
The acquisition of Happy Returns is expected to close in the fourth quarter of 2023, subject to customary conditions and regulatory approvals. Terms of the acquisition were not disclosed.
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Supply Chain
Business Wire | October 31, 2023
Just in time for the peak holiday shopping season, Sendle has bolstered its delivery network in Canada with the opening of more than 300 drop-off locations in the Greater Toronto Area (GTA), Montreal, and Vancouver. Canadian small businesses that choose to ship with Sendle now have the ultimate flexibility and choice when it comes to parcel delivery – they can either drop off their parcels where and when it’s convenient for them or have them picked up at their door.
With over 500% growth in those using the drop off parcel service since Sendle launched drop-off locations in Toronto this summer, it’s clear that small businesses want choice. And, unlike Canada Post, there are no extra charges, no hidden costs, and no minimum delivery spend requirements for those that use Sendle; small businesses simply get the lowest parcel delivery prices in Canada and convenient drop-off or pick-up delivery options that meet their needs. As Lauren Helstab, Sendle’s country manager for Canada, notes, “You have to pay more for flexibility with Canada Post, but not with Sendle.”
As a company that prioritizes the needs of small business, Sendle listens when its customers request new features. A drop-off option was the second most requested feature by small businesses behind cross-border delivery, a service that Sendle launched in April this year. Adding conveniently located drop-off locations complements Sendle’s door-to-door parcel delivery service, giving small business owners flexibility for those times when they are on the move, to suit their business hours, or if it’s simply their preference. The convenient drop off locations include spots that operate 24/7 such as retail and convenience stores, providing even greater flexibility when small businesses are pressed for time.
Sendle works fast to help small businesses save time and money. “We recently launched our Peak Relief program as a way to support Canadian small businesses this holiday season. We lowered all our rates – which now start from $6.65 – and committed to no peak surcharges for the remainder of 2023 while Canada Post increased their rates by more than 3%,” says Helstab. “At Sendle, we see a bright future for small businesses when they have access to a service that understands their needs and provides flexible and convenient delivery options for time-poor business owners that don't break the bank. The opening of our new drop-off locations is another way we are enabling small business owners to choose when and how they ship to their customers.”
“As Sendle continues to expand our network and service in Canada, small businesses can count on us to provide the most cost-effective, tailored parcel delivery services, ensuring their unique needs are met," adds Helstab. “For this year’s peak delivery season, we encourage small businesses across the country to stop settling for the status quo. At a time when costs have skyrocketed, Sendle is putting small businesses first by providing an affordable service that delivers conveniently flexible options without any added expense.”
About Sendle
Sendle levels the playing field for small businesses by offering simple, affordable shipping across Canada and across the border to the U.S., with no hidden fees, subscriptions, or warehousing required. Merchants simply purchase a label and their parcels can be picked up from their front door. Sendle is also the first 100% carbon neutral shipping carrier in Canada and is a Certified B Corporation and Climate Neutral Certified. The company was founded in Australia in 2014 and is headquartered in Sydney, Australia; Seattle, Washington; and Toronto, Canada.
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