Blue Bell Creameries' Sweet Success: Ice Cream Manufacturer Improves Inventory Visibility & Lot Control with ClearOrbit
Austin, TX - ClearOrbit ( www.clearorbit.com ), the provider of real-time supply chain execution and reverse logistics solutions, recently announced that Blue Bell Creameries, ice cream manufacturers, has implemented its Gemini mobile software solution for Oracle Process Manufacturing (OPM). Gemini for OPM has increased Blue Bell's overall operational efficiency by automating data collection, resulting in improved production lot control and traceability throughout the company's primary high-volume production and distribution center in Texas.
With Gemini, Blue Bell is now capturing data from more than 2,000 SKUs of raw, intermediate and finished goods with the use of handheld radio-frequency (RF) scanners that record key transactions, such as receiving, inventory movements and returns, in real time on the plant floor. The new Gemini-driven procedure has significantly increased data quality and visibility, and can process transactions in seconds instead of the minutes that previous manual methods required.
"Our use of handheld scanners running ClearOrbit enables us to take the computers where the workers are, giving users more control over inventory processing," said Jim Kruse, controller at Blue Bell. "We've seen great returns on the timeliness and accuracy of our data reporting with Gemini. The lot control and traceability we now have give us peace of mind that we can respond immediately should there be a product recall. We can't put a dollar value on that."
Because Gemini for OPM integrates directly with the Oracle data model, Blue Bell was able to maintain the setups, tolerances and profiles already defined in its Oracle deployment, which minimized implementation and training costs. Based on the success of the implementation at its main plant, the company plans to expand deployment to its three remaining manufacturing and select distribution facilities in the Southeast.
"Real-time data visibility and traceability are paramount in today's consumer packaged goods industry," said Warren Sumner, vice president of marketing and products for ClearOrbit. "Our experience helping customers leverage their existing ERP investments to achieve these goals makes us an ideal partner for Blue Bell. We are pleased to add Blue Bell to the growing family of customers who have successfully automated and controlled supply chain execution processes with ClearOrbit."
SOURCE: Blue Bell Creameries and ClearOrbit