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DFDS: THE ROUTE
TO AUTONOMY
AND EFFICIENCY WITH LEA REPLYTM WMS

The case for a digital transformation process investing warehouse management to enable operational efficiency, autonomy and a better service level to customers.

DFDS, a leading international shipping and logistics company, has managed to kickstart its digital transformation journey, improving its operational efficiency and autonomy in opening new warehouses, while maintaining high quality standards for their customers. All this, thanks to LEA ReplyTM WMS, the warehouse management solution of LEA ReplyTM, the latest generation supply chain execution digital platform.


THE CONTEXT

Moving goods and people: since 1866 DFDS, an international leading freight and logistics provider, has strived to keep Europe moving, connecting more than 20 countries, while offering tailor-made, reliable and affordable services to its customers.

The 3PL market has always had the necessity to maximize the efficiency of the processes to reduce costs and achieve margin objectives; the added pressure induced by the COVID-19 pandemic, together with the struggle of finding and retaining talent, has exasperated the need for these companies to increase operational agility and speed of onboarding of new manpower.

To keep up with this complex market landscape, DFDS decided to kickstart an ambitious digital transformation journey, with the goal to standardize and improve its warehouse processes and activities, while guaranteeing a better service level to their customers.

Easier said than done: DFDS is comprised of a network of different depots, distributed across Europe, each with its own customers and processes, consolidated over time, and often with no WMS solution in place.

In this context, DFDS was looking for a flexible WMS, able to adapt to the different customer requirements across its network and easy to implement, so that every location could adopt the solution in complete autonomy and easily get on board with the company’s digital transformation and growth process.

THE SOLUTION

LEA ReplyTM Warehouse Management (WMS), is the innovative, cloud-native solution, part of the LEA ReplyTM digital platform, designed to help companies manage their warehousing needs. It enables companies to manage their warehouse operations, optimize the allocation of spaces, reduce processing timeframes and easily keep track of goods and activities in real time.

DFDS chose LEA ReplyTM WMS for its innovative microservices architecture, extensive functional coverage and adaptability capabilities, which aligned with DFDS’s ambition to leverage modern technologies to satisfy its customers different needs across various industries.

The collaboration between DFDS and Logistics Reply began in March 2021, with the go live of the first pilot warehouse in Immingham (UK) planned for October. The go live was successful: shortly after, two additional warehouses in Boras (Sweden) and Nenagh (Ireland) went live in total autonomy, followed by the ones in Larkhall (UK) and Arendal (Sweden) at the start of 2022.

With the support of Reply’s project teams, located between Italy, UK and Germany, the extension of the program to other sites on the European territory is constantly evolving, with several new sites already planned for the next months.

MAIN ACHIEVEMENTS

WITH LEA REPLY™ WMS




OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY


FLEXIBILITY


CUSTOMER FOCUS

OPERATIONAL EFFICIENCY

  • One solution for different businesses: with a single, flexible solution, DFDS is now able to respond quickly to meet the needs of its customers, often from very different industries and sectors.
  • Standardization of processes: the definition of a template applied to the entire logistics network enables DFDS to be independent in managing new, lower complexity sites, where is possible according to the type of business.

PROFITABILITY

  • Handling complexity: DFDS prides itself in satisfying any request coming from their clients, implementing ad hoc procedures for them. LEA ReplyTM WMS allows DFDS to manage many different procedures and scenarios with one solution.
  • Vertical specialization: due to their variety of clients, DFDS chose LEA ReplyTM WMS because of its potential to be differently verticalized: the solution has many features applicable to different industries (Food&Beverage, Automotive, Fashion, E-commerce, Parcel)

CUSTOMER FOCUS

  • Maximum attention to the customer: the close collaboration between DFDS and Logistics Reply, characterized by mutual trust and understanding, made the application of LEA’s template of functionalities to the specific DFDS processes possible, without customizing every single project.
  • Guide to design: based on our experience and the projects already implemented with customers with similar complexity and market, Logistics Reply recommended to DFDS the right methodology that would guide them in the design phase of the final solution.

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    DFDS

    Moving goods and people since 1866. We keep Europe moving through a wide range of freight services from ferry transport to complex logistics solutions. Today, our ability to adjust course appears more vital than ever as one of the biggest freight and logistics companies in Europe. Our core operations of ferry and port terminal services, logistics and transport solutions are supported by an HQ in Copenhagen and around 10,000 employees in over 25 countries with a revenue of DKK 17bn 2021. This makes DFDS both an international and local partner. DFDS has since its foundation in 1866 built a unique infrastructure of ferry routes connecting European countries with each other as well as with Turkey. We mostly transport freight units on the routes in addition to around 5 million passengers in normal years. We also offer a wide array of logistics services, rooted in the regions served by our ferry routes. They range from door-door transports of full-loads to warehousing to complex solutions for major industrials to straight forward transports as well as other value-added services. www.dfds.com

  • LOGISTICS REPLY

    Logistics Reply provides cutting-edge software solutions that help companies achieve an efficient and more connected digital supply chain where different systems, partners, humans and machines seamlessly interact embracing the use of next-generation technologies such as AI, robotics, wearables and IoT. Logistics Reply accompanies its customers in this transformation journey ensuring rapid time-to-value and long-term quality results thanks to over 20 years of experience and deep knowledge of technologies and supply chain processes. Logistics Reply is a Reply company. www.lea-reply.com

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