Dean Specialty Foods Moves Forward with LeanLogistics

Jan. 1, 2003
Holland, Michigan -- Officials at LeanLogistics, Inc. announced today that the company has signed a long term agreement with Dean Specialty Foods Group,

Holland, Michigan -- Officials at LeanLogistics, Inc. announced today that the company has signed a long term agreement with Dean Specialty Foods Group, of Green Bay, Wisconsin to deploy the company's web-native Transportation Management System for all its inbound, inter-plant and outbound transportation requirements.

Dean Foods Specialty Group operates 11 processing plants in the United States, utilizing 5 regional distribution centers with a core carrier network for raw material and finished goods transportation. Dean Foods will utilize the LeanLogistics end-to-end technology to streamline all strategic procurement, planning, execution and settlement functions within its transportation group.

"We're extremely pleased to have Dean Foods as a member of our growing client community," said Jeff Potts, LeanLogistics Vice President of Sales and Marketing. "During the last 18 months, LeanLogistics has gained significant traction in the deployment of the industry's first completely web-native end-to-end transportation solution. We believe LeanLogistics now offers the only complete technology platform that creates a truly dynamic transportation environment between shippers, their core carriers, and other supply chain partners. Dean Foods will benefit from lower transportation costs, improved planning and visibility and a seamless execution and settlement process resulting in exceptional ROI."

In addition to comprehensive strategic procurement, shipment planning, execution, and settlement functionality for all shippers, LeanLogistics provides complete web-based carrier functionality, allowing all core carriers to participate, regardless of their technical sophistication. With the addition of Dean Foods, there are more than 600 active core carriers utilizing LeanLogistics on a daily basis. LeanLogistics also extends visibility beyond the four walls of the enterprise into all load events throughout the supply chain. LeanAdvisor monitors internal and external supply chain events, with event messaging capabilities to not only internal users, but also suppliers, carriers, and customers. Currently, over 10,000 event messages are triggered on a daily basis within the LeanLogistics system. The system's Web Settle electronic freight payment technology eliminates carrier invoicing, as well as shipper auditing and payment processes, including the need for third-party freight payment.

"We view the LeanLogistics technology as the next step in the evolution of transportation management," said Byron Johnson, Vice President of Supply Chain, Dean Foods Specialty Group. "The ability to streamline all our transportation activities into one, high visibility solution will have a positive impact across our supply chain and yield an important return on investment for our shareholders. Additionally, the fact that LeanLogistics solution is a hosted ASP solution, allows Dean Foods to focus our I.T. resources on customer solutions."

LeanLogistics extensive client list includes major customers in the retailing, CPG, manufacturing, 3PL and government sectors. Currently, more than 250,000 shipments are managed annually through LeanLogistics hosted solution.