Food & Drink Process & Packaging Issue 17 2018 | Page 18

Don’t Let Supply Chain Problems Threaten Your Business As the food and drink supply chain becomes more complex, manufacturers need clear and transparent processes to ensure products meet demand for quality and traceability, says Lucy Pamment, product manager at supply chain technology specialist, Access Group. Crises, like the availability issue that engulfed fast-food giant KFC and hygiene scandal impacting customers of meat supplier Russell Hume, show just how quickly supply chain problems can escalate. On top of lost sales, or the upheaval of recalling products, it can be extremely difficult for manufacturers to win back customer confidence, whether it’s that of the retailer or end-consumer. Nightmare scenarios like these underline the importance of being able to demonstrate traceability for every ingredient – something that is now possible using supply chain software. It’s one of the reasons why it’s become an essential tool for forward-thinking manufacturers, like frozen pasta supplier, Pasta Concepts, which uses Access software to ensure product information is accurate, up-to-date and easily available. But this technology is not just a safeguard in case things go wrong; it is also helping businesses improve operational efficiency and drive down costs. Even simple tasks, like being able to carry out stocktakes in real-time, can save countless hours and thousands of pounds per year. One example is Burts Potato Chips, which implemented Access SupplyChain ERP as it embarked on an ambitious £20million growth plan. The platform has enabled the company to optimise every aspect of operations, including finance, sales order processing and purchasing, manufacturing, warehousing and stock management. Other food and drink manufacturers have reported similar successes. Specialist tea producer, Ringtons, which supplies 18 FDPP - www.fdpp.co.uk to retailers like M&S, Waitrose and Sainsbury’s, is using Access software to offer customer full traceability, while strengthening its financial position. LycoRed, global vitamin and mineral premix supplier, has also seen tangible benefits since deploying our production scheduling software, for instance, it is saving two days of admin time per week by automating its production planning. Anyone in the competitive food and drink industry understands the challenges of dealing with perishable goods, especially when there are so many manufacturers in the chain, some of whom may be overseas. While issues of availability, safety, hygiene and/or legal compliance won’t go away, supply chain software helps to ensure reputable manufacturers can deliver consistently high quality products as efficiently as possible. For more details on Access Group, including information on its supply chain software, visit www.theaccessgroup.com