OPSI Systems

Previously, transport planning/scheduling and vehicle utilisation was done on a decentralised basis.

OPSI was selected as the solution that would support a centralised planning process, and improve core SGCP operations areas. OPSI helped the client achieve the key project objectives, namely:

• Reduced transport cost per ton delivered, through consolidating loads from multiple sites to customers, and improved vehicle utilisation/sharing.
• Improved control of transport costs and assets, through a more automated process, with detailed shipment data (including geo-coded customer site locations with travel distances/routes)

Previously transport planning/scheduling and vehicle utilisation was done on a decentralised basis with each plant or site of SGCP South Africa having dedicated vehicles. Each site used to compile daily transport routes and schedules manually. As a result of the complexity of the manual process of and visibility all requirements/orders, transport loads could not be optimised across the various sites and fleets.

A transport planning and optimisation solution was proposed in order to address those issues.

?The Transport Optimisation & Planning Solution (TOPS) had to replace the manual process with more quantitative data and measures; and it had to ultimately save on transport costs for SGCP

Project objectives:

• Reduce transport costs
• Maintain/improve customer service
• Process optimisation
• Transparency/visibility of transport management information
• System controlled transport rates
• Transport transactional accuracy
• Scenario analyses capabilities

The steps in the TOPS project were:

• The project design started in October 2009 and the first site went live in March 2010.
• On-site training was provided during the design, development and implementation phase, with hand holding and on-site support from November 2009 to September 2010. Training at each Lightweight Building Solutions (LBS) depot was also provided countrywide with each rollout.
• Master data was gathered and input into the PLATO system to configure the model with SGCP’s business rules and restrictions.
• The designed solution was built, tested (first in-house, then User Acceptance Tests (UATs) with client) before going live at the first site.
• The solution is currently live at the 9 SGCP primary manufacturing sites and all 10 South African LBS depots

• All project objectives as specified above were met.
• A increase in co-loading between the various business units in Saint-Gobain was achieved.
• Greater visibility and control of transport costs and operational performance

The next steps at Saint-Gobain are to train the users on performing simulation work using OPSI’s PLATO system, and to implement the second phase of the TOPS solution.