A top-shelf supply chain solution for Bakker Logistics

Oct 17, 2019

operations

When you think about it, the fact that we can walk into any supermarket at any time and grab whatever fresh food we like from the shelf is pretty amazing. Getting products from point A to point B unscathed and at just the right time requires an intricate logistics network of suppliers and distributors to work together flawlessly. Bakker Logistics, one of the largest transport and warehousing experts in the Benelux, counts on delaware to ensure smooth collaboration between all parties involved.

As a logistics service provider specialized in food, Bakker Logistics has 10 climate-controlled warehouses in the Benelux and over 600 transportation trucks on the road. Its mission: providing supermarkets, wholesalers and retail chains with the right products at the right time. Making this possible requires constant, real-time communication between Bakker, its partners, and its partners’ partners.

“At any given time, we need to be able to tell where every product is, how many units there are, what state they are in, who they are for, and when they need to be delivered,” explains IT manager Jan De Neu. “That’s why we’ve implemented an automated data exchange platform that connects all parties.”

From warehouse to aisle 4

The supplier informs Bakker that a shipment is on its way to the warehouse.
When the shipment arrives, Bakker employees scan the products.
The products are stocked in the warehouse for periods ranging from one day to up to six months.
Every evening, Bakker gives the owner of the products (the supplier) a status update.
When the supplier receives an order from a client (e.g. a retail chain), an outbound message is sent to Bakker to ship the ordered goods.
When the outbound shipment is completed, Bakker sends a confirmation to the supplier.

Speaking in many different tongues

One of the main challenges, however, was making the data comprehensible for everyone involved. Jan: “Not only are our partners working with different IT systems, Bakker has also acquired several other companies over the years – each with its own system. Not every platform has already been integrated with the central hub.“

In 2015, when Bakker’s growth had achieved cruising altitude, Jan and his team contacted delaware to take care of the data integration across Bakker’s internal systems and those of its trading partners. “They had the knowledge and the experience with the food sector we were looking for in a long-term partner.”

A shared vision

Today, Bakker and delaware have been working together successfully for many years. This fruitful partnership recently culminated in a new ‘Shared Fresh Center’: a climate-controlled warehouse that is entirely dedicated to one of Bakker’s key accounts.

“Consumers are demanding access to fresh and healthy foods at all times. With the ‘Shared Fresh Center, we make it possible for our clients to keep their shelves filled with deliciousness. And thanks to delaware, we always know the status of each product.”