Mexican supermarket chain El Florido has opted for Infor WMS (Warehouse Management System) to enhance its operational efficiency across the supply chain. The implementation will be carried out by Cerca Technology, a frontrunner in cutting-edge supply chain technology in Latin America.
Situated in Baja California Norte, Mexico, the supermarket chain specializes in meat-based products and groceries. El Florido aims to expedite in-store assortment, increase fill rate, obtain complete inventory visibility and facilitate effective sourcing across its branches.
Starting as a meat distributor, the business expanded its portfolio to include other product lines. This enabled growth in cities like Tijuana, Tecate, Rosarito, Ensenada and Mexicali, with a total of 50 branches.
To cater to the needs of all its branches, El Florido established a logistics operator, DFL Logistics, in 2016. DFL Logistics manages inventory for logistics operations that supply all branches with both groceries and perishable items.
The continual growth of El Florido necessitated a leading-edge solution to digitalize supply and demand planning, storage and order delivery processes.
Distribution centers were plagued by several issues such as phantom inventory, codes stuck in a transfer state and challenges in fulfilling orders. Despite its functional system, the existing infrastructure was not equipped to handle the growing operations efficiently. This led to increased errors and affected the timing of order deliveries.
Measuring productivity in the distribution centers was also complicated due to manual tracking and basic estimating tools, leading to a significant investment of time.
Misael Verduzco, Logistics Manager of DFL Logistics, said: “The use of tools such as WMS are of great help, because it takes advantage of automation, reduces operating costs, increases efficiency, improves responsiveness and decreases complexity for effective distribution center management.
“We are confident that this new implementation will be successful. As inventory accuracy improves, the entire supply chain will benefit. What impressed us the most was the attention we received from Cerca Technology from the beginning. Follow-up, interest and participation were crucial in making the decision. Even when visiting our operations, they understood our needs closely, which resulted in a proposal very grounded to reality. We always felt supported.”
Infor WMS offers real-time information that aids El Florido in measuring processes and productivity accurately, centralizing procedures and offering greater planning flexibility for customer orders. It is also set to manage cargo transport unit registration from entry to unloading in its warehouses.
Wilson Ortiz, Manager of Professional Services at Cerca Technology, stated: “Once the team knew the interface of Infor WMS and observed that it was intuitive and easy to use, adapting to it was more seamless versus competing solutions.”
Looking ahead, Verduzco and his team know that implementing Infor WMS is just the first step in their Digital Transformation journey. Alejandro Luna, Country Manager of Infor Mexico, commented: “Infor WMS will benefit the activities of the distribution centers of El Florido in an integral way. This solution combines warehouse assortment with integrated labor management and analytics to reduce complexity and enable optimized operational execution.”
DFL Logistics employs over 210 people, while El Florido as a whole has approximately 3,500 employees. The company operates two 10,000-square-meter distribution centers: 80% of the space is allocated for groceries, and the remaining 20% for perishable products. El Florido manages a total of 2,500 SKUs in groceries and 120 SKUs in perishables, and its transport fleet consists of 27 vehicles, 42 boxes and eight double-trailers.
Alejandro Luna, Country Manager of Infor Mexico, answered our questions about the project:
What differentiates Infor WMS from other Warehouse Management Systems in terms of its adaptability and ease of use?
Infor WMS (Warehouse Management System) is known for its adaptability and ease of use, and it may have evolved further since then. Here are some key differentiators that set Infor WMS apart from other warehouse management systems in terms of adaptability and ease of use:
1. User-friendly interface: Infor WMS is designed with a user-friendly interface that simplifies navigation and reduces the learning curve for users. Its intuitive design allows warehouse personnel to quickly become proficient with the system.
2. Configurability: Infor WMS is highly configurable, allowing businesses to tailor the system to their specific needs and workflows. This adaptability enables organizations to optimize their warehouse processes without extensive custom development.
3. Scalability: Infor WMS is scalable, making it suitable for both small and large enterprises. It can grow with your business, accommodating changing requirements and expanding operations.
4. Integration Capabilities: Infor WMS offers robust integration capabilities, allowing it to seamlessly integrate with other enterprise systems, such as ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning) software, transportation management systems (TMS) and supply chain management systems. This integration streamlines data exchange and enhances visibility across the supply chain.
5. Mobility and mobile accessibility: Infor WMS often includes mobile-friendly features and applications that enable warehouse staff to access the system via smartphones and tablets. This mobility improves real-time data capture and provides greater flexibility in warehouse operations.
6. Real-time visibility: Infor WMS provides real-time visibility into warehouse activities, inventory levels and order statuses. This transparency enables better decision-making and helps businesses respond promptly to changing demands and disruptions.
7. Analytics and reporting: The system typically includes robust analytics and reporting tools that allow users to gain insights into their warehouse operations. This data-driven approach helps organizations optimize processes, reduce costs and enhance efficiency.
8. Continuous updates and support: Infor, as a software provider, usually offers ongoing support and updates to ensure that the system remains current and adaptable to changing industry requirements.
9. Industry-specific solutions: Infor often provides industry-specific versions of its WMS software, tailored to the unique needs of various sectors such as manufacturing, retail, distribution and logistics.
10. User training and documentation: Infor typically offers comprehensive training and documentation to help users get the most out of the system, contributing to its ease of use.
Please note that the specific features and capabilities of Infor WMS may vary based on the version and configuration chosen by a particular organization. It’s essential to evaluate the most current information and consult with Infor or an authorized reseller for the latest details on Infor WMS and how it compares to other warehouse management systems in terms of adaptability and ease of use.
Can you provide more insights into how Infor WMS integrates with existing systems at El Florido, especially given the challenges they faced with phantom inventory and codes stuck in a transfer state?
Infor’s WMS facilitates seamless integration with diverse client enterprise systems through robust API interfaces. This pertains specifically to El Florido, where they currently operate a localized ERP solution slated for integration with Infor’s WMS, thereby ensuring harmonious system interoperability.
What are the next steps or modules in your solution roadmap tailored for El Florido?
In order to attain the targeted performance benchmarks and operational efficiencies, the company’s strategic roadmap involves fortifying the frameworks and systems governing team KPIs, encompassing both the Labor Management System (LMS) and the integration of a transportation management system (TMS).
How does Infor/ Cerca Technology plan to streamline and optimize El Florido’s multifaceted operations?
Infor WMS affords the capacity to configure distinct attributes contingent on merchandise categories, concurrently permitting the establishment of discrete warehouses to segregate SKUs. In the case of El Florido, this segmentation encompasses perishables, groceries and chemicals.
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