Two problems that affect industrial raw metal suppliers today involve the accurate and timely management of their inventory and keeping track of their shipments to end users. Many are still using outdated or older technology,which limits them from receiving real time information and increases customer service costs when working with the end client. Having to track inventory manually leads to assigning more personnel who need to spend more time on this function.
Other issues that metal suppliers run up against involve tags and labels getting lost during the manufacturing, preparation and shipping process. Just imagine what the consequences could be for a company if their fabricated metals, which are of all different weights, styles, sizes and types, arrive without proper identification or paperwork. This was the case with Industrial Metal Supply Company located in Sun Valley, California.
According to Russell Kozaki, CTP Solutions’ Director of Document and Label Management, the metal supplier’s labels and tags were becoming lost because they did not adhere to their raw metal product, which includes various steels, aluminum, brass, copper, tubing, cylinders, and beams. As a result, the company was having a difficult time tracking the raw materials they received and the inventory left in storage after their orders were released.
“There were several problems going on at their plant,” states Jack Schachtel, President of CTP Solutions, a leading provider of Business Process Optimization solutions. “Once we identified the issues, we were able to propose several tag, label and hang tag solutions. One of these involved utilizing a thermal transfer label which adhered to the hang tag with metal grommets and wire. As soon as the product was received, it was inventoried with a bar code.
“Another solution we implemented for Industrial Metal Supply involved a plastic hang tag with an aggressive adhesive used to place the label or tag onto the metal pieces. We then printed two labels for each order: one when orders were pulled for cutting or specialty requirements to be shipped with the product, while the other label or tag was returned with the remaining stock into storage. The new system now provides “real time” information that is updated and current as the orders come in and go out.”
With CTP Solutions’ vast experience and knowledge base of materials, adhesives and substrates, the business process optimization was able to take place very quickly and was quick and efficient to implement, since the label printing process was already in place. Once the new tags and hang tags were received from CTP Solutions, Industrial Metal Supply was able to run the new process at its other five facilities across Southern California and Arizona.
As a result of these changes, their inventory process has completely turned around. Products coming in are now labeled and tagged efficiently and properly which helps keep current inventory accurate and up-to-date at all times, while it tracks inventory in a timely manner. By simply scanning the bar-coded labels, they are able to get an instant read on inventory and know where it is at all times.
Finally, the financial benefits that came with this process optimization have been huge. It has resulted in reduced labor, time savings, increased accuracy, better inventory control, improved workflow, improved shipping processes and a boost in company-wide morale that comes with knowing their job has been well-done.
Industrial Metal Supply Company is just one of many companies that have benefited from CTP Solutions’ review of critical document packaging and labels that were not optimized, efficient, state of the art or were outdated. Whether it’s creating workflow processes in billing, document and label management, payables, human resources, or marketing logistics, CTP Solutions delivers efficiencies to critical document processing.
For more information on CTP Solutions, visit www.CTPsolutions.com or contact Jack Schachtel,
President, CTP Solutions at: (818) 597-1222 Ext. 304 / email: jschachtel@CTPsolutions.com.