Foster's Group Expands WMS Roll Out
Foster's Group, a global premium beverage company, has rolled out RedPrairie's Warehouse Management System to 14 sites in Australia and the United States. Since implementing the RedPrairie solution, Foster's reports that it has gained operational efficiencies, better visibility into its supply chain and can offer more flexibility and better service to its customers.
"Foster's success in expanding its portfolio and global reach could only be sustained by investing in a scalable production and distribution network. In 2003, we found that our current systems and processes did not have the flexibility or capacity to scale to the level they needed to meet the increasing demand for our diverse product lines. We needed to reconfigure and enhance our supply chain network by increasing service levels to our widespread customers," says Michael Brooks, chief supply officer for Foster's.
Foster's Group is well known for producing and marketing Foster's Lager, but the company is much more than a single brand. Foster's is a global premium beverage company delivering beer and wine brands to consumers across the globe, as well as a broader portfolio that also encompasses spirits, cider and non alcohol beverages to consumers within Australia. Foster's and RedPrairie have had a strong business partnership since 2001 when RedPrairie implemented its Warehouse Management System (WMS) at three sites in Victoria. Following its purchase of Southcorp Wines in 2005, Foster's expanded its brand portfolio into premium wine and embarked on a supply chain transformation project to move from beer only to multi-beverage and multi-brand distribution facilities.
In 2004, RedPrairie implemented its WMS in the largest facility, the production and distribution operation at Yatala in Queensland. This 20,000 square-meter facility has four packaging lines, more than 20,000 pallet locations, multiple beer keg, can and bottle lines, and produces more than 25 percent of the total beer production in Australia. The site is automated and the mass accumulation table holds more than 100 pallets ready for direct loading and transportation. The Yatala site has recorded uptime since it started the RedPrairie WMS application and the Foster's supply chain and IT infrastructure.
"Foster's success in expanding its portfolio and global reach could only be sustained by investing in a scalable production and distribution network. In 2003, we found that our current systems and processes did not have the flexibility or capacity to scale to the level they needed to meet the increasing demand for our diverse product lines. We needed to reconfigure and enhance our supply chain network by increasing service levels to our widespread customers," says Michael Brooks, chief supply officer for Foster's.
Foster's Group is well known for producing and marketing Foster's Lager, but the company is much more than a single brand. Foster's is a global premium beverage company delivering beer and wine brands to consumers across the globe, as well as a broader portfolio that also encompasses spirits, cider and non alcohol beverages to consumers within Australia. Foster's and RedPrairie have had a strong business partnership since 2001 when RedPrairie implemented its Warehouse Management System (WMS) at three sites in Victoria. Following its purchase of Southcorp Wines in 2005, Foster's expanded its brand portfolio into premium wine and embarked on a supply chain transformation project to move from beer only to multi-beverage and multi-brand distribution facilities.
In 2004, RedPrairie implemented its WMS in the largest facility, the production and distribution operation at Yatala in Queensland. This 20,000 square-meter facility has four packaging lines, more than 20,000 pallet locations, multiple beer keg, can and bottle lines, and produces more than 25 percent of the total beer production in Australia. The site is automated and the mass accumulation table holds more than 100 pallets ready for direct loading and transportation. The Yatala site has recorded uptime since it started the RedPrairie WMS application and the Foster's supply chain and IT infrastructure.