Paragon Software Systems is celebrating a 30-year relationship involving the supply of transport optimisation solutions to Morrisons and previously to Safeway, Presto and Liptons. The relationship puts Paragon’s logistics software at the heart of Morrisons’ transport operations as it meets new challenges and opportunities, enabling it to maximise delivery performance to its stores.
Used since the early 1980s to plan distribution for Presto and Liptons supermarkets (later rebranded as Safeway), Paragon’s logistics software was retained by Morrisons after its acquisition of Safeway in 2004 and remains integral to its distribution planning operation. With Paragon’s support, the company continues to evolve the system to keep in step with its transport requirements, enabling it to maintain the highest possible levels of delivery service to its growing network of stores.
As Morrisons replaced its legacy business software with Oracle systems following major IT overhauling projects, Paragon’s logistics software remained the retailer’s standard solution for optimising movements of ambient, chilled and frozen goods from its distribution centres to more than 400 stores across the UK.
“Reducing food miles and maintaining value for our customers by offsetting the impact of rising fuel prices all rely on optimising our transport network. Paragon provides a platform and foundation to build our operational solutions,” comments Ross Eggleton, Head of National Transport at Wm Morrisons Supermarkets. “We’ve created optimised and sustainable solutions, balancing efficiency, cost and service with Paragon’s logistics software being a key enabler. I would recommend Paragon to help drive improvements to other organisations,” he adds.
Today, Morrisons uses the software to plan daily movements of its 600 vehicles supported by contractors delivering to its UK store network. The solution integrates planning optimisation, driver resource availability and telematics to enhance the efficiency and execution of each day’s complex transport plans. As a result, Morrisons benefits from reductions in road miles, fuel used and spot hire vehicle costs.
Morrisons’ order management system sends daily order volume information to Paragon, which then updates the day’s fixed route plan. Morrisons also uses the logistics software strategically to model new routes to meet new and seasonal order demands. It can use the software to plan delivery routes for new stores and for assisting the procurement of new vehicles – the software shows what the company can achieve using existing vehicles and helps with deciding how many others are needed to meet future demands.
Year on year, with the support of Paragon software to aid decision making at a time when the business has continued to grow, Morrisons has reduced its core fleet through better utilisation and continues to push for cost effective transport solutions within its network whilst still providing great service to its stores.
“Paragon’s logistics software is integral to our distribution planning operation, whether it’s for daily dynamic scheduling or strategic analysis,” comments Dave Russell, National Planning Manager at Wm Morrisons Supermarkets. “We have worked with the Paragon team for many years and have an extremely good, effective working relationship. Paragon’s partnership approach to software implementation and development has enabled us to future proof our planning processes within our business.”
