Major Canadian furniture retailer The Dufresne Group (TDG) has invested in an advanced logistics planning system from Paragon Software Systems, Inc. The new software has helped the Winnipeg, Manitoba, based firm consolidate its transport planning in order to improve delivery performance, optimize resources and save costs.
“With Paragon, we expect to maximize efficiency of transportation resources during execution and increase control of transportation through better management reporting. We aim to reduce delivery lead times by maximizing use of our existing fleet and the software will allow us to model routes therefore improving strategic decision making,” says Ian Ahvenniemi, TDG Service Center Operations Manager.
“We also expect savings through reduced administration and fuel consumption. By using routes that are more efficient, we should be able to optimize our existing fleet of trucks and service vehicles. It will also enable us to decrease the time needed to define special circumstances such as allowing for Spring Road Restrictions* while increasing the accuracy of the overall plan and its execution,” he adds.
TDG uses Paragon routing and scheduling optimization software to plan daily home deliveries from its seven distribution centers to customers throughout Manitoba, Ontario, Saskatchewan and Alberta. The company runs a fleet of 25 straight trucks (26-28ft van bodies). To further enhance the use of its vehicle and driver resources by skill set, it will implement Paragon’s satellite tracking integration software and Paragon Resource Manager.
“Paragon has provided an ‘out-of-the-box’ solution that has been configured to meet our home delivery needs. The company has gained a thorough understanding of our business and this knowledge has been applied to optimize our delivery efficiencies. With Paragon’s help we are hoping to implement a dynamic reporting structure that will allow us to generate a planned to actual assessment of our delivery performance,” says Ian Ahvenniemi.
TDG is one of the largest furniture and appliance retailers in Western Canada and comprises Dufresne Furniture and Appliance and Ashley Furniture HomeStore. The family-owned company has a chain of 23 stores reaching from Alberta through Ontario. Its range of quality brands cover living room, dining room, bedroom and home office furniture, kitchen and laundry appliances, and home entertainment products.
Editor’s note:
* “The purpose of Spring Road Restrictions is to protect Manitoba’s surfaced highways from damage during spring thaw conditions by reducing allowable weights. In consultation with those affected by these weight reductions, Manitoba Infrastructure and Transportation has revised its policies and procedures to reflect current transportation trends and to help improve trip planning.” Source: http://www.gov.mb.ca/mit/srr/index.html
