Command Alkon’s newest platform is programmed to enable concrete producers to monitor and update stock levels, coordinate material flows, and automate back-office process to deliver a cohesive raw material supply solution. Material Supply transforms the way producers manage inbound deliveries. By integrating Command Cloud shared tickets, suppliers can share delivery tickets easily, reducing the need for manual and repetitive data entry by plant operators. Customers can also digitize paper tickets using mobile capture or scanners, facilitating a smooth transition to a digital workflow.
“This embodies our commitment to delivering user-friendly technologies that empower customers to streamline their operations and achieve maximum efficiency,” says Global Product Director Michael Bordelon. “Material Supply is the only cloud system on the market that digitally manages 100 percent of raw material receipts and integrates with major Batch and Dispatch systems to radically change the way producers manage their inventories and supply chain, ultimately driving productivity and profitability.”
The solution automates the entire process from ticket capture to inventory updates. Delivery tickets are automatically sent to COMMANDbatch and inventory levels are promptly updated, ensuring producers have an accurate balance at all times. Plant operators can centrally monitor inventory and demand levels through cloud-based graphical decision support tools, enabling them to order materials precisely as needed to optimize production efficiency and reduce waste.
Material Supply provides valuable outcomes for various roles within the organization, Command Alkon notes. Plant operators and managers can capture every raw material ticket, enabling seamless data sharing across business processes. Digitizing paper tickets saves time and improves accuracy by eliminating manual data entry. Suppliers can easily share their tickets, streamlining the entire material supply system.
The solution also benefits accounting processes by allowing inbound raw material data to be exported to other systems, integrating with ERP and accounting solutions. Replenishers and allocators gain access to accurate, real-time inventory forecasts, helping them prevent stockouts and overstocking. The decision support tools offer insights into inventory levels and demand, enabling the calculation of the optimal delivery plan for efficient inventory and truck allocation. — Command Alkon, Birmingham, Ala., www.commandalkon.com/products/material-supply
TRUCKING COST SURVEY
The American Transportation Research Institute’s 2024 Analysis of the Operational Costs of Trucking finds overall marginal costs of operating a heavy-duty commercial vehicle hit $2.270 per mile in 2023. While the increase was only 0.8 percent over the previous year, when surcharge-protected fuel costs are excluded, marginal costs rose 6.6 percent to $1.716 per mile. ATRI analyzes line-item costs, operating efficiencies, and revenue benchmarks by fleet sector and size, providing crucial benchmarking for motor carriers and a comprehensive overview of the financial state of trucking for industry and government decisionmakers.
Institute researchers found 2023 expenses rising moderately across most categories; average costs across line items increased at less than half the rates experienced during 2021 and 2022. Truck and trailer payments grew by 8.8 percent to $0.360 per mile, driver wages grew by 7.6 percent to $0.779 per mile, and repair and maintenance costs grew by 3.1 percent to $0.202 per mile. Truck insurance premiums were the exception to the trend, climbing 12.5 percent to $0.099 per mile after two years of negligible change.