3DP manufacturers, struggling to connect to supplier data? We’ve got the solution

If you’ve been following this newsletter, then you know we’ve been answering the top questions of 3DP manufacturers about their logistics and shipping concerns. These are based on real conversations with customers at exhibitions and events all around the world. So far, we’ve covered how to overcome a lack of resources, and what to do if your warehouse model is outdated.

In this edition, let’s discuss the third most pressing Q&A: data connection with suppliers.

If you’re facing this challenge right now, read on!

THE PROBLEM: CONNECTING WITH SUPPLIERS

Q: “With great effort, we’ve just implemented our ERP platform, and we want to establish links to our suppliers without additional costs or significant changes. We know how important these links are to feed orders and gather data about ongoing shipping activities, as well as up-to-date inventory detail. How do we resolve this?”

A: The best way to tackle this issue is by targeting suppliers who use a unified, centralized logistics platform that consolidates all your supply chain data and activity in one place. This avoids the need to create a complex web of message links to various different systems within the supplier’s infrastructure, simply because they don’t centralise their data.

While this kind of unified application is rare in the supply chain industry, there are some players who do meet this criteria, such as Unilog.

The Unilog team made a conscious decision to develop a single global platform upon which their entire service portfolio can be managed. Unlike other logistics providers, this enables them to directly manage any service or service combination for the customer, anywhere in the world.

All this can be achieved with just one connection, API being the preferred option. The Unilog team has the necessary expertise to establish the link with ease.

For the many customers who cannot onboard with an API standard, Unilog does offer a range of alternatives that can also be integrated smoothly. Rest assured, there is always a way to exchange data, whether it be EDI, remote access, or simply exchanging electronic forms – and Unilog will find it for you.

By establishing a data exchange link, your business and your supplier’s business can operate far more efficiently, in terms of speed, and also in operational detail and with the necessary document detail. For example, with your incoming flow of new shipping instruction data, the Unilog platform can leverage AI to detect and correct mistakes. In contrast to manual transposing of instructions from emails and forms, this offers a far more complete and robust method to transact business.

Such an approach can also identify weak spots in your supply chain, so you can improve the delivery performance for your customers, maximizing your business potential.

So, linking up with your suppliers in this way is a vital step to improve service standards and efficiency. By reducing errors and the manual investment needed to correct them, you’ll see return of the setup cost in the months ahead. Setup time is efficient too, taking just weeks not months. And when it comes to digital requirements, each customer has unique DNA, so working with suppliers who have competent and owned resources is an absolute must.

Do you need help linking up with suppliers to support and improve your supply chain activities? Partner with Unilog and turn your 3DP manufacturing business into a logistics powerhouse. contact us today here on LinkedIn or at Unilog.company/contact-us