Integral Logistics Concept For The Chemical Industry: 4PL Central Station Controls Forwarders Via AX4

Frankenthal/Langenfeld - 4PL Central Station has taken over the complete distribution controlling for another chemical company. This is an essential step for the company’s development to become the chemical industry’s leading 4PL provider. In order to easily manage the large number of European forwarders the fourth party logistics provider 4PL Central Station uses the IT platform AX4.

Due to its comprehensive activities for the chemical industry – 300,000 shipments and a freight turnover of more than 100 million € per year – 4PL Central Station is becoming the leading 4PL brand in the chemical industry. The company’s goal is to offer integral logistics services for its customers. For example, this includes value added services like shipment consolidation, network and transport cost optimization and assuming a control tower function for controlling the various forwarders that are employed.

The IT platform AX4, operated by AXIT AG, allows the Langenfeld-based logistics company to integrate various transport providers with the shipping process and to control them centrally, independent of company-specific IT systems.

15 forwarders with a total transport volume of 22,000 shipments per year will be integrated with the central transport management system of 4PLCS which is based on AX4 in the coming weeks.

The recent newly-acquired chemical customer, for example, will send his shipping orders centrally to AX4. There the shipment data is integrally optimized by 4PL Central Station and is then automatically transmitted to the respective forwarder. On the other hand the shipment’s progress can be checked by the chemical company at any time. Further, all freight charge billing is done on the platform in credit memo procedures and is transmitted to 4PL’s customer electronically in detail.

“AX4 allows us to standardize shipping processes independently of company-individual ERP systems”, says Gerald Floß, member of management at 4PL Central Station Deutschland GmbH. “Besides, as an independent logistics management company we use the system to create continuous transparency of shipping processes for our customer and are thus able to realize essential optimization potential.”

AXIT also presents its solutions as an exhibitor at the event: Forum Chemielogistik “Transparenz schaffen – Kosten reduzieren” (www.bvl.de/fcl), on May 8th, 2014 in Frankfurt. AXIT, booth 21 in building D 607.