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freight Payment: The Volume of Volume Freight payment is a process that is often characterized as creating too much back office noise. Thousands of invoices generated by multiple carriers featuring rate variances, exceptions, missing bills of lading and unhappy carriers clamoring for their past due payments – these are just a few of the factors that can create a deafening roar of disturbance for a logistics manager. Further contributing to the cacophony are demands from accounting departments for reductions in accrual variances – that is to improve the accuracy of shipping fees that are issued to clients in advance of the shipments arrival – to comply with new finance regulations. Fortunately, with the implementation of the right freight payment and audit systems, this roar can be reduced to a quiet murmur and great efficiencies can be gained. Such has been the case for Akzo Nobel’s Surface Chemistry LLC unit upon implementing the ChemLogix freight payment solution. Case Study: Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry Akzo Nobel is one of the world’s leading industrial companies with 60,000 employees operating in more than 80 countries. Based in Amsterdam, the Netherlands, the global company makes and supplies a huge range of paints, coatings, and specialty chemicals. The Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry LLC business unit headquartered in Chicago is a leading supplier of surfactants. The majority of the compounds offered by Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry LLC are surface-active agents, used in hundreds of commercial applications and shipped all over the world. The products range from formulations for industrial and household cleaning, to paint and building additives, to emulsifiers and more.
Al Wiener, Manager of Transportation Services and Operational Efficiency for Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry LLC, is responsible for transportation of these products throughout North America via all modes – truck, rail, bulk, intermodal and LTL. Given his position, Wiener is very familiar with the limitations of processing freight bills using traditional accounts payable methods. He is also well acquainted with the challenges of providing reliable freight rate quotes for Akzo’s clients. That is exactly why Akzo Nobel selected the ChemLogix freight payment platform with its electronic invoice payment environment and online rating tool. Reports Wiener, “Significant efficiencies have been gained. What once took 3 people to manage, now only takes one.”
Of course, a system is only as good as the people who support it. ChemLogix has also earned high praise for its customer service. According to Wiener, “We have a good relationship with ChemLogix. Their support personnel are responsive to our needs and can be relied upon to follow through on requests.”
Challenge: Reduce inefficiencies and back office noise associated with paying thousands of freight invoices.
Solution: Akzo Nobel Surface Chemistry LLC implemented the ChemLogix Freight Payment & Audit Solution utilizing web based technology to streamline the payment process, improve accrual accuracy and enhance access to freight rates.
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