Inventory Management Systems

DTS (Dock-To-Stock) Program:
Reduces lead time from our dock directly to your assembly/work stations. Takes inspection out of system and strips costs from receiving/inspection process.

Global Managed Inventory:
Can take costs out of systems by managing inventory levels at sites scattered across the country and borders.  With our many shipping branches, we can ship product to local plants, yet you have control of items purchased from your Corporate Purchasing site. With one uniform supplier, better lead times are achieved, inventory control is leaner and costs are reduced by placing PO with one supplier.

Vendor Managed Inventory:
A means of optimizing Supply Chain performance in which Ellsworth is responsible for maintaining the customers inventory levels on the customers' premises.  Typically, EDI transactions are a means of reordering through the chain from Ellsworth to optimize lead time and transaction costs.  Inventory reorder levels are established with customer and upon reaching re-order points, a replenishment PO is generated.  Benefits include order entry error reductions, better fill rates to customer, reduced stock outs and the customer has the right product at the right time.

Electronic Data Interchange (EDI)
Our EDI System is fully integrated with our business systems ensuring accurate order processing.  EDI eliminates paperwork and error prone re-entry of customer orders. We also provide private catalog capability over the Internet for selected customer partners.  Use your part number and contract pricing to place an order on our web site. Electronic ordering provides prompt and reliable handling of your purchase orders, including automatic acknowledgments if required.  We can also provide electronic invoicing and payments to completely automate the process.

Warehouse Management System (WMS)
In early 2001, Ellsworth Adhesives installed a fully automated warehouse management system called Latitude.  Since then, we have been adding features and increasing our utilization of the system including a Kanban (VMI) module.  These enhancements have had positive, quantitative results on our internal efficiencies and quality while allowing us to proactively provide value-added customer services.

Currently, all of the items in our corporate warehouse are bar coded and tracked through the Latitude WMS system.  This system includes many checkpoints that require verification of inputs, resulting in higher quality outputs.  An inherent feature of our WMS allows us to control inventory by item, lot/batch and shelf life.  Since Latitude is web-based, anyone with access to the system has instant, real-time visibility to all aspects of inventory and specific order status.  We are also able to provide ship notification for any customer, every order.

Another feature of the system is the capability to print automatic shelf life certifications for our customers who require this documentation. Since all of the relevant shelf life information (date of manufacture, date of receipt, shelf life period, expiration date, etc.) is entered for lot-tracked items, the Latitude system can print Ellsworth's Shelf Life Certification automatically after the packing list is printed.

As students of LEAN, we have applied RPI events to nearly every process within our Distribution Center including Receiving, Order Pulling, Packing and our Documentation/Labeling area.  We are fully committed to our LEAN journey as we continue striving for continuous improvement. 

Cost Reduction Programs
Programs include: