Large 3PL Adopts Provia Software

GRAND RAPIDS — Provia Software announced last week that a major third-party logistics provider in the Southwest has gone live with a Provia order and warehouse management product called FourSite.

The firm is Phoenix-based Freeport Logistics, which provides a broad range of distribution, logistics and transportation services to its clients.

According to Provia, going online with FourSite enables Freeport to offer clients services such as Internet supply chain visibility, order fulfillment, kitting, order tracing, EDI and labeling.

In addition, Provia says Freeport can use FourSite for multi-client billing, radio frequency identification and automated billing.

The locally based warehousing and logistics software specialist claims that FourSite has enabled Freeport to already see improvement over its previous system.

Provia noted that FourSite is of particular help to Freeport because the company specializes in tasks that are labor-intensive occurring during narrow time windows.

Since going live with its new software, Freeport reportedly has told Provia that it has sharply increased inventory accuracy, reducing mispicks and the number of cycle counts.

Provia says FourSite software enables a user to transmit orders throughout the day and ship that same day, accurately tracking what it does for each customer.

Provia says the system’s architecture lends much more flexibility to logistics in that it gives the client computer tools that weren’t previously available.

Paul Crist, vice president of sales and marketing for Provia, told the Business Journal that adding new customers such as Freeport highlights the local firm’s growing strength in the third-party logistics market. Previously, Provia was known primarily as a warehouse management software firm.

Crist said Freeport reported being equally impressed by Provia product and staff because that staff has demonstrated its understanding of third-party logistics.

Provia has included Freeport as a member of its 3PL Leadership Council, an association of Provia 3PL customers who work with Provia to discuss issues and trends in the industry and work on product direction.

Based on current and projected needs of a 3PL’s customer base, Crist said the council will work closely with Provia on future software releases.

Many third-party logistics firms work inside their client organizations to manage functions that otherwise are seen as detracting from primary corporate competencies.

Provia Software, a division of Viastore Systems Inc., provides its software to customers like Gillette, Menlo Worldwide, Graybar Electric, Total Logistic Control, Spencer Gifts, Lanier Worldwide, Owens Corning and Conestoga Cold Storage.

Provia’s supply chain software includes RFID-enabled warehousing, transportation, order and yard management products integrated with Web-based visibility tools to create real-time, end-to-end, supply chain execution.