Optimizing Pet Food Logistics: A Unified Approach to B2B and B2C Supply Chains

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• 08.04.25

  Smarter Quality Management with Katoen Natie’s Cloud-Based QMS

  Quality is non-negotiable. From safety protocols to customer satisfaction, consistent and transparent quality processes are essential for operational excellence. That’s why at Katoen Natie, we’ve developed a cloud-based Quality Management System (QMS) that helps us — and our customers — maintain high standards, resolve issues efficiently, and continuously improve performance.

  Why Use a Digital QMS?

  Our QMS acts as a central hub for all things related to quality. It’s more than just a tool — it’s a structured way of working that brings clarity, accountability, and speed to quality-related workflows. Here’s how it supports daily operations:

  • Accessible Anytime, Anywhere: As a cloud-based platform, our QMS can be accessed from any device, making it easy to stay connected across sites and teams.
  • Task & Flow Automation: Built-in flow management tools streamline processes with automated tasks, notifications, and easy collaboration between teams.
  • Standardized Forms: Templates and structured forms ensure consistency across sites, improving data quality and simplifying reporting.
  • Centralized Communication: All communication related to a quality flow is logged in one place, reducing mail traffic and improving traceability.
  • Clear Ownership: Each task is assigned to a named user with a unique login, ensuring follow-up and full accountability.

  Core Quality Flows: Managing Issues Proactively

  Our QMS includes several pre-defined workflows that help track, resolve, and learn from quality-related issues:

  • Complaint Flow: Gives customers a direct channel to report outbound issues to our operations team.
  • Non-Conformity Flow: Flags discrepancies found during inbound checks, which are communicated clearly back to the customer.
  • CAPA Flow: Supports corrective and preventive actions to fix recurring problems and improve overall process stability.
  • Transport Claims Flow: Handles transport-related complaints and coordinates follow-up between admin, carrier, and finance departments.

  Audit and Safety Flows: Keeping Standards High

  We’ve also built specialized flows to support audits and on-site safety management:

  • Monthly HSEQ Audits: Digital audits linked to reporting dashboards provide an easy way to monitor trends and spot gaps.
  • Dangerous Situations Flow: Enables teams to report and resolve safety hazards before they become incidents.
  • Battery Room Audits: Regular checks ensure safe and compliant operation in battery storage areas.

  Additional Features for Tailored Quality Control

  Because not every situation fits neatly into a standard workflow, our QMS includes additional features that offer flexibility where it’s needed most. The Business Request Flow allows teams to manage special customer requests in a structured and traceable manner, ensuring nothing falls through the cracks. Meanwhile, the Closing Tour feature enables end-of-shift checks by scanning QR codes at designated locations, allowing teams to log results directly into the system. This not only enhances visibility but also strengthens on-site security and compliance.  

  Quality at the Core of Operations

  At Katoen Natie, we see quality not as a separate task, but as something built into every aspect of our operations. Our cloud-based QMS supports that mindset by offering an integrated, user-friendly platform that ensures consistency, transparency, and accountability. Whether it’s resolving non-conformities, handling complaints, or improving safety through audits, our QMS helps us stay aligned with customer expectations and regulatory standards — while also giving teams the tools they need to act quickly and effectively. Speak with an expert today to discover how our approach to quality management can support your operations.

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• 13.03.25

  Seamless WMS & TMS Integration: Enhancing Logistics Efficiency

  In the logistics industry, efficient transport management is key to smooth operations. Many businesses rely on third-party Transport Management Systems (TMS) to coordinate shipments, track deliveries, and ensure compliance. But without seamless communication between warehouse and transport systems, inefficiencies and delays can occur. At Katoen Natie, we specialize in integrating our Warehouse Management System (WMS) with third-party TMS platforms, ensuring a fast, reliable, and compliant flow of data between warehouse and transport providers.  

  Why Integrate WMS with TMS?

  Integrating warehouse and transport systems eliminates the need for manual data entry, reduces errors, and speeds up the shipping process. Our plug-and-play integration allows for: ✔ Quick onboarding of new carriers with standardized labels and electronic data exchange (EDI). ✔ Faster shipping processes with automated label printing and transport updates. ✔ Compliance assurance by ensuring all transport data meets industry and carrier-specific requirements.

  How Katoen Natie Makes TMS Integration Simple

  To enhance flexibility and ensure smooth communication with various transport providers, we’ve developed generic transport messages that can be adapted to different customer needs. Using middleware, we can translate transport messages into the correct format for any TMS, making integrations faster and more cost-effective. Tailored Integration Solutions We recognize that many customers prefer to use their own TMS platforms. To accommodate this, we provide direct integration between our WMS and external TMS solutions. Our pre-configured transport messages include:

  • Label printing request and response: Easily request and process shipping label requests.
  • Return label printing request and response: Easily request and process return label or document requests.
  • Cancel or close messages: Ensure seamless shipment cancellations or modifications.

  These standardized messages allow for fast and flexible TMS integration, reducing manual intervention and ensuring smooth warehouse-to-transport communication. Flexible Label Processing for Any Transport Provider With versatile label processing, we ensure that the right shipping documents are always available:

  • If the required shipping data is already provided by the customer, we generate labels based on a simple reference.
  • If labels need to be created within an external TMS, we send all relevant shipment details for automatic label generation.

  This flexibility means that regardless of the TMS in use, we can seamlessly integrate and ensure fast, accurate label generation.

  A Smarter Approach to Transport Integration

  At Katoen Natie, we are committed to providing robust and standardized integration solutions that guarantee success and efficiency. Our TMS integration solutions ensure that warehouse and transport operations are seamlessly connected, offering a wide range of possibilities tailored to our customers' needs. By leveraging middleware and generic transport messages, we deliver optimized performance and superior service, helping our customers achieve their logistics goals. Experience the difference with Katoen Natie's TMS integration solutions. Speak with an expert today to learn more about how we can streamline your transport operations.

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• 03.03.25

  Empowering a Sustainable Future: The Rise of Lithium Batteries

  At Katoen Natie Consumer Goods and Industry, we are committed to pioneering sustainable practices. After a thorough and collaborative study, we made the strategic decision to transition to lithium batteries for our rolling equipment. Environmental Benefits One of the key drivers behind this shift is the environmental advantage of lithium-ion batteries. Unlike traditional lead-acid batteries, lithium-ion batteries do not contain harmful substances such as lead or sulfuric acid, making them a safer and more sustainable option. Their extended lifespan also means fewer batteries end up in landfills, significantly reducing our environmental footprint. While lithium-ion batteries offer significant sustainability advantages, their production requires rare metals such as lithium and cobalt, which come with environmental and ethical concerns. The extraction of these materials can have ecological impacts, and recycling remains a challenge. However, advancements in battery recycling are improving, ensuring that with proper management, lithium-ion batteries remain a more sustainable alternative.     Operational Efficiency and Cost Savings Beyond environmental benefits, lithium-ion batteries require minimal maintenance compared to their lead-acid counterparts, reducing both downtime and operational costs. Additionally, their ability to handle multiple intermediate charges without performance issues ensures greater flexibility and uptime for our equipment, leading to increased productivity and efficiency. A Collaborative Effort This transition was made possible through the collective expertise of our Fleet Managers, the Excellence Center, Central Purchase, Risk team, and trusted suppliers. Their combined efforts have played a vital role in implementing this sustainable innovation and ensuring a smooth transition. Moving Towards a Greener Future By adopting lithium battery technology, Katoen Natie takes another bold step towards a more sustainable and efficient future. This initiative underscores our ongoing commitment to environmental stewardship, operational excellence, and innovative solutions. We are committed to doing our part by implementing sustainable solutions that benefit both our operations and the planet.

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• 28.11.24

  Efficient Labour Management in Logistics: How Katoen Natie Optimises Workforce Operations

  In the fast-paced logistics industry, efficient labour management is crucial. Warehouses are dynamic environments where every second counts, and optimizing workforce operations is essential to maintain a competitive edge. At Katoen Natie, we leverage technology to revolutionize labour management through an innovative, integrated approach. Linking Labor Planning with Warehouse Operations Labor planning extends beyond scheduling shifts; it involves aligning workforce resources with the real-time demands of warehouse activities. By integrating labour management with our Warehouse Management System (WMS), we create a seamless flow of information that transforms operations. Every scan, task, and movement is logged in real-time, providing unparalleled visibility into workforce performance. This integration allows us to capture essential metrics, including: • Hours worked per team or individual. • Volumes of goods handled. • Task lead times With this data, we gain a comprehensive overview of operations, laying the foundation for data-driven decision-making that enhances efficiency and minimizes waste. Advanced Planning for Peak Productivity Effective labour management relies on robust planning. Our system uses advanced tools to: • Optimize resource allocation based on demand patterns. • Seamlessly assign tasks through the WMS • Adjust schedules dynamically to minimize downtime. By automating these processes, we ensure the right number of employees are available at the right time, whether during peak hours or off-peak shifts. This reduces manual intervention, prevents underutilization of resources, and improves overall warehouse productivity. Automating Data Capture for Accuracy & Comprehensive Time Tracking  Our labour management solutions automate data capture for; productive tasks, overhead activities (like administrative or managerial work), volumes handled, and task completion. This ensures accurate and up-to-date data for analysis. Reliable data leads to better planning and sharper insights, helping us identify opportunities for continuous improvement. This comprehensive system also tracks time utilization across the warehouse. Our system tracks not only productive hours, but also logs time spent on overhead activities by various profiles such as operational managers, key account managers and administrative staff. This holistic view of time utilization helps operational managers and HR teams pinpoint inefficiencies and implement targeted improvements.         Data-Driven Insights for Smarter Decisions Analysing trends and performance data empowers our team to make informed, proactive decisions. By identifying productivity patterns, we can: • Address bottlenecks before they escalate • Reallocate resources to high-priority tasks • Continuously refine workflows to achieve maximum efficiency This approach ensures operations remain agile and responsive to changing demands.

  Financial and HR Alignment

  Our labour management solutions deliver tangible benefits for financial and HR processes. This is done by enabling accurate cost calculation through grouping worked hours by employee type (e.g., interim, fixed, overhead) for precise operational cost analysis, and ensuring payroll accuracy by linking paid hours to actual worked hours. This aligns HR and payroll data and acts as a reliable control mechanism. These features reduce administrative overhead while improving transparency and accuracy across departments.

  Leading the Way in Labor Management

  At Katoen Natie, we are not just adapting to industry trends—we are setting the standard. Our Integrated Labor Management Solutions combine cutting-edge technology with practical insights, delivering real value to our operations and clients. By connecting labour planning with warehouse systems, we ensure every action is efficient, every resource is optimized, and every decision is backed by data.   Curious to see how data-driven labour management can transform your operations? Reach out to us and speak with an expert today and take the first step toward a smarter, more efficient supply chain.  

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