Text Box: In 2001, Mr. Kent Draney, Vice President of Information Technology, for Tree Top, Inc. headed up a task force comprised the company’s Consumer Products and Ingredients Divisions. The goal was to identify how TreeTop could more optimally reduce transportation costs while increasing customer service by leveraging new technologies. The Team which was comprised of both users and IT staff identified and reviewed several different solutions from a range of small and very large software providers. At the end of the search, they concluded that FreightMaster TMS™ Traffic Management System by Next Generation Logistics, Inc was the one system that provided the overall best value for achieving their goals. Cathy Hargroves, Customer Service Manager for the Consumer Products Division said that “one area that FreightMaster saves time is on reporting. What used to take months to generate on time performance reports can be generated by a click of the mouse”. “We have already seen reductions in freight costs as a result of our implementation” Misty Clements, Customer Service, Ingredients Division. The scalability of FreightMaster which includes an unlimited user license scheme, utilization of SQL Server 2000 database manager, the ability to automatically map data structures and automatically synchronize with Tree Top’s AS/400, and the ability to provide Tree Top internal and external customers Web based Order Tracking & Tracing was a major decision factor. Training, installation and support was also key. Both Ingredients and Consumer Products Divisions personnel were trained and the system was installed and operational in 10 days. Tree Top is a grower-owned apple and pear processing cooperative. Its 1,750 members are located in the states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. Since its formation as a cooperative in 1960, the company's sales have grown from $1.7 million a year to nearly $300 million a year. The cooperative operates seven production facilities (five in the state of Washington, one in Oregon, and one in southern California). Text Box: FreightMaster TMS™ Traffic Management System

Next Generation Logistics, Inc.

1611 Colonial Parkway

Inverness, IL 60067 USA

Phone: 847-963-0007

Fax: 847-963-0079

Email: service@nextgeneration.com
Concentrate

Installation reveals that FreightMaster TMS® quickly improved customer service and reduced freight costs.

“Juicing Up” Customer Service and “Squeezing” Freight Costs