New Castle Building Products Gains Fleet Visibility and Centralizes Operations with Descartes
New Castle Building Products, a leading distributor of exterior residential and commercial building materials, operates more than 20 locations and manages a fleet of about 150 trucks across the Baltimore-to-Boston metropolitan region.
As its network expanded and demand increased, New Castle recognized the need to modernize its routing and fleet management processes to improve efficiency and reduce operational costs.
Key Takeaways:
- Reduced fleet mileage by 25,000 miles in the first year.
- Improved driver and dispatcher satisfaction through streamlined workflows.
- Centralized dispatch operations for better consistency and analytics.
Learn why no one at New Castle would return to the old manual way and gain tips for implementing data-driven logistics solutions.
Challenge: Manual and Outdated Processes Result in Inefficient Operations
Before implementing Descartes’ solutions, New Castle previously relied on paper-based routing and manual dispatching, with each location managing deliveries independently.
Routing decisions were made using Google Maps and the experience of individual dispatchers, leading to inconsistencies, inefficiencies, and a lack of collective intelligence across the organization. Without a centralized system, New Castle had limited visibility into fleet utilization and delivery performance, making it difficult to assess efficiency and identify opportunities for improvement.
The absence of a real-time routing solution also hindered New Castle’s ability to analyze and optimize routes across multiple locations. Without access to comprehensive data, operational adjustments were reactive rather than proactive, impacting overall efficiency. Additionally, proof of delivery (POD) workflows lacked the structure and robustness needed to ensure seamless tracking and verification. Recognizing the need for a data-driven solution to enhance visibility, streamline operations, and support growth, New Castle turned to Descartes to transform its logistics operations.
Solution: Implementing a Digital, Data-Driven Approach
New Castle adopted Descartes’ route planning and mobile proof of delivery solutions to enhance fleet visibility, streamline dispatching, and improve delivery execution. By integrating Descartes with its enterprise resource planning system, New Castle centralized its routing and dispatch operations, gaining the ability to monitor and optimize fleet performance across all locations.
“The number one metric of success we use when implementing a new solution is asking six months later: would you want to go back to the old way? And I don’t think there’s anybody in the organization who would want to go back.”
John Prenderville, Director of information technology, New Castle Building Products
With real-time access to delivery data, New Castle’s dispatchers and leadership could make informed decisions, improve efficiency, and apply best practices at a local level. The implementation also paved the way for a centralized dispatch department, significantly improving coordination and consistency across locations.
Additionally, the enhanced electronic proof of delivery workflow streamlined dispatch and driver operations, reducing paperwork and ensuring accurate, real-time proof of deliveries. Compared to their previous POD solution, Descartes’ system provided a more robust and reliable process for capturing delivery confirmations and customer interactions. Drivers and dispatchers are now happier, as the solution makes managing deliveries easier and provides the tools they need to do their jobs more effectively, fostering a smoother and more efficient work environment.
"The number one metric of success we use when implementing a new solution is asking six months later: would you want to go back to the old way? And I don’t think there’s anybody in the organization who would want to go back," said John Prenderville, director of information technology at New Castle Building Products, emphasizing the success of the solution.
By embracing Descartes’ routing and proof of delivery solutions, New Castle Building Products transformed its fleet operations, achieving greater efficiency, visibility, and scalability—setting the stage for continued growth and operational excellence.
The Results
Reduced Mileage
In the first year of implementation, New Castle reduced fleet mileage by about 25,000 miles, cutting fuel costs and improving delivery efficiency.
Improved Fleet Visibility
Real-time tracking and analytics provided New Castle with greater insight into fleet performance, enabling data-driven decision-making and improved resource allocation.
Centralized Dispatch
New Castle established a centralized dispatch department after implementation, leading to better coordination, standardized best practices, and improved delivery execution across multiple locations.
Enhanced Proof of Delivery Workflow
By adopting a more robust proof of delivery solution, New Castle streamlined workflows and simplified delivery management, enabling dispatchers and drivers to operate more efficiently and enhancing employee satisfaction.
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