DSM-Firmenich

Without even realising it, consumers come into contact with DSM-Firmenich solutions all day long, solutions that are at the cutting edge of what is necessary for society on the one hand, sustainable for our planet on the other, and which meet consumers’ needs.

For many years, IDS has been the trusted 4PL non-asset transport director for organising outbound transport to DSM-Firmenich customers. ‘At the time, we were looking for an independent party without own assets because we wanted to work more easily with a growing number of more specialised carriers and IDS is exactly that party,’ says Han Koolen, Category Manager Road Transport.

Focus on core business and still work with more carriers. It can be done!
With growth and geographical customer spread, the number of shipments increased, and with eight loading locations with diverse processes and a growing number of specialised carriers, so did the complexity. ‘That was the point for us to partner with a transport management specialist. A party that knows its way and can relieve us of this so that we could keep our full focus on our core business and give customers the attention they deserve,’ continued Koolen.

As a link between DSM-Firmenich and the carriers, IDS has short lines of communication with both the various customer service teams of DSM-Firmenich and the many carriers. A lot of communication takes place digitally thanks to the IDS Connectivity Centre where data is shared quickly between systems and the various parties are thus immediately informed. At the same time, IDS has set up a dedicated DSM-Firmenich team. ‘It is very pleasant working with fixed contact persons because this makes them a real sparring partner. Almost colleagues. With the combination of transport knowledge and customer knowledge, we find solutions to challenges, realise efficiency improvements, can optimise by consolidating and save costs again and again,’ says Leon de Koning, Managing Director of IDS.

A smooth operation
In addition to organising and optimising transport, IDS also takes care of the document flow so that products do not come to a standstill in non-EU countries, assists in the onboarding of new transporters, picks up and resolves complaints, and handles invoices quickly and correctly.

‘The aim is to make the entire supply chain run as smoothly as possible,’ says De Koning. ‘There are many checks in the process and by communicating proactively, the transport contributes to a pleasant and smooth operation for both the loading locations themselves and the DSM-Firmenich customer.’

The high level of digitalisation also means the team at IDS really has the time to organise transport smartly. For example, continuously combining shipments to the same and neighbouring destinations directly results in lower costs, fewer damages and accurate status information. Reports and data analyses also provide insight into performance and costs. Results and the resulting improvement actions are then periodically worked out, discussed and followed up with the various links in the chain.

Moving forward together.
In 2022, the next step was taken towards real-time visibility and sharing status information with DSM-Firmenich customers. Another new loading location was added in France, and additional options were added to select the best-fit carrier. Thus, the parties will continue to make strides together. At IDS, the operation is designed to be scalable and agile. Moving along where necessary and innovating where it adds value. Together, we make ambitions come true.