What makes the InfoChain Express®(a.k.a) ICE™ solution unique? What types of supply chains can benefit the most from the ICE™ solution? What are the benefits of increasing visibility into my supply chain? What are the direct benefits to the Retailer in implementing the ICE™ solution? What values can the Retailer expect to derive from these 6 direct benefits? How does ICE™ reduce my DC costs? What other benefits can be realized from the ICE™ solution? A significant number of factory suppliers located in Asia and Latin America are small to mid-size enterprises; how would ICE™ get these trading partners up and running in short order? What information will the suppliers see using ICE™? How does ICE™ optimize the supply chain over time? What is included in the ICE™ Total Solution? What about reliability and 24/7? Is ICE™ available today?

 

 

Q.	What makes the ICE™ solution unique?
	ICE™ was developed by Avery Dennison, which has over 65 years of experience in product identity and data management for the retail and apparel industries. With ICE™, you get: Avery Dennison’s deep understanding of the retail supply chain Worldwide Ticketing bureau support Scan/Pack capabilities The only true turnkey solution that offers web-based order management software, label printers and scanners, label media, and global service With the infrastructure already in place to process, store and manage P.O. information and a wide variety of variable data, ICE™ offers a significant advantage over less comprehensive solutions.
Q.	What types of supply chains can benefit the most from the ICE™ solution?
	ICE™ is designed to enhance the retail supply chains that have the following characteristics: High full case flow Significant mix of non-US production Stable vendor and factory base Interest in direct-to-store capabilities
Q.	What are the benefits of increasing visibility into my supply chain?
	From the production side: Increased confidence in vendor on-time performance Automate/ease the burden of revising purchase orders and/or tracking production status From the store side: Schedule store labor to better match receiving Increased customer satisfaction; "availability to promise"
Q.	What are the direct benefits to the Retailer in implementing the ICE™ solution?
	The functional capabilities enabled through change in the Retailer’s supply chain, by using ICE™, yields 6 direct benefits: Direct Benefits     Changes Enabled Purchase Order Tracking Streamlined reporting of PO status reduces time spent tracking POs Mode Conversion Verification that product is packed (accurately). Allows PO to be split so replenishment arrives by ocean Packing Scan and pack process decreases packing errors Consolidator ASN Transmission of carton-level pre-ASN file to Consolidator reduces workload Distribution Center Receiving Bar-coded carton labels and carton (or pallet) level ASN electronically fed into a WMS system streamline DC receiving process Customs Carton level ASN automates generation of Customs paperwork and reduces delays
Q.	What values can the Retailer expect to derive from these 6 direct benefits?
	The derived values enabled through change in the Retailer’s supply chain by using ICE™ are as follows: Direct Benefits     Value Sources Purchase Order Tracking Significant time savings realized by the reductions of labor and DCs tracking POs Mode Conversion Use of less expensive ocean transport in lieu of air shipping Packing Reduction in overages / underage and associated costs Enabling new capabilities (more complex packing formats) Consolidator ASN Reduction or elimination in charges for ASN preparation from the Consolidator/forwarder Distribution Center Receiving DC labor hours saved which have been previously allocated to manual document tracking, carton re-labeling, shipment reconciliation, data entry Customs Reduction in Customs delays that lead to lost sales
Q.	How does ICE™ reduce my DC costs?
	Consistent notification of incoming shipments enabled by ICE™ allows for the DC to plan labor precisely, to identify shortages, and to increase cross docking speed. These improvements prevent duplication of efforts between production and the DC as well as reduce tracking calls. ICE™ also enhances the retailer’s ability to "chase" successful products by removing time from the supply chain through direct-to-store shipping capabilities.
Q.	What other benefits can be realized from the ICE™ solution?
	Other benefits realized are as follows: Significant reduction in manual data entry Consistent notification of incoming shipments Detailed PO information Increased vendor compliance System increases credibility with Customs Strengthened relationship/partnership with vendor suppliers Product gets to the store faster Faster re-directing of products to overflow warehouses
Q.	A significant number of factory suppliers located in Asia and Latin America are small to mid-size enterprises; how would ICE™ get these trading partners up and running in short order?
	ICE™ deploys its Project Management and Operation teams out of: Hong Kong for Asia, Monterey, Mexico and Sao Paulo, Brazil for Latin America, Framingham, MA for North America, and London, England and Eching, Germany for Europe and the Middle East For the purposes of: Testing factory requirements Gathering and User Analysis Product Rollout Light installation of PC product Education and training of the web and PC based product as well as the scanner and printers
Q.	What information will the suppliers see using ICE™?
	Suppliers see only the information that you want them to view – nothing more, nothing less.
Q.	How does ICE™ optimize the supply chain over time?
	With ICE™, suppliers are protected from rapidly evolving standards in e-commerce technology, and will never need to purchase such software on their own.
Q.	What is included in the ICE™ Total Solution?
	The total solution includes secure Web and PC-based access, customization, label printers and scanners, label media, and global services such as multi-language and local support. A Scan-and-Pack feature allows manufacturers to download and print UPC price tickets and bar-coded labels, and to pack floor-ready merchandise on site. Manufacturers can also generate advanced shipping notices (ASNs) to alert retailers and consolidators of forthcoming shipments. Downstream from the factory, InfoChain users can track orders and receive updates regarding order status and shipping information in real time.
Q.	What about reliability and 24/7?
	Avery Dennison has designed ICE™ to be exceptionally reliable, secure, and to be up 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, year round. We have and are maintaining the highest levels of fault tolerance in the event of an unexpected hardware or software failure.
Q.	Is ICE™ available today?
	Yes. ICE™ is currently available in Release 2.0.