Chess Logistics Technology
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Chess Logistics rapidly fit warehouse and logistics management systems to customers’ needs using InterSystems Caché
Key Benefits
- Scalability
- Reliability
- High Performance
When you buy coffee at a retail store or drink it at a restaurant, you do not need to think about how the coffee got there. For many UK organisations, this is because they rely on the warehouse management and logistics computing applications and services from market-leading specialist Chess Logistics Technology.
Chess provides solutions to companies in the logistics, food and retail distribution, industrial and manufacturing sectors. What sets Chess apart from other suppliers is its rapid ability to tailor solutions to customers’ unique needs. While many suppliers provide modular systems, too often the burden of application configuration slows implementation, increases costs, and deters ongoing changes. In contrast, by embedding InterSystems Caché® high-performance object database into its solutions, Chess is able to develop applications that combine industry best practices with versatile and easy-to-enhance functionality.
Maximum Warehouse Efficiency Using Core Plus
Chess’ solutions enable customers to achieve maximum efficiency in warehouse operation and deliver the highest levels of accuracy, productivity and utilisation. For example, by working with Chess, Whitbread has measurably reduced operating costs by improving picking accuracy, productivity and resource allocation.
Chess’ aim is always to provide a WMS that delivers the maximum possible benefit to the client’s business, regardless of warehouse size or supply-chain type. It achieves this by using a special feature within its applications known as Core Plus. This is a flexible software architecture that enables Chess to provide non-standard features in its solutions without affecting the underlying standard system. It means that customers can benefit from ongoing evolution of the standard product, while the addition of unique features that give them a distinct operational edge over their competitors doesn’t require recompilation of existing program code. This significantly enhances solution stability while reducing unnecessary change, costs, and project timescales.
Core Plus exploits the inherent object-oriented
nature of the Caché database to promote the
rapid development of applications that are also
easy to maintain. Other suppliers add objectoriented
functionality in layers that introduce
technology mismatches and costly overheads.
In contrast, Chess’ solutions are modular inside and out, which makes analysis, coding, and
testing of complex situations and procedures
much easier. Caché also provides support for SQL
reporting and data analysis. This means that users
have the business functions they need that work
with the rest of their systems. At the same time,
Chess can continuously innovate by adding the
latest technologies and capabilities to respond to
the ever-changing and demanding requirements
of the retail and logistics industry.
Other more obvious benefits that Caché brings to Chess’ solutions are its market-leading highthroughput, scalability, and reliability – essential features in an industry that is dealing with high transaction volumes 24x7.
Long-term Partnerships
Chess and InterSystems have been partners for more than eight years and InterSystems technology underlies all its WMS features including RF solutions, voice recognition, delivery information systems, and radio frequency identification (RFID) functionality.
“We have used, and continue to use, InterSystems technology for the simple reason that it enables us to provide the sophisticated solutions that our customers demand, more cost effectively,” said Nick Abbott, Technical Director, Chess. “In like-for-like tests, the Caché platform performed better, every time. It allows us to offer solutions that customers believe will deliver them a competitive edge.”
“The impressive client list Chess have is testimony to the benefits they deliver to the retail and logistics industry,” commented Graham Frost, Managing Director and Group Director UK Region, InterSystems. “InterSystems is proud to have such a longstanding and successful partnership with Chess, and we are equally proud that Caché is the power behind proven and leading logistics systems providing the platform for their future business growth.”
Future Developments
Technology is developing rapidly across all
industries but particularly in the retail and
logistics market where superior service and
cost efficiency deliver demonstrable market
advantages. Chess’ capability is reinforced by
its long-term technology partnership with
InterSystems that enables it to continually
provide the latest solutions that customers
want, as they need them, tailored to fit their
unique needs in rapid time. Whatever the
latest technical innovation is, such as service
orientation or business performance
management, Chess is ready to deliver the
benefits to its customers without forcing them
through costly technology upgrades. This ensures
that Chess creates value in the supply-chain that
drives its own and its customers’ business success.
Customers That Benefit From The Chess Solutions and Services |
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Whitbread Whitbread has dramatically improved processes at its supply chain operations by implementing Chess’ Empirica Task-RF software. The implementation has provided significant tangible benefits to Whitbread, dramatically cutting picking errors by 50 percent, eliminating paperwork, improving resource allocation and greatly improving productivity. Associated British Ports ABP selected Chess to handle the remote management of several satellite warehouses from one centralised IT Support Centre. |
Baylis Distribution Baylis Logistics is the UK’s leading food and grocery supply chain specialist. It provides nation-wide shared-user operations including primary and secondary distribution, specialist warehousing and an extensive returns network. Reed Boardall |