The contract calls for BAX Global, based here, to substantially improve
product flow from the U.S. and other countries into Latin America. The
first critical task is to improve delivery, both transit times and
efficiencies, to Buenos Aires, Argentina, according to Ricardo Araujo,
Johnson & Johnson's Latin America Supply Chain Director based in
Miami.
"We asked BAX Global to marshal its Latin American experience and
resources to help us speed delivery to these growing and difficult to
reach markets," Araujo said.
BAX's immediate solutions for J&J Medical were to create a DAP
program (Directo a Plaza) to speed customs delivery once cargo arrives in
Argentina. The most critical step in the program is document handling. BAX
has set up a system whereby customs documents are consolidated and
prepared prior to shipment arrivals, which leave twice weekly from the
U.S., said Tony Choudhury, BAX's sales director for Latin America.
"We (BAX) tested this new system in Argentina first and we have seen
substantial improvements in all deliveries," said Choudhury. "Argentina
can be a challenge and I think we've demonstrated that our expertise and
approach is not only working there, but across the Latin America region
for J&J Medical," he said.
BAX makes exclusive Johnson & Johnson consolidations twice per
week. The freight is shipped together, arrives at Latin American
destinations together and goes through customs together as a single
shipment. BAX also provides a "visible" shipment pipeline for J&J and
its brokers to view shipment status.This process also includes pre-alerts
and up-to-the-minute tracing of each shipment.
"In the past, we had numerous customs entries for each shipment going
to Buenos Aires individually, now the consolidations are cleared with one
entry," he said. "We've already more than accomplished our goals of
improving transit times, reducing incidences of delays and gaining greater
visibility."