Saving by working error-free with barcodes
Interview in Primeur Magazine with Syngenta
Primeur Magazine, independent magazine for the fruit and vegetable trade, interviewed Jos Broersen of Syngenta’s quality department about the Productlabel Vendor Portal.
Through the Portal, vendors get access to the website and can generate and print barcode labels. The use of barcodes adds speed to the receiving process and reduces the vendor’s workload.
Read the full interview below.
Accuracy in Syngenta’s business process
Accuracy is very important for us in the seed world,” says Jos Broersen of Syngenta’s quality department: Seed Quality Processing Plant.
Which focuses, among other things, on seed breeding and propagation. The seeds are screened for plant diseases, germination, and ‘Physical Purity’ which includes looking at the presence of weeds and plant residues.
“The goal is to get all the tests right, before anything is delivered,” he says. Jos points out that this accuracy is also reflected in Syngenta’s business process, where preventing errors is key.
Productlabel Vendor Portal
“We cannot tell the difference between, say, a seed of a cherry tomato or a beef tomato with the naked eye. That is why it is important that everything is delivered with a correct batch number. We want all our global vendors to deliver the batches of seed with a by us defined barcode.”
Syngenta has been working with the Type 2 Solutions Vendor Portal for several years to generate labels with those barcodes. “Through the Portal, vendors get access to the website and can print the barcodes independently.”
Fewer errors in operations
This method of process assurance leads to fewer errors in operations, Jos points out.
“This way we can ensure that the Receiving Department extracts the correct seeds and can also apply the correct internal sticker to them.” In addition, the use of barcodes adds speed to the process, he notes.
Barcode scanning
“A barcode can be scanned, which means the number can be looked up right away in our systems and no typing errors can occur. If you have to type 10-digit lot numbers, a typo is easily made, and every mistake made costs money.”
Avoid mistakes
Jos observes that avoiding errors is especially important when an operation is often repeated. “In those cases, a 0.1 percent error rate is already too much. By applying barcodes that are scanned, you can easily avoid the mistakes.”
Screenshot of the Syngenta Productlabel Supplier Portal.
Reducing the vendor’s workload
Ease of use on the vendor side has also been considered. Jos notes that the system allows an Excel file to be uploaded, allowing a whole series of stickers to be printed simultaneously.
“The vendor can create a download in Excel from their own system that can then be uploaded into the Vendor Portal, which reduces the vendor’s workload.”
In addition, he indicates that it makes the Vendor Portal easy to use. “The system is very stable, I rarely get questions from users.”
Instant access anywhere in the world
Initially, Syngenta applied the barcodes for delivery only to batches of seeds, but has since expanded the system to include samples.
“From all over Europe we receive seed samples for testing. Type 2 Solutions has extended the program for samples, so that we can scan those inspection lot numbers as well.”
Because the system operates in the cloud, all suppliers, anywhere in the world, have instant access, Jos notes.
Grip on the process through labeling
“The logistics are complex when it comes to seeds, with labeling it is possible to get a better grip on the process of receiving goods,” says Judith de Witte, Sales and Marketing Manager at Type 2 Solutions, which focuses on data and label management.
“When suppliers or manufacturers attach company-defined barcodes to the product, the goods are traceable in the chain and the goods receiving process is efficient and fast.”
Judith says that when generating labels, the Productlabel Vendor Portal ensures that the labels have the correct information, such as item numbers, quantities or weights, expiration dates and lot or batch numbers.
Judith notes that one of the aspects that make Syngenta’s logistics process so complex is that seed multiplication takes place in both the northern and southern hemispheres, so batches are shipped from all over the world.
“Productlabel is an online portal and accessible from anywhere in the world which also allows the labeling of goods by external branches or suppliers to be facilitated and secured.”
Syngenta’s Productlabel Vendor Portal
- The system operates in the cloud, all suppliers, anywhere in the world, have instant access.
- The portal is easy to use and reduces the vendor's workload.
- The portal ensures that the labels have the correct information, such as expiration dates and batch numbers.
- The use of barcodes adds speed to the receiving process and leads to fewer errors in operations.
Click on the image to read the client case.
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