TRANSFORMING TRANSPORTATION
From Source to Store:
The Transportation Journey
The logistics journey of a typical drink isn’t straightforward at all.
Let's take a look at the arduous journey of a single bottle of premium bottled water – and uncap the ways in which Transporeon makes the crucial difference in ensuring every bottle arrives on the shelf in tact, and on time.
Retail is about profit.
And getting a product – any product – from the plant to the DC to the stores safely and cost-effectively is an essential part of the retail profit formula.
Picture a perfect blue sky on a warm day....
Crack open the tab, unscrew the cap, flip off the bottle top. Sit back and enjoy that ice-cold drink—you’ve earned it. And it’s all so easy for you, too. Visit the store, choose and pay for your drink, head home, put your feet up and enjoy.
Simple, right? Maybe not...
Think about it for a second...
How did that drink make its way from point of manufacture to your fridge or pantry without mishap, intact, unbroken, no spillages? The production and distribution of typical beverages is a highly complex process potentially involving many potential glitches and—wait for it—bottlenecks.
The fact that it is made to look so simple is due to hyper-efficient management of very complex processes.
Transforming the journey
The secret weapon is a new wave of digital solutions now available in the marketplace which bring the capability to transform the transportation journey of all retail products from source to store.
The market leader is Transporeon, which has been transforming the global landscape of the transportation and logistics sector for over 20 years with leading-edge, easy-to-integrate digital packages.
Why and how Transporeon makes the difference
Let's take a look at the arduous journey of a single bottle of premium bottled water—call it ‘agua con gas’ or ‘agua sin gas’ according to your preference—from the supplier of the cap, to arriving on the drinks shelves of your local supermarket. Each stage of the journey is critical to ensuring that the bottled water meets the required regulatory standards and reaches its destination safely.
Picture a perfect blue sky on a warm day....
Crack open the tab, unscrew the cap, flip off the bottle top. Sit back and enjoy that ice-cold drink—you’ve earned it. And it’s all so easy for you, too. Visit the store, choose and pay for your drink, head home, put your feet up and enjoy.
Simple, right? Maybe not...
Think about it for a second...
How did that drink make its way from point of manufacture to your fridge or pantry without mishap, intact, unbroken, no spillages? The production and distribution of typical beverages is a highly complex process potentially involving many potential glitches and—wait for it—bottlenecks.
The fact that it is made to look so simple is due to hyper-efficient management of very complex processes.
Transforming the journey
The secret weapon is a new wave of digital solutions now available in the marketplace which bring the capability to transform the transportation journey of all retail products from source to store.
The market leader is Transporeon, which has been transforming the global landscape of the transportation and logistics sector for over 20 years with leading-edge, easy-to-integrate digital packages.
Why and how Transporeon makes the difference
Let's take a look at the arduous journey of a single bottle of premium bottled water—call it ‘agua con gas’ or ‘agua sin gas’ according to your preference—from the supplier of the cap, to arriving on the drinks shelves of your local supermarket. Each stage of the journey is critical to ensuring that the bottled water meets the required regulatory standards and reaches its destination safely.
“Now, all incoming flows of carriers are managed through the [Transporeon] platform, and this helps us to achieve excellent levels of efficiency, even during our busy season.”
Rodolfo Quagliuolo
Marketing Director, AQua Vera S.p.A
Transportation
to production
Once the packaging materials are ready, they need to be transferred to the drink manufacturing facility, often using trucks and trains.
This is where a variety of Real-Time Yard Management solutions come into play
Real-time information allows yards to connect arrivals and departures seamlessly, resulting in smoother, faster turnarounds with less idling time.
Real-time Visibility (RTV) tools provide a clear view of incoming trucks and their arrival times.
Inbound unload slots for beverage production materials can be booked in advance via Time Slot Management, reducing truck queuing and waiting times, and ensuring a smooth flow into the yard.
Yard Arrival Monitor synchronises drivers and yards, allowing warehouse teams to manage early and late arrivals efficiently. Provides real-time visibility of incoming trucks, allowing the manufacturer to prepare for arrivals and reduce waiting times.
For trucks with urgently needed goods, Fast Lane Approach enables automated yard access and direct-to-dock delivery, speeding up the process.
At the manufacturer’s yard
Efficient, reliable yard management is critical to prevent disruption. Management of packaging materials at the manufacturer’s yard is vital for effective production.
Barrier Access Systems control and monitor entry and exit of each and every vehicle, enhancing yard security while also complementing the Fast Lane Approach and Self-Service Registration Kiosks that streamline the process and cut waiting times for incoming drivers.
Meanwhile, innovative Dock Sensors keep a real-time log of dock availability and usage, enabling load/unload schedules to be optimised.
“We’ve had great feedback on everything that is contributing to make the business more competitive.
If the whole end-to-end platform is improving, with a step-change level of visibility, we have the ability to react quickly in exceptional situations and to connect positively with customers.”
Jorge Linares
IT Product Manager Transportation, Nestlé
How and where Transporeon makes all the difference
Utilising Transporeon Transport Assignment solutions, including Autonomous Procurement, ensures that the most efficient and cost-effective carriers are selected for transportation.
Arrival Monitor aids in preparing for load/unload tasks.
Transporeon’s Real-time tracking provides full visibility of shipments, allowing proactive management of delays and sharing accurate Predictive ETAs.
Digital Transport Documents, like eCMR and eDeliveryNote, provide visibility of the goods in the truck, enabling the retailer to electronically approve or reject the receipt of goods and manage any exceptions.
At the retail DC
The DC yard is the final point before your bottle of water is sent to your local store. It manages inventory and coordinates distribution to retail locations.
“I mean until a few years ago, until that vehicle pulled up at the gate, you had no idea whether it was going to get there or not. We're getting to a place now where we are developing an arrivals board to give our depots a real time view of what's going to hit their depot.”
Daniel Burgess
Project Manager, Network Development, Tesco
Out to the stores
Sending beverages to stores involves more than just loading pallets on a truck. Coordinating delivery shipments ensures the right stores receive the right products at the right time.
Making it easier to meet demand
Efficient delivery processes are crucial during peak periods like warm weather and the holiday season.
Transporeon's Real-time Tracking, Predictive ETAs, and Arrival Monitor help warehouse managers coordinate effectively.
On the shelf for you
Functional and appealing shelf stocking is essential for maximising sales and providing a positive shopping experience for you, the consumer. It’s the culmination of a uniquely interwoven journey involving sourcing, manufacturing and logistics.
Conclusion: Walls and wheels work as one
The yard often represents a hole in the supply chain journey because it needs to work with disconnected systems—the WMS/ERP that operates within the walls of the warehouse and the TMS systems of the carriers that manage the trucks on the road. In effect, Transporeon Dock & Yard solutions provide that visibility in multiple ways, connecting the ‘walls to the wheels’.
Whether it's a refreshing soda, a healthy juice or a premium bottled water, the next time you pick up a beverage from a store shelf, you now know the incredible journey it has taken to reach you—made smoother and more efficient by Transporeon innovation.
© 2025 Trimble Inc.
© 2025 Trimble Inc.