Company overview
Imerys, a global leader in mineral-based solutions, supplies a wide range of minerals to various sectors, including food and beverage, healthcare, chemicals, and building materials. The Imerys Americas team manufactures and exports products to a diverse customer base across the world, utilizing multiple major ports in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. Their container shipping operations are managed in-house, without relying on external providers. They work directly with carriers under their own contracts. With shipments moving through numerous port destinations, they face significant complexities and logistical challenges.
- Headquarters: Paris, France
- Turnover: €3.8 Billion
- Employees: 13,000+
- Cargo: Minerals
- Shipping Activity: Export
- Booking Process: Direct booking with carrier
The Challenge
Before implementing BuyCo, one of the critical issues Imerys struggled with was the lack of measurements for free time. Whenever they received invoices for free time from carriers, they had no data or way to measure it effectively. This required them to visit multiple carrier sites to track information, as there was no centralized carrier scorecard. Additionally, obtaining shipment data was difficult, and allocation management was challenging. Imerys needed a system where everything was in one place to run reports, get accurate measurements, and have the necessary data to dispute charges.
Parallely, the COVID-19 pandemic further exacerbated these challenges, highlighting the urgent need for better visibility and faster access to information. The turnover during this period underscored the need to quickly onboard new talent and train them on the processes. Imerys recognized the need for a “control tower” solution that could centralize operations, reduce dependency on manual processes, emails and spreadsheets, and provide real-time visibility across all shipping activities.
The Solution
Imerys turned to BuyCo to address these challenges and transform their shipping operations. By implementing BuyCo, Imerys was able to centralize all shipping-related activities into a single, streamlined platform. This “control tower” approach allowed them to manage bookings, track shipments in real-time, and integrate with their existing ERP system seamlessly. The ease of implementation was one of their key metrics during the RFP process. The minimal IT time required, combined with BuyCo’s support, played a crucial role in their successful adoption of the platform.
The flexibility of BuyCo was another significant factor in its selection by Imerys. The platform’s comprehensive features effectively addressed their operational needs, offering reporting capabilities and resources that were not available in other tools.
A significant benefit of BuyCo was its ability to offer CO2 measurements, aligning with Imerys’ increasing focus on sustainability. Additionally, BuyCo resolved the challenges associated with offline reporting by offering easier access to critical information, a feature that became particularly important during the COVID-19 pandemic. The platform’s ability to quickly provide data for disputing charges and meeting new objectives proved to be a valuable asset for Imerys, helping them align with corporate goals and enhance operational efficiency.
Results
The implementation of BuyCo has had a transformative impact on Imerys’ logistics operations. Key outcomes include:
- Increased Efficiency: With real-time visibility into shipments and a centralized platform for managing all container shipping activities, Imerys has significantly reduced the time and effort needed to oversee their logistics operations, while enhancing exception management.
- Improved Contract Management: The ability to run accurate reports and access reliable data has enabled Imerys to track KPIs, better negotiate contracts and dispute charges more effectively.
- Enhanced Collaboration: BuyCo has streamlined communication across teams and external partners, keeping everyone up-to-date and on the same page and reducing the need for back-and-forth exchanges.
- Global Integration and Adoption: What started as a solution for Imerys Americas has quickly expanded into a global platform, seamlessly integrated with their ERP system and utilized across multiple regions. The platform’s user-friendliness has facilitated the expansion of the user base, and Imerys is now looking to extend it further globally.
- Sustainability Focus: BuyCo’s CO2 tracking capabilities have allowed Imerys to align their logistics operations with corporate sustainability goals, setting the stage for future improvements in reducing their environmental impact.
“We have the data at our fingertips to make any disputes that might be necessary, and we have the information to back up our claims. It’s been very impactful, very beneficial, and easy to use, which I love.”
Christy Jordan, International Logistics Manager, Imerys
As Imerys continues to expand its use of BuyCo, the company is exploring new areas such as predictive analytics and AI integration, aiming to further enhance their logistics efficiency and sustainability efforts. The successful implementation of BuyCo has not only addressed Imerys’ immediate logistical challenges but has also positioned the company for future growth and innovation in their global operations.
“I’ve been through fifeteen TMS, WMS, and ERP implementations in my career, and BuyCo was one of the smoothest.”
Alex Pulko Director of Logistics, Imerys
Alex Pulko
Director of Logistics, Imerys 
