Solving Common Challenges in the Life Sciences Industry

Time sensitivity is a defining characteristic of the life sciences industry. Many products have a limited shelf life and require timely delivery to meet patient needs or adhere to clinical trial schedules. Transportation operations, specifically the last-mile delivery, must be meticulously planned to ensure products reach their destinations within specified time frames. This is crucial for time-critical shipments such as organ transplants, clinical trial samples, or emergency medication.

Our Solution:

By leveraging Oracle Transportation Management (OTM), Accelalpha helps life sciences companies ensure that product gets to market as fast as possible by calculating service times for different equipment, carriers, modes, and routes. Workflow management identifies potential delivery delays early, while milestone monitors detect activities scheduled but not completed on time, both of which are vital for time-sensitive products. Accelalpha, in partnership with Oracle, offers a range of solutions to tackle time-sensitive delivery challenges:

• Multi-stop optimization: This includes stop selection and sequencing, utilizing state-of-the-art heuristics and algorithms to optimize routing.
• Congestion Planning: Ensures more accurate service time calculations, helping streamline delivery operations.
• Priority Management: Prioritizes shipments, ensuring that high-priority items are shipped promptly, even when resources are constrained.
• Lane-Specific Equipment Selection: Considers equipment constraints in inner city areas, ensuring that delivery vehicles are equipped appropriately.
• Workflow Management: Identifies risks in real time, enabling proactive problem-solving.
• Specialty Equipment and Services: Consideration is given to location-specific special services requirements.
• Service Time Calculations: Equipment, carrier, and mode selection are aligned with late delivery dates and appointments.
• Milestone Monitoring: Monitors and alerts for scheduled activities that may not be completed on time.
• Notifications and Escalations: Various notification methods, including email and visual indicators, ensure potential service time issues are addressed promptly.
• Remedial Steps: Automated processes such as re-tendering and replanning can be performed to prevent late deliveries.

Proper packaging and handling procedures are essential to protect fragile or sensitive life sciences products during transportation. Specialized packaging materials, such as insulated containers, coolants, shock-absorbing materials, and cushioning, may be required. Training transportation personnel in proper handling techniques is crucial to prevent damage or contamination. Maintaining the required temperature throughout the transportation process is critical for many life sciences products, such as vaccines, biologics, and certain pharmaceuticals.

Our Solution:

Accelalpha, in conjunction with Oracle, provides comprehensive solutions to address packaging and handling challenges:

• Packaging and Transport Handling Units Compliance: Ensures compliance with packaging and handling requirements.
• Workflow Rules: Prevent incorrect shipping packages for sensitive freight.
• Temperature and Shock Sensor Data: Accurate data reception and recording from freight ensure the proper treatment.
• Temperature Control Equipment: Implements equipment-based rates to maintain proper temperature during transit.
• Commodity Rules: Flex commodity and Ti-Hi configurations for stacking, enabling proper cargo handling.
• 3D Load Configuration Rules: Offers detailed views of freight placement within the truck.
• Carrier Tariff and Rate Information Maintenance: Maintains carrier information for accurate decision-making.
• Carrier Selection: Selects carriers based on a multi-faceted analysis of "Optimality," considering service quality, equipment availability, and special services requirements.

Accelalpha's integrated solutions facilitate proper packaging, handling, and temperature control throughout the supply chain, ensuring the integrity and quality of life sciences products during transportation.

Effective communication and collaboration are the backbone of successful transportation operations in the life sciences industry. These operations include a complex network of stakeholders, including manufacturers, logistics providers, carriers, and customs authorities, all working in tandem to ensure the timely and secure delivery of critical products. Maintaining real-time visibility throughout the supply chain is a crucial factor in addressing potential challenges and proactively managing transportation operations.
In the life sciences industry, where precision and timing are paramount, the lack of collaboration and visibility can lead to costly delays and compliance issues. Here's where Accelalpha, in partnership with Oracle, steps in to offer a robust solution through Oracle Transportation Management (OTM).

Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) has addressed collaboration and visibility challenges in the life sciences industry over many years. Here's how OTM's features come into play:

• EDI, Email, Data Visualizations, Visual Indications, and Business Monitors: These communication tools provide vital information to all parties involved in the transportation process. This comprehensive communication approach ensures that stakeholders are well-informed and can make data-driven decisions.
• Involved Parties to Order, Shipment, Invoice, and Voucher: OTM doesn't just broadcast information; it ensures that the right information reaches the right people at the right time, enhancing collaboration and decision-making across the supply chain.
• Workflow Management: Workflow rules in OTM determine which involved parties need specific information and under what circumstances. This dynamic approach streamlines communication, reducing the risk of missed or delayed updates.
• Tracking Events: OTM records real-time or near-real-time order and shipment events, allowing for the rapid identification of potential issues. This real-time tracking is vital for maintaining visibility and proactively addressing challenges.
• Execution Actions: When challenges are identified, OTM provides execution actions that allow for immediate problem resolution, ensuring that shipments stay on track.
• Congestion Planning: Congestion planning is a noteworthy feature of OTM that is particularly significant in urban areas where traffic bottlenecks can lead to delays. The system considers traffic and congestion during transportation planning, optimizing routes and schedules based on real-time conditions. This proactive approach helps to improve and prevent delays.

In the life sciences sector, service quality is paramount. While cost savings are important, they should never compromise the quality of service provided. OTM ensures that by streamlining communication and providing real-time visibility, the highest standards of service can be maintained even in the face of complex transportation challenges. To add even more value and expedite your OTM, we have developed, a set of tools and prebuilt base configurations for Oracle Transportation Management (OTM) and Global Trade Management (GTM) that accelerate project implementations for our customers. This toolkit includes pre-configured processes, pre-built integrations, and pre-defined test scripts, all crafted to ensure seamless project execution.

To unlock the full range of benefits and discover how these tools can truly set the stage for a transformative OTM implementation, we encourage you to schedule a consultation with an Accelalpha consultant. Our experts are ready to guide you through the process, share insights, and recommend solutions for your specific needs. Take advantage of the opportunity to revolutionize your logistics and trade management. Contact us today, and let's embark on this transformative journey together.