Critical orders delivered in hours — not days or weeksCPS Color is the world’s leading supplier of advanced color solutions for the global paints and coatings industry. CPS Color offers complete tinting solutions: CPSCOLORTM colorants (liquid pigments), COROBTM dispensing and mixing/shaking equipment, software, color marketing tools, customer support and service. The company has a global organization employing 900 color professionals with operations on six continents.

Identifying distribution roadblocks With intense demand for equipment, CPS Color needed to more effectively support a global service network — and find ways to continually deliver better service to customers. However, the company was faced with facility limitations for product lines managed from a Concord, N.C., manufacturing facility. Having an East Coast distribution point was driving higher transportation costs and earlier order cut-off times that could not meet the long-term needs of the business. As a result, CPS Color sought a solution that could meet both operational requirements and growth initiatives.

Speeding critical deliveriesIn July 2011, the customer implemented a FedEx Critical Inventory Logistics® solution. The first step was moving the fulfillment of the supplier's U.S. spare parts from Concord, N.C., to the FedEx SupplyChain Global Distribution Center (GDC) in Memphis, Tenn. Specifically designed to support the service industry, the GDC houses parts and finished goods that are time-sensitive and mission-critical.

"As a global supply chain specialist, FedEx can handle our logistics needs in the most efficient way possible. This frees up CPS Color resources to focus more intently on service and sales to further enhance customer satisfaction."

Daniel BushManaging Director, Americas

CPS Color

By storing all necessary spare parts at a central location and utilizing the reliability and reach of FedEx Express, CPS Color created an instant positive effect on customer service. Now if a customer’s equipment needs to be serviced, local and field-based service technicians — on call 24 hours a day — can analyze and diagnose the situation, order the needed parts as late as 11:30 p.m. CST and receive their shipments as early as 8 a.m. the very next morning. This rapid turnaround means that the potential downtime for a customer’s tinting system is reduced to an absolute minimum.

Additionally, CPS Color has benefited from better visibility of field inventory levels so the company no longer has to rely on field service technicians to manage inventory as “trunk stock” — reducing missing goods and stock-out situations.

“The CPS Color-FedEx relationship allows both companies to play to their strengths. As a global supply chain specialist, FedEx can handle our logistics needs in the most efficient way possible," stated Daniel Bush, managing director, Americas for CPS Color. "This frees up CPS Color resources to focus more intently on service and sales to further enhance customer satisfaction. It is a perfect solution for everyone involved.”

Expanding services for smaller customersIn addition to spare parts, CPS Color is currently working with FedEx SupplyChain to expand the FedEx Critical Inventory Logistics program to include fully assembled, ready-to-use COROBTM equipment and a comprehensive range of colorants.

“For smaller store keepers, it can be a challenge to provide tinting services with every single colorant available and in good condition,” explained Tom Hill, president and CEO, The Coatings Alliance. “Minimum case quantities waste storage space and run the risk of not being used before their shelf life expires. The enhanced flexibility of CPS Color’s FedEx solution with just-in-time fulfillment will help our members remain prepared and profitable.”

For less time-critical shipments, CPS Color customers also have the option of using FedEx Ground, which saves them money and is faster than other alternatives. This provides CPS Color customers with excellent service at the required speed without inflating transportation costs.

Passing with flying colorsThe bottom line is that the deployment of the FedEx Critical Inventory Logistics solution supports CPS Color’s growth plans through scalability, improved order-to-delivery cycle times, reduced inventory levels and delivery of outstanding customer service.

Down the road, CPS Color expects to seamlessly expand into new regions and support business growth via the FedEx Critical Inventory Logistics global technology platform — which provides anytime, anywhere order placement, shipment tracking and inventory visibility.

“Our knowledge of the needs of our customer base enables CPS Color to offer industry-leading solutions that satisfy each customer’s unique needs,” added Bush. “Our work with FedEx further advances these efforts as we can now deliver our products and services more quickly than anyone else in the industry.”

FedEx. Solutions That Matter.SM