Unveiling our vision for the next generation of innovation
Most supply chain leaders (72%) recognize the importance of connecting disparate supply chain data, yet 92% of supply chains don’t use any tech in their yards.
While digitizing the supply chain certainly has its challenges — and yards are notoriously overlooked and underappreciated — it’s still surprising that so many companies are leaving value on the table by ignoring yard technologies.
Five years ago we made the strategic decision to jump into the world of yard logistics with Dynamic Yard, a yard management system (YMS), and Appointment Manager, a tool to optimize site calendars.
The results have validated our hypothesis that optimizing yards and scheduling can unlock huge benefits. Companies using advanced yard management typically see their workforce efficiency jump by 25-30%, their dock throughput improve by 20-40%, and their detention fees drop by 40-80%.
Several forward-thinking Fortune 500 companies are catching on (our solutions are now used in nearly 500 sites worldwide). And now, new technologies are unlocking even more opportunities to better control inventory, reduce costs and improve labor efficiency.
There is an opportunity to create yards that are more connected, more automated, and even smarter. And we plan to stretch the limits of what’s possible with our biggest step forward yet: YardWorksTM, FourKites’ innovative suite of solutions, partnerships and forward-thinking strategy to improve yard logistics.
We’re not just talking about better yard management and scheduling anymore. We’re bringing innovative tech like computer vision, self-driving vehicles, full automation, and more to tackle persistent pain points around costs, efficiency and inventory. Beyond the technology, FourKites is combining new capabilities and integrations from across your supply chain to unlock new use cases that conquer today’s biggest challenges.
Our AutoBooker tool, which automatically schedules and reschedules appointments, is a great example of how we’re turning this vision into reality.
One of the most impactful parts of our plan is the full automation of daily tasks. Picture a facility where scheduling and rescheduling appointments, assigning tasks, and prioritizing loads all happen automatically. That’s going to be a game-changer, especially when you’re trying to keep your team lean while meeting high service expectations.
We’ve got lots of exciting new features in the pipeline. From gates and trucks that operate themselves to smarter ways of managing inventory, we’re mixing next-gen hardware with new AI-enabled use cases, including schedule optimization and inventory prioritization, to unlock new levels of accuracy, efficiency, and reliability for supply chains.
But YardWorks isn’t just about new tech. It’s about solving real problems, including ones you didn’t even know existed. We’re focusing on key issues that directly impact the bottom line — things like improving On-Time In-Full (OTIF) performance, reducing stockouts, cutting detention fees, and making sure carriers follow your SLAs. We want to make improvements that ripple through the entire supply chain, affecting inventory management and load prioritization.
Amir Hoss, CEO of EAIGLE, one of our partners, puts it well: “Our computer vision technology supports the YardWorks strategy and combines our strengths to tackle complex supply chain challenges. Together, we’re driving tangible improvements that boost efficiency and cut business costs end-to-end.”
Already, our approach has been paying off. Take Kimberly-Clark, for instance. They’ve seen impressive results: they’re spending 80% less time managing site calendars, and their detention fees dropped by 52% in just a month.
We’re also big on making sure that everything works together smoothly. That’s why we’re collaborating with the Scheduling Standards Consortium (SSC). We want to cut down on the number of different APIs in the supply chain and create a more unified system.
We’re not just throwing new tech at problems and hoping it works. We’ve been working hand-in-hand with big companies to develop and thoroughly test our solutions in real-world settings. This hands-on approach means YardWorks stays ahead of new challenges and emerging technologies, keeping your yard on the cutting edge.
This means a fully modular approach. Supply chains can have incredibly different levels of complexity with their yard operations, ranging from drop lots without a gate attendant to bustling distribution centers with dozens of dock doors. With a consultative approach, YardWorks is designed to understand your goals and budget before crafting a solution for each facility.
As we keep refining and expanding YardWorks, we’re focused on delivering value faster, ensuring our solutions are rock-solid, and tailoring the right combination of computer vision, self-driving vehicles, full automation, and real-time insights to your specific challenges. We want to take the guesswork out of adopting new technologies so you can benefit from breakthrough innovations sooner and more successfully.
The future of yard logistics isn’t just about incremental improvement. It’s about turning your facilities into smart, responsive, fully optimized parts of your supply chain. So, we’ve got a question for you: How ready are your yard logistics for tomorrow’s challenges and opportunities? Are you prepared for a future where your facilities become strategic assets in your supply chain?
At FourKites, we’re all in on pushing yard logistics forward. We’re combining our industry know-how, tech skills, and collaborative approach to actively shape the future of facility management. We invite you to join us as we continue to pioneer solutions that will define the next era of supply chain excellence.
