Con-Way Transportation Services Inc. announced the launch of a new service for distribution-critical businesses. The new "final-mile" service, Con-Way Retail, offers local cross-docking, warehousing and final delivery

of freight to customers with multiple selling locations within a single geographic area. Each step of the Con-Way Retail process will be confirmed electronically using software that provides a retail industry-standard interface. The new company will operate as a part of Con-Way NOW, the expedited unit of Con-Way Transportation Services.
"Historically the final mile of freight delivery to the point of sale has been the most difficult for resellers," said J. Edwin Conaway, president and chief executive officer of Con-Way NOW. "The demands of just-in-time inventory, time-specific promotions and new product releases put significant pressure on a company's supply chain to get product on the shelves as soon as possible. That's where Con-Way Retail, with its systems and capabilities will play an important role."
According to the company, truckload shipments from a manufacturer's plant or distribution center will be received at a cross-dock facility where bar codes will be immediately scanned. The scanned data will confirm delivery, quantity, product type and identify any shipment shortages, overages or damages. After products are sorted and segregated into smaller individual shipments for final local delivery, the scanned data is matched to the shipper's paperwork and sent electronically to the shipper for confirmation or adjustments. "This is our first quality control step," said Conaway.
Final delivery will be made by Con-Way Retail personnel using straight trucks with roller conveyors, lift-gates and hand trucks to facilitate inside deliveries. Deliveries will be made within predetermined delivery-time windows. "At the time of delivery we will again scan all the individual cartons to ensure complete shipment accuracy before delivery," Conaway added.
Scanned information is then sent to a web site that streams the information directly into the store's inventory system. This provides the store with instant inventory visibility, faster auditing and reordering capabilities and access to signed proof of delivery documents. The scanning procedure also provides shipment tracking capabilities from arrival at Con-Way's facility to final delivery.
In April, Con-Way Retail began serving customers in Cleveland and Pittsburgh. Each operation is based at a Con-Way less-than-truckload service center and has its own separate, secured area with 24-hour closed circuit television surveillance.
The new service will also offer warehousing and reverse logistics services.
Con-Way is a subsidiary of Palo Alto, California-based CNF Inc. For more information about Con-Way, go to www.con-way.com.