Alabama Steel Terminals

Regarded as the most technologically advanced steel coil handling facility in the US, Alabama Steel Terminals (AST) expects to handle over 650,000 tons of steel annually. Seeking to offer efficiency through innovative concepts and top quality customer service, AST selected Jade Logistics’ terminal operating system (TOS), Master Terminal.

Alabama’s world class automotive industry

The southeast of the US is experiencing a boom in the automotive industry and Alabama finds itself at the heart of it all. Home to Hyundai, Honda, Mercedes-Benz, and Toyota motor vehicle assembly plants, the state’s automakers produced more than 1 million cars in 2015 with export revenue for vehicles and vehicle parts topping US$8.2 billion.

An essential cog in the machine is the Port of Mobile, Alabama. Situated along the Mobile River, the port has access to the Gulf of Mexico, and one of the longest navigable inland waterways in the US. With over 5 million tons of steel handled per year, the Port of Mobile is the second largest steel handling port in the country. As such, in January 2015, the Alabama State Port Authority (ASPA) unveiled Alabama Steel Terminals, a dedicated steel handling facility, with the intention of better complementing the port’s existing portfolio of services.

Modern terminal management

After establishing the concept of the ultra-modern AST facility, ASPA identified the need to implement innovative software technology to supersede previously used manual processes. A TOS was long overdue and essential in the port’s quest to provide a superior service tool for its customers.

Logan Boswell, IT Manager, Alabama Steel Terminals, states that the AST partners undertook a thorough analysis of potential TOS solutions before ultimately selecting Master Terminal. “When considering a software solution our top priority was to obtain the most efficient, as well as adaptive software system to assist and manage our terminal operations.”

“Master Terminal has really helped us to create efficiencies,” adds Boswell. “In the past we were using manual processes such as compiling excel spreadsheets.”

Super users seal of approval

Mike Phillips, IT System Admin at Alabama Steel Terminals, and a super user of Master Terminal is impressed with the software’s reliability. “It’s definitely very well done. We have found hardly any errors with the system, and as such have not needed to use the support that much. If we’re being pushed for answers, I message one of our contacts and get a response quickly.”

“I really like Master Terminal’s ability to generate reports based on queries,” says Phillips. “We have multiple partners that all need to see different information. Being able to query on the relevant information is a very powerful feature of Master Terminal.”