Ehrhardt Archives

Nintendo Europe Opts for WMS

Posted on 26 March, 2024 by Keith McKinley

Soon, EPG’s LFS warehouse management system will control the material flow for Nintendo Europe. The European headquarters of the Japanese parent company, which produces video games and video game consoles, has been relying on EPG’s solutions since September 2023. Alongside LFS, the TIMESQUARE supply chain control tower will also launch, providing a dashboard for operations.

After initial contact in April 2023, project work began in September 2023. Nintendo of Europe’s decision to implement EPG‘s solutions was made quickly, encouraged by the aptitude of an intercontinental company with years of expertise and a comprehensive Supply Chain Execution Suite. To achieve greater flexibility in the management of its warehouse locations, Nintendo of Europe chose to introduce the LFS warehouse management system.

Game Boy, DS, Wii WMS

The initial focus is on connecting the ERP system and Nintendo’s B2C middleware for an April 2024 roll out in Spain and a June 2024 roll out in the UK. Nintendo of Europe does not manage its warehouse locations independently, but instead relies on logistics service providers. These will also work with LFS and TIMESQUARE in the future. The TIMESQUARE supply chain control tower ensures reliable monitoring and reporting of the logistics service providers in addition to all warehouse movements and defined management KPIs.

To ensure efficient implementation, the execution of this project is agile. The goal is to standardize the day-to-day functionality for Nintendo of Europe. As the project progresses, it will expand to manage the B2B business via LFS in addition to the B2C business.

EPG automates Al Maya’s central DC

Dashboard Displays Warehouse Data

Posted on 4 December, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Logistics providers need to process large quantities of warehouse data every day to control their material flow efficiently. The German Fressnapf Group supplies more than 1,800 branches and regional warehouses in eleven European countries from its central warehouse in Krefeld. This requires efficient, forward-looking warehouse management. That’s why Europe’s market leader in pet supplies places its trust in both the LFS warehouse management system and the Timesquare supply chain control tower by EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group). The all-in-one dashboard serves as a cockpit for process monitoring, displays all relevant figures and thus helps to ensure greater flexibility during everyday logistics operations. The leading pet supplies provider was the first Timesquare client to introduce the dashboard in its automatic small parts warehouse at its Krefeld central warehouse back in 2018. In the future, user-friendly dashboards will be used in the entire central warehouse and then also gradually introduced in the regional warehouses.

In 2015, Fressnapf decided to replace its manual small parts warehouse with an automatic one with three aisles and storage spaces for around 80,000 containers. This was due to an increase in customer demand for toys, pet food, dog clothing, care products and other pet accessories. A forwarding system handles picking, carrying the boxes to different picking stations automatically once an order has been placed. In addition to the currently eighteen pick-by-light stations, there are also two pick-to-tote stations. This automatic small parts warehouse is currently being expanded.

Timesquare reduces costs and minimises risks

As its order volumes increased, Fressnapf was finding it increasing more time-consuming to obtain maximum transparency for material flows. “We had to compile the current figures from different menus by hand and analyse them individually. That not only took considerable time; it was also prone to errors,” states Larissa Strippel, Project Manager for Logistics Systems at Fressnapf. Timesquare provides an overview of all relevant key figures. The central dashboard delivers forecasts, status reports, and, importantly, reliable data on the individual warehouse processes in real time. In this way, the control centre receives a continually updated overview and can intervene in picking faster if necessary. “Timesquare enables us to monitor our processes and KPIs in logistics in real time. As a result, we receive active support for everyday logistics operations, create transparency and save time and costs considerably,” explains Strippel. This big data solution enables Fressnapf to reduce costs, minimise risks and increase productivity based on targeted analyses. Timesquare provides information on the order status and commissioning automatically and presents it in a transparent format.

Picking aisles in small parts warehouse feature dashboards

The retail chain started with a dashboard to control material flows in its small parts warehouse control centre back in 2018. The picking aisles in the central warehouse are now also equipped with a control tower. As a result, Fressnapf increases employee autonomy and efficacy significantly since employees can now immediately see which picking point needs them the most. This eliminates unnecessary walking distances and detours. As the dashboard is hosted online, new users and other departments can be easily added at any time.

Timesquare encompasses everything from incoming goods and monitoring various logistics areas through to transport systems, loading gates and shipment. The clearly organised dashboards can be custom-configured to meet the users’ specific needs. Fressnapf has been using the EPG LFS warehouse management system for more than ten years now. It also benefits from the LYDIA Voice pick-by-voice solution, the WCS warehouse control system, the TMS transportation management system, and the WFM workforce management system, which was developed in a joint project between EPG and Fressnapf. The different software solutions can be easily connected to Timesquare thanks to the close integration between the control tower and the EPG ONE suite. The control tower has been further developed in close cooperation with Fressnapf on a continuous basis. This is also why warehouse management has progressed from a static solution to a dynamic one.

Third-party software in new shuttle warehouse can also be integrated

The pet supplies specialist is currently expanding its small parts warehouse. Shipping is also being upgraded to include an efficient shuttle warehouse system. Controlled by a third-party software, the new shuttle warehouse is where the completed shipment boxes are buffered, sequenced and then automatically palletised. This warehouse will also be connected to Timesquare. “At the moment, we are still working with individual shipment conveyors. Our employees have to lift the boxes physically, place them on their intended pallets and then secure the shipment by hand. We’ll make this work step easier by automating the shipment area significantly, thus alleviating our employees. Timesquare will allow them to organise their work themselves and keep track of their successes,” affirms Strippel. In a next step, Fressnapf will be incorporating incoming goods, technical incident handling and the large parts warehouse. A third-party material flow computer is also being integrated into the new shuttle warehouse.

Greenplan joins Route Planning Elite

Posted on 9 November, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Another success for Greenplan: the EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group) route planning solution has been included in the 2023 Gartner Market Guide for Vehicle Routing and Scheduling after just two years on the market. This milestone places Greenplan at the forefront of global route planning and execution systems. Its inclusion underscores the fact that Greenplan achieves great success thanks to its focus on users’ needs. Instead of being based on artificial intelligence, Greenplan uses the principles of discrete mathematics. This allows dispatchers to organize and manage their daily routing planning more efficiently based on their own individual experience and know-how.

With Greenplan, companies can already carry out efficient, sustainable route planning today. Customers demonstrably reduce kilometres, vehicles, and circuits, and typically bring about increases in efficiency of 10-30% compared to their previous route planning solution. Inclusion in the Market Guide for Vehicle Routing and Scheduling produced by the international research company Gartner is a further affirmation of how Greenplan has managed to gain a foothold on the global market. You will find the full report available for download at Download VRS Report.

A single solution for everything: Planning and managing routes

Greenplan allows ambitious dispatchers to plan and manage their routes optimally with the greatest possible efficiency. Clients set out their own individual requirements to ensure this is the case. The Greenplan tool can then be adapted to these requirements. Greenplan offers three solutions for this purpose in its product line. Greenplan Engine is the highly efficient algorithm, providing the basis for calculating the best possible routes. The solution is easy to integrate into all customary transport management systems. Greenplan Planning is based on the engine, offering not only planning but also the individual modelling of routes. This provides optimized route planning for the coming day during daily business activities. It also furnishes monthly or quarterly planning for skeleton circuits, or the strategic, long-term calculation of routes with simultaneous user rule checks, depending on the transportation management system used. It also allows easy adjustments to routes during day-to-day operations. Greenplan Execution can be used to monitor and manage how routes are implemented. This means it is easy to add new orders to a plan and amend the stop sequences or time window restrictions. What’s more, Greenplan Execution can be effortlessly extended to include the EPG ONE app. As part of delivery, digital delivery receipts can be created for proof of delivery using the driver app, which can display the ETA or provide individual time tracking, for example.

Artificial intelligence vs. dispatcher’s intelligence

Greenplan is conclusive proof that dispatchers continue to play a decisive role in route and circuit planning. “Artificial intelligence offers enormous benefits in many areas when the software learns over time what a “good” solution is and thus acquires human intelligence to a certain extent,” explains Clemens Beckmann, Greenplan CEO. “However, applying this logic to the complex field of circuit and route planning proves to be extremely difficult in many cases. This is because circuit planning depends on circumstances which change on a daily basis and can even change completely if a few new orders are added. Moreover, it is also not a good idea to learn from historical data when there is no clear metric for the quality of an individual solution in this case. There are also numerous special situations, such as road restrictions or special requirements for a delivery, which would be difficult for a software to learn quickly. That is why we rely on the logics of advanced mathematics for Greenplan and can thus fulfil the dispatchers’ individual requirements precisely.”

Dispatchers need a tool that they can use to plan and manage their routes efficiently to an optimum degree. For example, the routes planned by Greenplan do not need to be rectified since the tool already considers the dispatcher’s requirements if they have codified them. Greenplan thus systematically follows the dispatcher’s planning intelligence rather than relying on AI randomness, having internalized the underlying rule.

“In our experience, dispatchers like to understand why a route is planned as it is. With systematic algorithmic planning, this situation can largely be deduced and explained easily. This is not possible in the case of an AI-based route planning system. As far as we can see, AI is unable to provide an effective solution for tour and route planning. Good deterministic algorithms are much better suited for this purpose and cause less stress for dispatchers. Greenplan is a good instrument for an ambitious dispatcher,” adds Beckmann.

Warehouse and Transport Automation Banquet

Posted on 13 September, 202329 July, 2025 by David Priestman

Global supply chain software provider EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group) has announced another major client win for its fast-growing Australian division.

Long-established national food importer Mayers Fine Food is to implement EPG’s state-of-the-art LFS Warehouse Management System (WMS) and Transportation Management System (TMS) across its transport and distribution operations, enabling Mayers’ fabled efficiency and customer service to meet the challenges of a fast-changing food and beverage economy, both now and in the future. The double signing underlines EPG’s growing status as the provider of choice for supply chain software across entire company ecosystems.

Automation speed and accuracy

The pairing of the two products will lead to a step change in the speed and efficiency of Mayers’ operations. The WMS will automate and streamline processes at the company’s two DCs in Sydney and Melbourne, while the TMS will enable faster, more accurate and sustainable transport operations across the country, as well as the further bonus of improved communications with drivers, receiving docks and customers. Both systems will be backed up by EPG’s intuitive and easy-to-use analytical dashboard, which offers a broad operational overview as well as precise real-time reports and up-dates to Mayers staff.

Mayers Fine Food is Australia’s leading importer and distributor of food delicacies and specialty products from all around the world. They import over 2000 premium food and beverage products and distribute nationally to supermarkets, retailers, wholesalers, hotels, restaurants, delicatessens, manufacturers, shipping providers and airline caterers. Their product range includes cheese, butter, water and beverages, frozen lines, dry goods, seafood, chocolate, patisserie ingredients, coffee and pasta to name a few.

Single-source unique capability

In 2022, the company’s continuing success in a fast-changing economic landscape led it to address the growing complexity of its distribution and transport operations. After a competitive tender process, EPG’s LFS was selected ahead of WMS rivals because it is best able to demonstrate a broader range of key features capable of addressing critical operational requirements for Mayers. Batch and lot tracking, random weight capture and multiple order handling are just three of the many functionalities which support Mayers’ specific needs.

Meanwhile, EPG engineers and project specialists were able to demonstrate to the Mayers team the unique value of a single-source supply chain software suite. EPG’s TMS interweaves with LFS to allow a seamless product journey from storage to distribution to customer, with the benefits of continuous product and shipment tracking. Route optimisation enables transport managers to oversee the automated selection and allocation of transport routes to suit specific criteria, such as speed, number of stops, fuel miles and carbon emissions. Everything is overseen by EPG’s TIMESQUARE, a control tower dashboard providing access to real-time reports and updates that contribute to a full bird’s-eye view of the transport and distribution state of play.

“We were looking for an automation system that would equip us for the challenges and opportunities of today and the future in the food and beverage industry,” commented John Aerlic, Head of Operations for Mayers Fine Food. “EPG have given us a very satisfying double helping, with warehouse and transport systems that we expect to have a significant positive impact on our service to customers, efficiencies and, ultimately, our bottom line.”

EPG is delighted with the start it has made since opening its Australia office in 2022. “We are excited to be supporting Mayers Fine Food on the next stage in their growth,” said David Archer, Head of Sales, Australia/New Zealand. “We are confident that our solutions have the best answers for customers in Australasia, as they continue to do for our global client base in Europe, the Americas and Asia.”

System integration discussions have now begun, with a smooth implementation process expected by all parties. Further potential efficiency optimization between the partners includes LYDIA Voice picking solution.

Game Boy, DS, Wii WMS

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