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Tag: EPG

KiK Completes WMS Integration

Posted on by David Priestman

KiK Textilien und Non-Food GmbH continues to rely on the supply chain expertise of the Ehrhardt Partner Group (EPG). Following the successful launch of the LFS warehouse management system at the newly built distribution centre in Rabowice, Poland, the system is now also fully operational at the Kostolné Kračany site in Slovakia.

With the completion of the hypercare phase, KiK reports an entirely positive outcome: a structured, collaborative implementation, in-depth process knowledge, and a smooth go-live — both in Poland and Slovakia. Together, the two modern logistics centres form the backbone of the supply network for over 4,200 stores across 14 European countries.

The implementation of LFS was not just a technical challenge, but above all a collaborative project that crossed national borders. The central logistics team in Bönen, local staff on site, the SAP team, and EPG’s supply chain specialists worked closely together in a tightly coordinated effort. The excellent alignment among all parties involved was particularly praised. “The way the go-live was executed on site — it was truly first-class,” emphasized Michael Frölich, Managing Director of KiK Logistik GmbH. “The project team was exceptionally well-prepared, communicated as equals, and was consistently solution-oriented.”

142,000 Picks per Day

Kostolné Kračany demonstrates what modern warehouse logistics can achieve. Covering 46,000 square metres and offering around 40,000 pallet spaces, the LFS system manages all processes— from chaotic warehousing with an integrated FIFO principle to precise inventory traceability. The average daily throughput is 112,000 picks, with a record high of 142,000 picked units in a single day. In addition to textiles, the facility also handles seasonal non-food items such as decorations and toys. Specialized areas support the storage of hazardous materials and temperature-sensitive products like confectionery and beverages. Modern mobile data entry (MDE) devices and tablets are used throughout the facility, ensuring smooth process integration and transparent quality control from goods receipt to shipping.

Unified IT Structures as a Foundation for Scalability and Efficiency

With the implementation of LFS in Poland and Slovakia, KiK is pursuing a clear digital strategy: standardizing processes, harmonizing IT structures, and integrating new locations more quickly. Integration with the central SAP ERP system was achieved via standardized interfaces. Numerous custom extensions, such as for managing external warehouses or handling complex picking logic, highlight the system’s flexibility. A key success factor was the well-designed training concept. Employees were prepared for the new LFS using a hands-on approach in a test system. Lessons learned from the Polish rollout were deliberately applied to the implementation in Slovakia — an excellent example of effective knowledge transfer.

“The successful implementation of LFS at two international sites is the result of exceptionally close and trusting collaboration,” says Alain Linder, Team Lead Project Management Consulting at EPG. “Strong process knowledge on both sides, clear communication, and a shared goal made this project a true model for success.”

At KiK Logistik’s headquarters in Bönen, preparations for the next expansion phase are already underway. In the future, LFS will also control a fully automated high-bay warehouse with pallet conveyor technology at that location.

Future-Oriented: Real-Time Data, Transparency, and Paperless Processes

After going live, KiK continues to work closely with EPG to further develop its digital logistics landscape. Already today, the analytics tool TIMESQUARE provides meaningful real-time KPIs on pick times, warehouse utilization, and inventory transparency — an essential foundation for data-driven optimization.

The next milestone is the introduction of a digital delivery note. Currently, a physical packing list is still included in each shipment, but going forward this step will be completely paperless, from goods receipt to shipping. “With LFS, we haven’t just implemented a powerful warehouse management system — we’ve created a future-ready platform that evolves with our needs, both technically and operationally,” summarizes Frölich.

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LFS WMS Optimizes Logistics Operations

 

LFS WMS Optimizes Logistics Operations

Posted on by David Priestman

Schlüter-Systems KG, a the global supplier of system solutions for tile and natural stone installation, needed seamless, fast, scalable logistics across its 35,000 m² facility. From its headquarters in Iserlohn, Germany, the company supplies wholesalers, construction sites, and tile warehouses around the world. As the former craftsman business has grown into a globally operating enterprise, the demands on its logistics and warehouse management have increased significantly.

In response, Schlüter-Systems has accelerated the digitalization of its warehouse operations across the group and built a new central warehouse at its headquarters. At the heart of this transformation is the LFS warehouse management system from EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group), which ensures the coordination of all logistics processes. The result: noticeably improved efficiency, maximum flexibility, and a significantly lower error rate.

Schlüter-Systems offers a wide range of products, including various types of Schlüter profiles, electric and hydronic radiant heating systems, drainage solutions, and much more. With a portfolio of over 12,000 items, the company has successfully expanded into new markets and continuously enhanced its logistics capabilities. At its new warehouse in Iserlohn, Schlüter-Systems stocks approximately 12,000 products across 35,000 square meters and two levels.

From Driverless Transport Systems to Overhead Monorails

Fast shipping requires fast logistics — and a high-performance warehouse management system. As the previous WMS and ERP systems could no longer meet the demands of the new warehouse, Schlüter-Systems decided it was time for a change. After a thorough and lengthy selection process, the company chose the LFS warehouse management system.

“In our new central warehouse, we’ve implemented a very high level of automation — with three automated high-bay storage systems, a driverless transport system, an automated small-parts warehouse, and a self-driving overhead monorail,” says Florian Schmidt, Head of Logistics at Schlüter-Systems. “The main challenge was getting the WMS to seamlessly connect all these systems and coordinate the material flow without disruption.”

By implementing LFS, Schlüter-Systems aimed to enhance picking and packing strategies, optimize material flow, and make processes more efficient and transparent. Thanks to close collaboration with the Schlüter-Systems project team, the supply chain specialists at EPG successfully implemented LFS at the site and coordinated all automation solutions within just a few months. “For the suspended monorail system, which can transport various items with a total weight of up to 1.3 tons, there was previously no existing interface,” explains EPG Project Manager Markus Pauly. “We developed a custom connection from the ground up to ensure seamless integration into the system.”

Efficient, Ergonomic, Error-Free

The modular LFS system helps Schlüter-Systems design automation elements at different communication levels and interfaces with shipping service providers in a sustainable and efficient way. “One of the challenges was coordinating the wide variety and complexity of components in day-to-day operations,” says Schmidt.

In addition to the driverless transport system (FTS), the company also uses the cloud-based International Shipping System (ISS), which offers user-friendly features like Track & Trace, interfaces with over 250 shipping carriers, and fully automated shipping label printing.

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Weleda Bolsters Hubs with WMS

 

Live Translation for Pick by Voice

Posted on by David Priestman

After the introduction of parallel speech recognition and output last year, the voice experts at EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group) will showcase another groundbreaking innovation at LogiMAT 2025: LYDIA Live Translation. In the next evolution of the multilingual approach, the innovative Pick-by-Voice solution will not only support the regular picking dialogue but also act as an intuitive translation assistant for free-flowing conversations between employees. With support for over 40 languages, workers can choose their native language and immediately start working productively without language barriers or extensive training. Visitors can exclusively discover in Hall 4 how this world-first innovation is becoming a real game-changer in times of skilled labour shortages and fluctuating availability of seasonal workers – boosting productivity, motivation, and efficient onboarding for employees.

Whether in logistics, industry, production, or maintenance – multinational teams have long been the standard in intralogistics. However, many employees in warehouses do not always speak the same language. The result: communication problems that can affect the efficiency and quality of work. In picking, a lack of language skills also leads to longer onboarding times, more coordination effort, and a high error rate. With the introduction of Multi-Language Recognition, LYDIA Voice already addressed this problem comprehensively. The multilingual capability of the Pick-by-Voice solution recognizes a wide variety of languages flexibly and provides voice instructions in over 60 selectable output languages. With the Live Translation feature, the picking pioneers take a decisive step further: The system acts as a translation assistant in free dialogue with over 40 languages – a unique added value that no other voice system offers.

The success story behind the innovation

The pivotal impetus for developing the Live Translation feature came from close collaboration with Rossmann, Europe’s largest drugstore chain and a long-standing LYDIA Voice partner. This partnership began with initial discussions between Rossmann’s Logistics Director, Henrik van Duuren, and EPG’s Managing Director of Voice Solutions, Tim Just, at the LogiMAT trade fair in March 2024. During these conversations, Mr. van Duuren proposed the idea of enabling multilingual communication in daily warehouse operations. EPG then committed to acting as the technology partner to bring this project to life in collaboration with Rossmann. The result is a practical solution that significantly improves day-to-day operations in multinational and fast-changing teams without requiring any changes to existing infrastructure or hardware.

With LYDIA Live Translation, EPG directly addresses current trends and challenges in the global industry. The feature allows employees to communicate in their preferred language while the system translates and delivers input in real time. For Rossmann, this innovation is particularly valuable in fostering interpersonal connections. Employees who speak different native languages can now communicate seamlessly, leading to a noticeable improvement in collaboration. Clear instructions and communication in one’s native language not only enhance efficiency but also ensure even higher quality in the workplace.

An Anniversary of Excellence: 25 Years of LYDIA Voice

LogiMAT 2025 also provides the perfect setting for a special anniversary: LYDIA Voice celebrates 25 years of innovation and success. Since its introduction in 2000, the solution has been available in the world of voice-guided picking and set standards for efficiency, precision, and ergonomics. At their booth, the company will demonstrate how LYDIA Voice has evolved over a quarter of a century from an innovative niche product into the world’s leading pick-by-voice solution in intralogistics. “25 years of LYDIA Voice represent 25 years of innovation, progress, and customer focus,” emphasizes Just. “From a visionary idea to the globally leading pick-by-voice solution – this success is the result of close collaboration with our customers and partners who have supported us along the way. Our focus is now on the future: we aim to continue revolutionizing the logistics industry with pioneering technologies in the next 25 years.”

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LYDIA Voice becomes #1 Android voice solution

 

Integrated Solution for Efficient Transport Management

Posted on by David Priestman

The aim of the partnership between EPG’S Greenplan and customer Anaxco is to combine efficiency, user-friendliness and innovative technologies. With Greenplan, EPG has a routing solution in its portfolio that is a perfect match for Anaxco’s state-of-the-art transport management system (TMS). The two companies have been collaborating since last year to offer their customers an innovative all-in-one solution for simple and efficient route planning. Another key component of their partnership is the expansion of EPG’s Greenplan Engine. This should help to ensure that customers are always able to benefit from the solution’s latest developments.

Rising toll costs and higher cost pressure in general are posing challenges to transport and logistics companies. On top of this, many transport firms are still working with outdated software. Anaxco is a partner that – like EPG and its Greenplan tool – focuses on ensuring it offers high-quality, flexible software solutions that remain cutting edge. With its CargoSuite, Anaxco offers flexible dispatch software as a cloud solution that can be accessed anywhere. The state-of-the-art TMS features comprehensive workflows and rules that simplify logistics work considerably. Alongside cyber security, the automation of handling processes is a focus of CargoSuite, for example.

“From generating a quote and reviewing an order to billing and business intelligence analysis, the process is checked, regulated and supported by the system on an end-to-end basis,” says Dietmar Haveloh from Anaxco. “These ‘no-touch’ orders ease the burden on employees and ensure high quality. And Greenplan Engine is a perfect match for this.”

Another advantage of CargoSuite is that customers can use a clearly structured and secure web portal to view all relevant information concerning orders. It also allows for the continuous tracking and tracing of all participating transport networks and partners. And Greenplan builds on these benefits.

Efficient Transport Management

“Our goal is to offer our customers sustainable added value. In this context, we have developed a solution with Anaxco that delivers simplified route optimisation and can be seamlessly integrated into Anaxco’s CargoSuite,” says Florian Merget, Managing Director for Greenplan at EPG. “With our Greenplan Engine, we currently offer one of the most cutting-edge routing algorithms on the market. Customers report of having increased route planning efficiency by up to 20% due to their vehicles being intelligently allocated to tours. This also helps to reduce CO2 emissions considerably. Greenplan also helps to increase the punctuality of tours by up to 98%. Paired with the CargoSuite TMS, our customers can therefore benefit from an innovative all-in-one package for their transport management.”

The companies plan to successively step up their collaborative processes this year. This will include jointly reaching more customers through sales activities.

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Greenplan joins Route Planning Elite

 

Nintendo Europe Opts for WMS

Posted on 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.

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EPG automates Al Maya’s central DC

 

Weleda Bolsters Hubs with WMS

Posted on by David Priestman

Weleda AG is a leading manufacturer of anthroposophical medicine and holistic natural beauty products. The company has achieved a significant milestone with successful integration of the LFS warehouse management system supplied by EPG (Ehrhardt Partner Group) at its production location in Switzerland. Introducing the system signifies a crucial step in transitioning all manufacturing sites in the German-speaking region to LFS.

The Swiss pharmaceutical and natural beauty product group operates in a challenging sector defined by strict regulatory requirements and complex supply chains. It was faced with the increasingly necessary task of improving efficiency in its warehouse management processes at its production sites in Germany and Switzerland without losing the required flexibility in its warehouses.

Weleda was looking for a flexible warehouse management system which would provide administration for its entire logistics materials and information flow to meet its specific requirements as a medicine and natural beauty product manufacturer.

It settled on the LFS warehouse management system. Weleda now uses LFS at its Arlesheim production location to ensure that more than 8,000 downstream clients such as pharmacies, drug stores, hospitals, retail companies and mail order firms are reliably supplied with around 250 orders daily. LFS’s introduction in Switzerland is a pilot project which ultimately aims to allow all logistics processes to be mapped in LFS throughout the German-speaking region in the future.

Flexible, scalable, transparent

LFS collects and visualises all process data for intra-company logistics. Its well-organised logistics cockpit offers transparency in displaying future logistics processes such as goods receipts, order statuses and picking. This ensures early identification of process optimisations and warehouse potentials. Employees at control points receive proactive notifications of potential bottlenecks.

LFS seamlessly integrates into the existing Weleda infrastructure, enabling the use of standard processes and regular updates and allowing key users to configure and parametrise the system effortlessly. Client-specific adjustments have been made during installation to ensure optimal mapping of processes and perfect integration of hardware such as printers, scanners and workstations. The natural beauty experts are also obliged to take into account numerous GMP/GDP regulations. All WMS requirements needed to be documented, tested and validated in advance according to stringent criteria.

Partnership into the future

In addition to successfully completing the introduction of LFS, the partnership-based cooperation between all project participants merits special attention regarding further progress of the project. “The partnership between Weleda and EPG is defined by a dynamic in which all involved parties work closely together on a cooperative basis,” explain Eugen Risto and Salvatore Trovato, LVS Project Managers at Weleda. “It’s a partnership where every voice is heard and all members work consistently towards a common goal. Their professionalism and constructive approach mean we can look forward to the forthcoming launch at the German location confidently.”

Following successful incorporation at Arlesheim, the partners now aim to apply the experience they gained there to the logistics campus in the German city of Schwäbisch Gmünd with its high-bay warehouse for 17,200 pallets. Plans are in place to introduce EPG’s International Shipping System (ISS), a multi-carrier shipping software that already handles shipping logistics at Weleda’s headquarters effectively. The WCS material flow system is also to be integrated to control the automated storage units and conveyor systems efficiently.

Dashboard Displays Warehouse Data

Posted on 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 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 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.

Overlapping Route Planning Solution

Posted on by David Priestman

The exciting new partnership between supply chain software leader EPG and route planning innovator Greenplan has already reached a significant milestone, with the news that time-critical logistics specialist DANX is rolling out Greenplan in its Denmark operations.

“Our mission is to be the leading provider in time-critical service logistics across Eu-rope,” said Thomas Wad, CTIO at DANX Carousel group. “In our business, we need to excel at both speed and service-quality as we aim to deliver faster than anybody else aiming for 99% service fulfilment. This leaves minimal room for errors in our network planning. Greenplan is one of our innovative partnerships that we hope to be part of the solution of securing our excellence as we grow, and complexity rises. Better and faster planning means even better delivery and the most efficient transportation network also means fewer carbon emissions for our customers.”

Unique ‘Overlapping’ Algorithm

Billed as one of the most innovative developments in delivery planning software in re-cent years, Greenplan provides a unique algorithm which enables previously relatively fixed driver ‘rounds’ or districts to overlap, beyond the traditional route boundaries and zip codes. This dramatically improves quality in terms of delivery times and optimizes costs and efficiencies for the provider, because significant savings in mileage and time management can be achieved.

After the merger between DANX and Carousel Logistics last year, the DANX Carousel group has already announced its clear ambition to be the No. 1 provider of critical ser-vice logistics in Europe. As a front-rank supplier of spare parts to industries such as the automotive and agricultural industries, DANX guarantees that any pre-5pm order will be delivered by 7am the following morning. With a guaranteed 99% on-time performance, the route and delivery planning software package needs to be 100% effective.

Greenplan’s Competitive Win

DANX Denmark chose Greenplan because it outperformed all competitors in meeting strict requirements. Supporting faster and more reliable automation in transport pro-cesses, it was most responsive to fast-changing customer needs as well as cost-competitive on every metric, all backed up by outstanding engineering and service attention. “The screening process revealed that the competition was unable to meet our requirements, while Greenplan met our criteria in terms of speed and handling,” explained Daniel Skov, Strategy Manager at DANX Carousel group. “Greenplan also showed great ability to mitigate existing operational processes.”

Greenplan’s ‘overlapping’ functionality is a clear point of difference, he added. “It really stands Greenplan out from the crowd, allowing DANX Denmark to go from fixed route planning to part-dynamic modelling. This transforms our company proposition and allows us to prepare for future challenges knowing we have the best technical tools to help us.”

Greenplan has now started the roll-out process across DANX Denmark’s seven distribution centres and 100 vehicles in Denmark, having received positive feedback on initial testing in the Aarhus and Fredericia districts.

Florian Merget, Managing Director at Greenplan, said: “Our aim is to improve outcomes for our customers by increasing efficiency and offering extra agility at pace. Green-plan’s unique overlapping ability to predict most accurate traffic flows brings fully dynamic route planning ever closer.”

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