Tag: IT|software|wms

Growing businesses will sooner or later need more capacity in their supply chain to fulfil larger sales volumes. Adding capacity to an existing facility by introducing automation, reconfiguring current handling and storage equipment, or building an extension all offer a potential solution but can be expensive and disruptive to ongoing operations.

Another possibility is to relocate to a new and larger warehouse but leaving aside the costs and complexity involved the current lack of available new-build sites can make any such move impractical. Before making any decisions, growing businesses would do well to consider how to make the most of their existing facilities by utilising the power of warehouse management software (WMS) to maximise the efficiency of their current operations.

Using WMS to increase factors such as occupancy, throughput, and data and task accuracy can all help to increase the capacity of an existing warehouse. In doing so these businesses will avoid disruption and eliminate – or at least delay – the need for additional capital investment.

Any growing business involved with the supply of products will need to store and deliver more and more items. Building a bigger warehouse is one answer but can take time and generally requires a large investment. Industry data suggests there is over 51 million sq m of warehouse space available. Most of this is in-use and leading commercial agency Savills reported earlier this year that vacancy rates are below four per cent – a historic low. Another recent report suggested that the number of new build warehouses in the USA and Europe has decreased by a quarter over the past two years.

That means less available space is being chased by more potential occupiers, and no doubt the growth in e-commerce and home delivery is one of the causes. Another report from warehouse developer ProLogis estimates every extra £1bn spent online will require another 72,000 sq m of warehouse space. The rate of building barely keeps up with demand. Space is not cheap but there is hardly a motorway or major truck road intersection without a warehouse already there or awaiting planning approval.

Some businesses find that creating a new warehouse is the best option. For example, Ireland’s leading furniture importer and wholesaler reduced complexity and increased its stock volumes in 40% less overall space by investing in a new facility and implementing a state-of-the art WMS. While this approach suits some, many businesses have found they can use their existing storage facilities more efficiently. One way is to invest in new technologies and equipment that allows denser storage and/or faster throughput which can both increase overall capacity.

This might be as simple as replacing block stacking with pallet racking or wide aisle with narrow aisle configurations. Big changes often represent significant investment which, leaving aside the potential disruptions to ongoing business, may be beyond many businesses. For these a better approach is to use what they have more efficiently and this is the role of the WMS and related technologies.

Another change over the past decade is the type of warehouse operator. Ten years ago, most large facilities were operated by, or at least on behalf of, retailers. Today the largest proportion is operated by 3PLs, some as dedicated facilities but many others holding stock for multiple clients. Everyone is cost-conscious but 3PLs sell their services and base their costs on factors which include the number and size of pallet locations, overall storage capacity, picking capabilities and so on. For these businesses in particular, maximising efficiency and profitability with support from a WMS is vital.

There are only two realistic ways to increase capacity without a total reconfiguration. The first is to ensure maximum utilisation of every available space. The second is to increase throughput to get stock in and out more quickly. Efficiency gains like these are often possible because existing operators might not have noticed that their warehouse has changed in front of them while they have been busy focusing on their day-to-day operations.

Consider a hypothetical, but not implausible, business that setup or renovated its warehouse operation 10 years ago. At the time the operation required space for 2,500 pallets of various heights to meet customer needs, perhaps 1,000 at 1.6m high, 1,000 at 1.8m and the rest at 2.1m. That was the right configuration at the start and allowed a degree of flexibility to support the business requirement. The WMS was configured accordingly and operations have run smoothly since, or so it seems.

But over time it is not unusual for customers and their requirements to evolve. In fact, a small change here and there often means a business does not know immediately how many pallet locations, and of what type, they have. This might be because of changing the actual racking but adding equipment such as coolers or pallet wrappers might inadvertently block or restrict access to otherwise usable locations. Unless these businesses remember to keep their WMS up-to-date, and experience says that many do not, they will not be able to say how many spaces they have.

Nor for similar reasons can many businesses immediately identify the number of available free locations or their overall occupancy rates. Some free locations help with stock handling flexibility but too many can be a waste of resources and, ultimately, very costly for a business that is selling space.

Another possibility is that the profile of the stock is different, for example more larger pallets or fewer small ones, and so on. While it is of course possible to store a smaller pallet in any size location the reverse is certainly not true and that immediately leads to potential allocation issues that will restrict the performance of the overall operation. But even if it makes sense to store those smaller pallets in larger locations this is not an ideal use of the available volume in the warehouse – there could be up to 500mm of free but unusable space above a small pallet stored in the largest location. Again, unless the WMS is updated, it will be impossible to utilise all spaces with maximum efficiency.

Even in the best run warehouses there will be occasions when some pallet locations are out of commission. This might be as a result of accidental damage or to allow maintenance on the building infrastructure. This reduction in capacity will cost in terms of lost revenues but how many businesses will have a real-time view of their income generating capabilities or be able to see how much they are losing as a result of these outages. Certainly, with a properly configured WMS they would be able to tell. Another potential scenario, perhaps in extra-busy warehouses or where the stock profile has changed, is that demand for some locations exceeds capacity. This can restrict efficiency, for example preventing efficient putaway or requiring the excess stock to be stored elsewhere temporarily and potentially being unavailable for picking.

Experience suggests that almost any warehouse team experiencing problems like this will be unable to identify all of the problems, and their causes, immediately. But there is some good news and it does not necessarily require significant investment. Any decent WMS will help maximise stock management efficiencies but the best will incorporate business intelligence and analytics functionality. One example is ProWMS Advanced Warehouse Management’s business intelligence module that allows operators or managers to instantly identify where change is necessary and will have the maximum impact. This is done via easy-to-read, live, visual dashboards displaying, for example, products in each location with a detailed breakdown of relevant stock information.

Experienced application vendors will challenge warehouse teams about these and similar issues when they start to discuss the business and operational requirements for new implementations. They will have various tools to help them ensure the configuration is correct and always up-to-date to reflect structural changes, evolving stock profiles, and new business demands to help maximise operational efficiency and profits.

For over 30 years, Principal Logistics Technologies has been a leader in the design and delivery of innovative warehouse management software (WMS) and enterprise resource planning (ERP) software. Its technology and services, which include the design of new revenue-generating services for 3PLs, optimise operational performance, reduce OpEx and increase revenue for 3PL, distribution, wholesale, manufacturing, and retail warehouse businesses.

The company supports enterprise-level and multinational businesses with complex single and multisite operations spanning 3PL, chemicals & hazardous goods, hard & soft commodities, chill picking, cold storage, cross-docking, eCommerce & eFulfilment , FMCG, pharmaceuticals & healthcare and more. It operates from offices in Dublin in Ireland and Manchester and Birmingham in the UK.

 

Infor, the industry cloud company, has announced that Mooneh, a third-party logistics storage and distribution provider operating on behalf of leading international pharmaceutical corporates, has deployed Infor WMS (warehouse management system). In addition to establishing an efficient and effective warehouse operation, the solution is set to deliver full traceability of all inventory. The project was successfully delivered by SNS, a leading provider of supply chain consultancy and software implementation.

With 100,000 sq m of temperature-controlled logistics infrastructure and storage capacity to allocate over 100,000 tonnes of FMCGs a year, including up to 22,000 pallets of pharmaceuticals and medical supplies, Mooneh provides fulfilment & logistics solutions.

As part of its objective to optimise warehouse operations, Mooneh’s project goals were two-fold. The first was focused on receiving, storing and shipping efficiently by fully utilising the warehouse space, while the second sought to minimise human intervention and travel time for optimised productivity. Infor WMS now manages Mooneh’s entire warehousing operation from receiving goods to storage and shipping.

“As global supply chains continue to face disruptions and volatility, we needed a warehouse management solution that would enable us to demonstrate best practice and resilience in upholding the high standards our customers have to come to expect of Mooneh,” comments Oday Abu Shehab (pictured), Mooneh’s executive director.

“The in-depth functionality of Infor WMS supports our warehouse operation from goods received to shipment. Further, the system generates insights built on gathering, analysing and synthesising intelligence. thus, enabling us to utilise strategic alignment and response capacity.

“SNS worked closely with our team to deliver the project on time and to budget, as well as providing additional support on areas such the relabelling of warehouse locations, zones, areas and pallets to support enhanced traceability. Through our Venture Investment program, launched to ignite supply chain, fulfilment and logistics innovation in emerging technologies, we shall continue to invest in industry-specific solutions provided by Infor & SNS to evolve our role in the biopharma and global logistics market as a whole, projected to be valued at $12.9bn by 2027.”

“This successful Infor WMS deployment will help Mooneh deliver greater automation in its warehouse, enhanced traceability in its inventory management, and greater resilience within the wider supply chain,” comments Mohammad Obaidah, SNS director of services. “As a leading 3PL for the pharma industry, Mooneh is embracing digital transformation at its helm, and we’re delighted to be able to support them in their ambitions to drive best practice in their warehouse operations.”

 

WMS technology innovator Synergy Logistics has produced a free and insightful guide on how its highly agile and configurable SnapFulfil WMS can be onboarded by customers themselves.

A tailored ‘Self Implementation’ programme provides step-by-step and hands-on guidance in project management and execution, to provide clients old and new with greater control, more independence and internal system expertise.

The guide introduces the six simple stages to successful self implementation – Initiation, Rules Configuration, End-to-End Testing, User Training and Verification, Go Live Preparation and Transition – which means customers have all the technical essentials in place for a seamless self-rollout across their DC estate.

It also illustrates how leading online Ag Tech company Farmers Business Network was able to increase its warehouse capacity quickly and cost effectively with the opening of 15 new DCs – in just a calendar year – across the American Midwest.

Synergy Logistics CEO, Tony Dobson, said: “We’re all about speed-to-value partnerships and being able to scale with our customers and be flexible to meet all of the demands of their business and rapidly changing market demands. Self-implementation empowers customers to handle their own multi-site rollouts – saving valuable time, money and resource – and develop more sustainable business models.”

CLICK HERE to receive a free copy of the new SnapFulfil ‘DIY Digital Implementation’ Guide.

 

 

Synergy Logistics, one of the world’s pioneers of cloud-based warehouse management software, is celebrating its half century milestone.

Established in 1972, Synergy initially focused on developing innovative solutions for vehicle route scheduling but 35 years later launched its best-in-breed SnapFulfil WMS, for which it is renowned.

Back in 2007, the SnapFulfil suite was architected for the web utilising Adobe Flex and Microsoft.NET-based C# programming.  Its launch spearheaded real time data information to optimise warehouse management, without sacrificing any functionality. Today, its unique rules-based configuration engine delivers a highly flexible and agile solution that is used in leading e-commerce, D2C and 3PL warehouses around the world.

Included since 2012 in Gartner’s elite WMS Magic Quadrant, Synergy has a global footprint with offices in the UK and North America. It continues to pioneer with remote and self-implementation capabilities that empower customers to handle their own multi-site rollouts and develop more sustainable business models.

Synergy Chairman, Hugh Stevens, has been at the helm of the company for more than 40 years and proudly remembers launching one of the world’s first warehouse management systems, Locator, in 1985 after being approached by Unilever. Locator morphed into Locator Expert using PowerBuilder on the latest client server technology – and was utilised by Coca Cola in the 90s at its huge new distribution centre at Wakefield in West Yorkshire, the largest soft drinks factory in Europe.

Hugh continues to innovate and shape the future of warehouse infrastructure, saying: “My mantra has always been stick to your knitting! It’s easy to be distracted by market noise but our specialism is warehouse management and I never lose sight of that. We have survived and thrived for half a century by looking ahead. Rather than fearing change, I’ve always embraced it, anticipating what’s next and investing today in tomorrow’s product.

“We continue to make a tangible difference through rapid ROI, industry-leading deployment speed and low total cost of ownership (TCO) and while many competitors have fallen by the wayside over the last five decades, Synergy Logistics and our SnapFulfil WMS has stood the test of time and continues to lead the way.”

The 50th anniversary is being celebrated throughout the year with staff and customer rewards as well as events and competition initiatives.

 

WMS technology innovator, Synergy Logistics, has further enhanced its multiple billing software that already offers the highest levels of detail, accuracy and clarity via its SnapFulfil WMS cloud-based solution.

With 3PL services needing to flex their model to meet ever-changing D2C e-commerce demands, adaptability is key – particularly when it comes to invoicing – to drive greater economies of scale.  SnapFulfil’s new pro-forma invoicing means one is generated automatically for any business where the billing period is greater than daily.

The pro-forma invoice is overwritten each time the invoice process runs but if a client has a replica database the invoice data can be extracted before being overwritten. This is especially useful for clients who want to track their invoice totals before period end.

Likewise, new minimum fee charge capability means a designated amount can be set, but if the total charges for a period are less than the minimum fee then the balance will automatically be charged.

Synergy Logistics CEO, Tony Dobson (pictured), says: “A growing numbers of 3PLs are seeking a more scalable, API-friendly and robust pathway to meet the dynamic challenges of B2C and D2C multichannel fulfilment. But identifying the right solution is just half of the challenge – delivering it while continuing to satisfy existing customer requirements (without incurring custom coding costs and delays for new clients) is a different matter.

“We bring a base feature set tailored to the requirements faced by 3PLs. Our software is highly configurable and, after training, can be managed by in-house teams to support everything from new customer onboarding to process changes. We’ve standardised our interfaces as well to support simplified integration processes and shorten implementation timelines. We also come to the table with a library of existing applications to help ease technical sales processes.”

With margins ever-tightening, SnapFulfil has the functionality to set and charge different rates based on quantities shipped, split and smaller pallets. The software also facilitates better data quality, resources allocation and process flow, while automating manual tasks gives greater efficiency, accuracy and transparency.

Additionally, multi owner self-configuration addresses complex order fulfilment challenges and enables 3PLs to drive rapid growth and value. Having access to the SnapFulfil rules engine is a real differentiator and is proven to give 3PLs tangible competitive advantage.

A much more extensive customer portal also includes access to large areas of the main SnapFulfil site, but specifically filtered for the 3PL customer, so they only see their real-time data. This enhanced functionality brings greater visibility, increased flexibility and a more granular approach and all its associated efficiencies.

Specialist temperature controlled 3PL provider, Moran Logistics, has seen its production output ramp up eight-fold since switching to the technologically advanced, cloud-based SnapFulfil WMS.

Moran’s 100,000 sq ft Castle Donington HQ in Derbyshire, UK is central to its nine-site multi-drop and trunking network and required a WMS solution that could maximise operational proficiency and traceability in what is a health & safety and security-driven sector.

This is where SnapFulfil stepped up to the plate and was considered the best option due to its 3PL expertise and renowned agility and functionality.

With one of Moran’s key customers being a leading short shelf life product manufacturer, supplying the majority share of branded and own label FMCG goods to the major supermarket chains, the solution also needed to be flexible and configurable and able to factor in the likes of retailer-specific EDI, as well as picking in rotation, re-pack solutions and reverse logistics.

A large replica database is also facilitating much greater efficiency in terms of picking performance and reporting, while historic productivity data has proved vital in managing ongoing labour and resource shortages.

What’s more, the rapid implementation process of just three weeks was aided by specific modifications around labels and printers, workflows and processes, while a bespoke JavaScript converts data with minimal import work for the client. Immediately stock from previous warehouses utilised by the key customer moved seamlessly into Moran Logistics, via RF guns, to begin tracking the likes of expiry dates, shelf life, putaways and targeted ordering.

Moran Logistics MD, Mark Burrell, says: “The SnapFulfil team did a fantastic and proactive job, especially because of the rush we put on this and the short notice on go live.  We relied heavily on their knowledge and experience to make it all come together.

“SnapFulfil WMS is highly configurable and able to handle and automate the many parameters and anomalies of our fast-moving environment, such as varied SKU and product dating, no split pallets and dynamic pick slots to replace out-of-date items with fresh product, which removes risk.

“The system is constantly evolving, so we’re learning more about SnapFulfil’s functionality every day, and that in turn makes us more efficient and able to bring extra benefits to the best quality and market leading service we offer.”

SnapFulfil’s capacity to scale with Moran Logistics and be extremely flexible to meet all of the ongoing and future demands of the business, lends itself to a quick succession of multiple site facility rollouts. The 60,000 sq ft Leeds DC is primed to go live, with Heywood in Manchester (70,000 sq ft) to follow – and up to three new locations in the next few years, all powered by SnapFulfil WMS.

Moran Logistics will also be taking advantage of the multiple billing functionality for 3PLs and bespoke enhanced portal visibility, plus further integration of WMS and TMS software, so that haulier activity and loading is also automated via SnapFulfil.

UK market leader in hand knitting yarns, The DMC Group, has implemented a cloud-based warehouse management system, SnapFulfil, into its UK operation as part of a five-year contract with the WMS innovator.

As the premier destination for needle crafting, The DMC Group distributes all Sirdar, Rowan, Wool and the Gang, plus Tilsatec products, and has moved to optimise inventory and distribution efficiencies at its 180,000 sq.ft DC in Wakefield.

The DMC Group chose SnapFulfil WMS for its superior flexibility, functionality and configurability, plus its ability to interface seamlessly with the company’s existing ERP, shipping and carrier/parcel systems.

SnapFulfil was also the preferred solution because it optimises the process complexities of multi-chamber, multi-brand, cross-zone picking at the Wakefield site. This streamlining and automation of existing workflows will increase service and  efficiency levels to its B2B, B2C, domestic and international export channels, as well as optimisation of inter-company channel servicing to DMC’s other distribution sites in the US and France.

The DMC Group Logistics Director, Duncan Aspden, said: “Having previously worked with large tier 1 providers, I understood that The DMC Group needed a more cost effective and responsive system, which would still deliver all the technological capability required. SnapFulfil’s dynamic rules-based engine will enable us to self-configure as required, for greater control and self-sufficiency.

“I also like the speed-to-value of the SnapFulfil solution, because it has quickly enabled us to deliver efficiency improvements across a number of our operational activities. SnapFulfil is a refreshingly different company to work with – agile, lean and more fluid.”

SnapFulfil CEO, Tony Dobson, added: “With a tight logistics plan in place, DMC’s go live was due just before the last Black Friday period and they were initially quite nervous. However, we worked very closely with them on some bespoke system modifications and functionality to de-risk the process.  As a result, they achieved excellent peak volumes and a winning start, which can comfortably scale up as required to continue apace.”