Polish apparel manufacturer relies on WMS from PSI

PSI Polska Sp. z o.o. has been commissioned by the clothing and footwear manufacturer Hisert Polska Sp. z o.o. with the delivery of the warehouse management system PSIwms 2022 for e-commerce. The order was placed via the new PSI App Store. In the future, the solution will control the processes in the logistics warehouse in Szczecin.

Hisert opted for PSIwms in a preconfigured version specifically for e-commerce. This avoids time-consuming analyses in the run-up to implementation and significantly reduces the start-up time in the production environment as well as project costs. The system also offers extensive analysis options and provides the necessary information for user groups.

With PSIwms, logistics processes, especially picking at Hisert, can be streamlined and optimised. Complete deliveries can thus be delivered to customers as quickly as possible. The monitoring of order processing in real time additionally provides information for the employee bonus system. The start of operations is planned for January 2023.

“To meet the growing challenges of the e-commerce market, we relied on a proven solution that is already being used successfully by many companies. PSIwms contains a complete set of functions that enable us to implement it quickly and achieve a very high level of efficiency in all logistics processes. At the same time, we can make maximum use of the system’s basic configuration and make any necessary adjustments during operation,” explains Wojciech Drobczynski, Process Manager at Hisert Polska Sp. z o.o.

The PSI Group develops its own software products for optimising the flow of energy and materials for utilities (energy grids, energy trading, public transport) and industry (metals production, automotive, mechanical engineering, logistics). The industry-specific products, which are built from standard components, are sold both directly and via the multi-cloud PSI App Store and can also be customised by customers and partners themselves. PSI was founded in 1969 and employs more than 2,200 people worldwide.

Synergy makes significant UK appointment

WMS technology innovator, Synergy Logistics, has appointed an experienced business transformation lead as it looks to scale up on expansion and growth and drive change.

Richard Bartram (50) from Oxford joins as Project Implementation Manager for the UK with a dual remit of further improving the SnapFulfil WMS customer experience and also up skilling and developing the onboarding team.

He brings a wealth of expertise across large scale operations like Ocado and Blacks Outdoor Retail, utilising WMS and WCS software, and has experienced the benefits of SnapFulfil as a client. In his last role as COO for the Furndeco Group, which specialises in commercial furniture for the hospitality and education sectors, he brought in the advanced cloud-based WMS solution to help facilitate rapid growth and operational efficiencies.

Bartram says: “This is a can-do company culture that I’m already fully bought into, plus the SnapFulfil WMS is unrivalled for its functionality and speed of roll out. It quickly allows ecommerce/D2C businesses and 3PLs that facilitate this boom area to compete online with the Amazons of this world, but without the seven-figure investment, because it’s highly configurable, agile and fit-for-purpose.

“I get a kick out of saving clients valuable time, money and resource, but also developing the scope and ability of teams through continuous improvement.  My mentoring and coaching experience will be brought to bear as the implementations team forges bigger and better partnerships and ramps up on reach and success.”

Synergy Logistics CEO, Tony Dobson, adds: “I was very impressed by Richard when I first met him as a client, so we’re delighted to have him on board. He has the right set of skills, coupled with the viewpoint and experience of a customer, to help drive the business forward.”

Richard is married and outside of work devotes most of his spare time to his two young daughters. After completing the London Marathon in 2018, he still runs a few times a week to keep fit and active.

 

Northwood on a roll with SnapFulfil WMS

A leading manufacturer & supplier of hygienic paper products has successfully made the transition from pen-and-paper driven warehousing to next-level digital technology after investing in an advanced cloud-based WMS.

The Northwood Companies operate across the hygienic sector in the UK and Europe. Northwood is the leading supplier of parent reels into the paper hygiene market and has grown to become one of today’s leading UK converters in the tissue market with brands including Rhino Kitchen Towel, Hush, Freedom, Raphael, North Shore and Whisper.

This fast-growing business is in the mid stages of a three-year SaaS deal with SnapFulfil for an initial three UK sites, progressing to between 40-45 users as implementations are phased in.

Its 400,000 sq ft Oldham operation was onboarded as a proof of concept with system training and go-live testing handled remotely (due to Covid-19 social distancing and travel restrictions) thanks to SnapFulfil’s ease of integration and solutions-based approach.

Northwood’s Oldham Site Manager, Steve Roche, says: “I’m very pleased with the SnapFulfil system with significantly improved visibility of exactly where we are with the finished goods area of the site. Stock accuracy is now excellent and I am also using the system to manage part pallets which has always been a difficult part of the operation.”

Phase 2 of the project was Northwood’s 350,000 sq ft consumer production plant in Birmingham – which handles kitchen and toilet roll lines for the UK retail market – in order to ramp up and pivot to meet the volatile retail demands brought on during the pandemic. Speedy integration and implementation were even more crucial, while part automating the pallet process and full RF output also facilitated little-to-no disruptions.

Northwood IT Director, Steve Whitehouse, explains: “SnapFulfil works seamlessly with our existing SAP and production recording systems and its configurability and flexibility brings a high tech, yet simple to use and develop platform. Stock location and picking speed for goods out are noticeably better controlled.

“Most recently we have implemented Snapfulfil WMS in our new, state-of-the-art and considerably larger Telford distribution centre at 500,000 sq ft, which will see us utilising more of the SnapFulfil algorithmic functionality for optimising inventory and stock management.

“The platform allows us to progressively phase in the solution to improve workflows and manage productivity. That’s the beauty of the cloud model – the heavy lifting has already been done and we know in advance what’s coming and how best to handle it.”

 

Mooneh optimises warehouse management with Infor

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.”

 

Get ahead of the game with DIY Digital Implementation

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 celebrates 50 anniversary

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.

 

New functionality for SnapFulfil WMS

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.

Expansion food for thought from WMS improvements

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.

Descartes integrates shipping solution with WMS

Descartes Systems Group, a global leader in uniting logistics-intensive businesses in commerce, announced that its Descartes ShipRush multi-carrier parcel and less-than-truckload (LTL) shipping solution has been integrated with its suite of ecommerce warehouse management systems (WMS). This integration allows customers to improve their warehouse and shipping performance through a unified solution.

“Fulfilment excellence requires warehouse and shipping operations to work in unison,” said Dirk Haschke, General Manager Ecommerce at Descartes. “The combination of WMS and shipping solutions allows customers to seamlessly execute their entire ecommerce fulfilment process, improving warehouse accuracy and productivity, reducing order lead-time and minimising shipping costs.”

The Descartes ShipRush ecommerce shipping solution allows businesses to grow their shipping volume through advanced automation capabilities, a powerful business rule engine and a strong set of APIs for rating, shipping and tracking. Descartes ShipRush is quick to deploy and one of the most widely integrated multi-carrier shipping solutions available. Descartes ShipRush also connects ecommerce companies to their parcel and LTL carriers of choice using their own negotiated rates or using rate discounts available through Descartes ShipRush.

Descartes ShipRush is integrated with Descartes’ ecommerce warehouse solutions: Descartes Peoplevox and Descartes pixi. The combined ecommerce warehouse and shipping solutions are available for ecommerce pure players and direct-to-consumer (D2C) brands that have the need to quickly scale their fulfilment operations to keep pace with sales growth and meet their delivery promise to ship on time, and at the lowest cost.

“We support ecommerce merchants and 3PLs of all sizes along their growth journey,” said Johannes Panzer, Head of Industry Solutions for Ecommerce at Descartes. “With our unique product portfolio, we can empower companies from start-ups to mid-sized to improve their warehouse and shipping performance, so they can always deliver an outstanding customer experience.”

To learn more about Descartes’ ecommerce shipping and fulfilment solutions, Descartes is holding an Ecommerce Innovation Forum on April 5-6, 2022 (English)/April 7, 2022 (German). This free virtual event will share domain expertise in shipping, order fulfilment and warehouse management technologies with collaboration between attendees. CLICK HERE to register.

 

Complex omnichannel business optimised by WMS

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.”

 

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