Projects from PureLoX
Beverage wholesaler Heurich has introduced a new warehouse management system with WMS specialist PureLoX SOLUTIONS to optimize its warehouse processes. The customized solution enables greater efficiency and transparency in inventory accuracy, order processing, warehouse space utilization and goods flow.
Heurich GmbH & Co. KG is a family-run beverage wholesaler in its third generation. With over 1,900 employees, Heurich offers customized solutions for the catering, wholesale and food retail sectors. The company is characterized by modern storage and logistics systems, sustainable reusability and high service quality. The network comprises over 170 specialist beverage stores. Heurich also covers a wide range of products with numerous own-brand beverages. Heurich operates a large logistics center in Petersberg, Hesse, Germany.
Heurich logistics center in Petersberg near Fulda (Photo: © Heurich GmbH & Co. KG).
Heurich’s logistics center, with a total area of more than 140,000 m2, is equipped with modern warehouse technology and state-of-the-art industrial trucks. It is made up of several warehouses, which contain different types of storage and are geared towards the wide range of beverages and articles.
Storage types at Heurich:
Heurich’s logistics concept enables efficient and punctual deliveries to the beverage industry and food retailers. Warehouse logistics are operated 24/7 at Heurich. In addition, the beverage specialist has one of the most advanced empties sorting systems in Europe and relies predominantly on returnable systems. Up to 6,450 crates per hour are sorted and loaded onto pallets on a total area of approx. 3,400 m2.
Heurich has been expanding its warehouse logistics areas and specialist beverage stores (logo specialist beverage stores and H-Getränke stores) for many years. Through strategic investments and modern technologies, the company has been able to continuously expand its market presence and offers numerous services, a wider product range and a growing network of its own specialist beverage stores within a radius of 160 km around Petersberg.
The Heurich logistics center in Petersberg near Fulda supplies, among other things, its own 170 logo beverage stores in Hesse, Thuringia, Bavaria and Rhineland-Palatinate within a radius of approx. 160 km. (Graphic: © PureLoX SOLUTIONS).
An important strategic building block was therefore the introduction of a new warehouse management system that meets the requirements of a leading, growing and modern logistics company in the beverage wholesale sector. Nick Jonas, Logistics Manager at Heurich:
“For me, a well thought-out warehouse concept is the key to efficient logistics. With over 3,000 items and over 140,000 boxes of full goods leaving our logistics centre every day, our large reusable sorting system, our own fleet of trucks and the ramp business, this is particularly true for Heurich. By introducing a new warehouse management system, we wanted to significantly optimise our performance and unlock additional potential for the future.”
The proven viadat warehouse management system from viastore SOFTWARE, which replaced the old WMS, fulfils the special requirements of a beverage wholesaler in all areas and can be flexibly expanded. PureLoX SOLUTIONS was commissioned as the partner for the customised software implementation. The company has a number of well-known reference customers in the beverage industry and, as WMS specialists for intralogistics, has many years of extensive practical experience.
Flow rack warehouse with full pallets (Photo: © Heurich GmbH & Co. KG).
Marcel Hamperl, Controlling & Project Management Logistics, was responsible for the software implementation project at Heurich. He describes the beginnings:
“We at Heurich had determined our needs and defined our objectives before the software implementation began. To do this, we assessed the existing WMS, identified the weak points and defined the requirements for the new system. The objectives were significantly greater efficiency for our genuine 24/7 operation, a reduction in the error rate and better scalability, for example during seasonal peaks. The new system also had to be future-oriented and guarantee a high level of automation capability. In the project team with the logistics and IT specialists from PureLoX SOLUTIONS, we then planned all phases of the software implementation up to the go-live.”
On the PureLoX SOLUTIONS side, Georg Weier, Head of Implementation and Service, was the project manager. Together with the project team, he was responsible for the software development and system configuration according to Heurich’s specific requirements, including the adaptation to the workflows and processes in the logistics centre. Georg Weier:
“During the WMS implementation at Heurich, we were able to utilise our experience very well, as we know the software down to the last detail and have already implemented the special requirements of beverage logistics in many projects. The challenge at Heurich was to work with our customer’s IT and logistics managers to harmonise the software and processes in the best possible way. This specifically included pick-by-voice picking, the forklift control system and the incoming and outgoing goods strategies. The whole thing related to the different logistics halls and warehouse types as well as the different articles and types of loading with our own Heurich lorry fleet and ramp business.”
Benjamin Auth, Head of IT at Heurich, was also part of the project team. He describes the milestones from an IT perspective:
“The flawless data migration from the old to the new WMS system was an important factor for us. In addition, of course, the interfaces to our ERP solution drink.PRO from COPA Systeme, which we use for merchandise management, accounting and controlling. PureLoX SOLUTIONS seamlessly connected our existing Vocollect™ pick-by-voice solution from Honeywell via standard interfaces and our Wi-Fi network. The pick-by-voice integrations were carried out via APIs that use standardised protocols and data formats.”
The individual project phases then included the training and test phase. Staff training in the use of the new WMS was based on the train-the-trainer principle. This meant that personnel resources could be spared during the software introduction. During the test phase, comprehensive tests were carried out, including functional, integration and user tests, to ensure that the system worked as expected. Benjamin Auth:
“The collaboration with PureLoX SOLUTIONS was very fruitful. We were able to go through all phases of the project in a very goal- and solution-orientated manner with efficiency and security in mind. The high quality and performance of the realised WMS solution confirmed our decision.”
The pick-by-voice solution enables more efficient and accurate warehouse management through the use of voice-controlled picking processes (Photo: © Heurich GmbH & Co. KG).
As Heurich Logistics Manager, Nick Jonas has a precise comparison between the time before the introduction of the new WMS solution and the processes after the go-live:
“In beverage logistics, things often heat up. Operating a logistics centre of our size is inconceivable without a powerful warehouse management system. After the WMS changeover, we could immediately see what an important role a powerful WMS solution plays in the efficiency and cost-effectiveness of warehouse processes. With the successful go-live in 2021, we have achieved our objectives and, from today’s perspective, even exceeded them. We are therefore very well positioned for the future. We are very satisfied with our new WMS solution, which we successfully launched together with PureLoX SOLUTIONS.”
More about our customer: www.heurich.de
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