In retail and distribution, effective warehouse management is key to ensuring smooth business operations and customer satisfaction. Accordingly, we are pleased to announce that the leading household goods chains, “Technopolis” and “Praktiker”, have trusted us and are already benefiting from the innovative StoreIT warehouse system to optimise their operations.
Brief introduction of the client
Videolux Holding, founded in 1992, is the owner of chains of stores “Technopolis” and “Praktiker” with the subject of activity – import and trade of household electronics and household appliances. The company is building a new logistics center, and the facility will increase the area of the company’s current warehouse by 10,500 square meters, which is almost 50% of their current warehouse in thev “Elin Pelin” area.
Goals of the project
The main objective of the project is to automate and optimize the warehouse processes of the new logistics center used by both Technopolis and Praktiker store chains, with plans to support their online trading as well.
In terms of storage of goods, the following warehouses have been identified:
- Physical warehouse for short-term and long-term storage of goods
- Logical (virtual) warehouse for returned goods, reserved goods and online store
- A fictitious warehouse in which stocks are “accumulated” which are the result of various warehouse processes and do not really exist: from shortages, inventory, etc.
The project will also include a module for calculating and invoicing warehouse services, since the logistics center is used by several different companies.
The Challenges
The implementation of the project with the StoreIT WMS system requires synchronization on many levels and with different systems that the client uses in its operations:
- Interface and integration with the customer’s SAP ERP system.
- “Technopolis and Praktiker have a complex warehouse structure, the configuration of which is a complex task in terms of ease of use for the end user.
- The implementation of dispatch from the warehouse is carried out using the PTV Route Optimizer module, which is used to plan and optimize the delivery routes of all sales.
Project Description
The standard WMS system StoreIT is used for the project implementation. The functionality of the WEB client and the mobile application StoreIT mobile are adapted to the warehouse activities of Technopolis and Praktiker. The project covers the following modules and activities:
- Incoming deliveries and warehouse receipts against orders received from the SAP system.
- Warehousing of products in relevant storage areas with functionality for automatic search of storage locations according to set criteria.
- Sales, dispatch and optimization of delivery rates with order tracking from leaving the warehouse through loading on the truck to unloading at the customer.
- Inventory function (initial and/or regular) of the warehouse or parts of it.
- Transfer of goods between warehouses.
- Group deliveries between stores via a central warehouse.
- Development of mobile functions corresponding to each of those available in the WEB client, through which the workers servicing the warehouse can carry out their daily activities.
The implementation
The project started with the discussion of terms of reference and creation of a working specification in February 2021 and is still under development as the integration activities with the SAP ERP system are being synchronized.