« We chose Reflex on account of its scalability and its ability to manage all our processes, both pre- and post-mechanization, as well as the company’s long-term stability and local presence »
The project at a glance
In 2017, to support its growth, L’Outil Parfait decided to build a new logistics center complete with an automated order picking system. For the manufacturer of hand tools for building and home improvement professionals, the installation of Reflex WMS in a new mechanized warehouse has been a game-changer: gains have included boosting productivity by 50%, halving preparation lead times, cutting the number of preparation errors, and reducing transport costs.
Context and objectives
L’Outil Parfait manufactures hand tools for building and home improvement professionals. The firm, which serves bricklayers, tilers, plasterers, painters, and decorators, operates five production sites in France. It sells its products in 80 countries via a global network of more than 5,000 distributors and importers.
Products manufactured at the company’s various production sites are transported to its logistics platform, which holds around 4,500 items permanently in stock and manages an average of 5,000 order lines each day.
In 2017, to support its growth, L’Outil Parfait decided to build a new, mechanized, 2,700 sq. m logistics center complete with an automated order preparation system. The company’s aim was to have all customer orders pre-packed in two carton sizes (60 x 40 x 40 cm and 40 x 30 x 25 cm).
The solution
In 2018, L’Outil Parfait adopted the Reflex WMS warehouse management system as it looked to optimize its logistics operations and replace its existing application, which was incapable of handling workload peaks. It then rolled out the application at its new logistics platform. Since 2019, Reflex WMS has been orchestrating the storage of 4,500 items, plus 12,000 picking locations, and the mechanized system. Previously, orders were prepared sequentially using a bulk picking method, then retrieved one by one for packaging. Now, orders are prepared in parallel, with the operators filling the cartons in front of them.
Benefits
- 50% productivity boost
- Order preparation times cut in half
- Delivery lead times slashed to as little as two days
- A 90% reduction in order preparation errors, achieved in large part through the introduction of a weight control system
- A 10% cut in transport costs thanks to the carrier choice aid module
- A short learning curve for the Android-based application among temporary staff
- Optimized working hours: a single shift (7 a.m. to 3 p.m.) for all employees