Grenoble, April 13, 2022 – Reflex Logistics Solutions (Hardis Group), a leading provider of logistics execution software, announces that Raja Group will deploy its warehouse management system at new distribution centers in Europe. The group opted for Reflex WMS as part of wider plans to optimize and harmonize its European logistics tools, flows, and processes as it seeks to fulfill two key promises: guaranteeing stock availability for the 300,000 products in its catalog, and delivering to anywhere in Europe within 24 to 48 hours.
The B2B distributor of packaging, supplies, and equipment will use these new deployment projects as an opportunity to develop a group-wide core model, incorporating new features such as automated scheduling and dynamic, on-the-fly resource reallocation.
Selling all products lines across Europe
Raja Group, founded in 1954, is now Europe’s leading distributor of packaging, supplies, and equipment for businesses. The group operates in 19 European countries and serves over one million customers, ranging from small businesses to multinational corporations, across all sectors and industries. It sells 300,000 products through its e-commerce websites, catalogs, and call centers, as well as via its teams of outside and inside sales representatives. The group operates 15 distribution centers, with combined storage capacity of 400,000 sq m, delivering to anywhere in Europe within 24 or 48 hours.
Raja Group has recently acquired a number of European companies as it looks to diversify its business on the continent (JPG, Bernard, Mondoffice, and Kalamazoo in 2019, and Viking in 2021). Now, it has opted to offer all its product lines through every company in the group. “Going forward, all group companies will sell the full range of product lines,” said Anthony Saussaye. “This change means we need to link up our 15 distribution centers, so we can ship orders from the right platforms. It also means harmonizing our software and applications, including our ERP system, our order management system (OMS), our warehouse management system (WMS), our transport management system (TMS), our round management system, and more.”
Reflex WMS confirmed as the system of choice
Raja Group decided to review all its existing systems in order to make the digital transformation of its supply chain a success. In 2021, it drew up a road map setting out plans to adopt a single OMS and a single ERP system for all group-wide operations, and to streamline its warehouse management, transport management, and round management systems.
After evaluating its suite of existing applications from various vendors, Raja Group decided to renew its partnership with Hardis Group, whose Reflex WMS application had already been used at three sites in France (since early 2000), at one in Belgium (since 2012), and at one in the United Kingdom (since 2020). “Reflex was a good match for our current and future requirements,” said Saussaye. “The fact that Hardis Group was able to offer both comprehensive and local support was another crucial factor in our decision.”
In 2022 and 2023, Raja Group will deploy Reflex at sites without an existing WMS, in Poland, Sweden, and Spain. The most recent update will be rolled out at locations already equipped with Reflex WMS, so that the group’s logistics teams are able to benefit from the latest features.
Defining a core model to fast-track deployments
The Reflex WMS deployment project, which began in 2021, will involve several phases. “We’re currently defining the core model for our lower-volume sites with less complex flows and processes,” said Saussaye. “Once the model is finalized, we’ll be in a position to deploy the system more quickly at our sites. After Poland, Spain, and Sweden, we intend to roll out Reflex at a brand-new warehouse in southern France, as well as at any new locations we open in Europe.”
For each deployment, Raja Group will also implement the Exlabel module, which prints labels, transport documents, and EDI announcement files in line with the specifications of the various couriers and express delivery partners its European subsidiaries use. The distributor will also use the deployment projects as an opportunity to optimize its scheduling and resource allocation strategies, as it aims to manage preparations dynamically as orders come in. The group could make use of the latest Reflex upgrades and additions, including the Labour Management System (LMS) module, which automates scheduling and reallocates resources on the fly, and the Order Flow Balancing feature.
Raja Group also reviewed its Reflex WMS hosting arrangements, switching the application over to Hardis Group’s cloud infrastructure in 2021.