Optima delivers a Warehouse Management System to an automotive parts supplier to drive them forwards
Background
AMS DC stores products for an Asia-based customer, supplying to major manufacturers in the automotive industry.
As you would expect from modern automotive manufacturers, there are strict requirements that suppliers need to adhere to.
In addition to providing the right quantity and quality of products, suppliers also need to deliver them on time, right where and when they are needed, using the Just In Time method.
Failing to deliver on time can lead to a supplier being fined or losing their preferred supplier status altogether. This means that products have to be in stock and ready to dispatch as soon as the manufacturer needs them.
In order to maximise efficiency, and ensure that the manufacturing process works effectively, products are ‘decanted’ by AMS. This involves taking pallets of the products, unboxing them, and placing them in a plastic returnable format that makes it easier for the manufacturer. These products are then sent to the manufacturer ready to be used on the assembly line when required.
This saves the manufacturer a significant amount of time, money and space, which has obvious benefits and so decanting has become a value-added service provided by AMS.
Why did AMS need an Optima Warehouse Management System?
Before choosing an Optima warehouse management system, AMS were able to meet the automotive manufacturer’s strict demands thanks to a highly organised, capable and diligent warehouse manager.
However, the automotive manufacturer required AMS to implement an automatic EDI solution as all its suppliers must be able to automatically accept order files and send delivery notifications via EDI, this is the automotive industry standard for exchanging data.
This required a better warehouse management system, impressive use of technology in implementing seamless integration and changes to order management processes and procedures.
What did Optima do?
We helped AMS to define and develop a decanting process running on the scanner, which could then print the manufacturer-compliant labels using Optimiser. This ensures that AMS deliver products to the automotive manufacturer accurately and on time.
The Optima Technical Team worked tirelessly on the EDI integration developing specific file types, whilst our Projects Team helped AMS set up the essential 3rd-party hosted secure file transmissions.
For the technical among you, we created VDA files to be sent over AS2.
During this project we had ongoing discussions with the automotive manufacturer to understand and meet their complex integration requirements and strict file standard specifications.
Curtis Bridge and Aaron Beardmore from our Projects Team, spent a long time working alongside the team from the automotive manufacturer and the EDI file transmission supplier, to keep this warehouse management system project moving along quickly, despite the many complicated requirements.
Working with different file standards, identifying necessary changes and implementing tweaks to ensure that everything worked smoothly, took time and this was one of the most complicated projects we have worked on.
In addition to the EDI elements, Curtis and Aaron ensured that the decanting and picking processes were efficient and would work well with AMS’s warehouse layout. They also made certain that paperwork and labels were accurately produced. Lastly, they tailored Optimiser’s invoicing facility to meet AMS’s exact needs.
With all the significant considerations, precise specifications and bespoke development work needed, it’s no surprise to learn that delivering the integration with Optimiser WMS for AMS took over 12 months, which is a very long project for us.
Results
The hard work with AMS and the automotive manufacturer has paid off, and AMS are delighted with their Optimiser WMS and what it now allows them to do.
The results and improvements speak for themselves.
Want to know how Optimiser WMS could help your business?
Contact Us on 01270 500777, and tell us what you need your new WMS to do.