JOURNAL

01/15

Optimized intralogistics
is not enough!

E-FULFILLMENT AT BFS BAUR

FULFILLMENT SOLUTIONS

www.inconso.com

LINDE GAS EXPANDS WITH

SAP EWM

 lookata - Fotolia.com

Themen
04

Rudolph Logistik Gruppe

04

TYROLIT

05
05
06
08
12

inconso agrees to strategic collaboration with Rudolph Logistik Gruppe

inconso integrates SAP EWM for TYROLIT Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG

inconso
New HTML standard for mobile terminals inconso Logistic Suites HTML5
provides more flexibility when selecting hardware

Haema
Blood and plasma donations securely managed with inconsoWMS X

Optimized intralogistics is not enough!

Focusing on the optimization of intralogistics alone is not enough. Rather,
it should be part of the optimization of the entire logistic network.

BFS Baur Fulfillment Solutions

E-fulfillment: BFS Baur Fulfillment Solutions fulfills various customer
requirements with inconsoWMS X.

Linde Gas expands with SAP EWM

inconso ensures an excellent start for the new SAP landscape at Linde Gas

Scan here for detailed

event information:

Harmony in Motion
- inconso with a
new look
Bertram Salzinger
CEO of inconso AG

n a few weeks, inconso AG will have been part of

the Krber Group for one year. What has been lived
within inconso AG as well as reflected to outside
partners, customers and associate companies for several months, now also can be seen in inconsos new look.
What you see here is the first edition of the redesigned
inconso Journal we hope you like it.
As of the appearance at the LogiMAT trade fair from February 1012, 2015, the companies belonging to Krbers
Business Area Logistics Systems have a new, common
branding. In the past months, we have jointly developed
the new brand positioning for the business area. The goal
was to work out commonalities and differences based on
the market sectors of the four companies inconso, Aberle,
Aberle Software and Langhammer. The aim of the branding process was to systematically strengthen the collaboration between the companies without undermining their
market independence.
With the common value proposition harmony in motion,
two worlds that at first glance seem difficult to connect become one. However, this is the core of logistic processes and particularly the work of the Krber Business Area
Logistics Systems. The complex systems and structures
are set in motion, and at the same time this movement
is optimally synchronized i.e. harmonized in order to
ensure the smooth and efficient flow of information and
goods.

This is visualized, i. a., through the exciting color combination of bright blackberry red and light steel blue. Whereas
the vivid, emotional blackberry red expresses passion and
dynamics, the business-like blue strikes a clear, technical
chord. The new logo is the visual translation of the value
proposition of the business areas brand. The rhombus
basic, rectangular shape expresses harmony, but simultaneously its multi-part construction of tapering elements
and color gradients gives it a distinctive dynamic that optimally expresses harmony in motion.
In this issue of the inconso Journal, we now present
inconso AGs current projects and innovations. Among
other things, read how Linde Gas in Leuna optimizes its
logistics with SAP EWM and how BFS Baur Fulfillment
Solutions processes diverse e-commerce customers with
inconsoWMS X. On pages 6 to 7, you can find out why
intralogistics should never be optimized without keeping
an eye on the entire network.

Enjoy reading the latest journal from inconso!

inconso-News
inconso agrees to strategic collaboration with
Rudolph Logistik Gruppe

udolph Logistik Gruppe (RLG) is a logistics

service provider spezialized on the business
areas automotive, system traffic, consumables,
industry and fulfillment. Focusing on specific areas
enables RLG to build up concentrated know-how and
apply it when working with customers. In this way, successful projects and innovative strategies are directly
transformed into synergies for the customers.
In connection with a strategic collaboration with
inconso, RLG will as of now use products developed
by inconso to control and support the logistic processes in the individual business areas. At the site
in Wallersdorf, inconsoWMS Automotive is already
in use and in control of the JIT (just in time) deliveries. Especially the comprehensive performance
scope of the solutions as well as the flexible possibilities for process control have significantly influenced
this decision. After all, these software solutions can be
used in manual multi-customer warehouses as well as
complex dedicated warehouses with high outputs and
material flow controls. Here, inconsoWMS eXtended for
industry and trade logistics and the industry solution
inconsoWMS Automotive are in use.

In Rudolph Logistik, inconso has won

another well established, successful
and dynamic logistics service provider as a customer. We`ll work together on new projects and at all locations where Rudolph Logistik Group
doesnt work with customer systems.
Wilfried Pfuhl
Member of the Board of
Directors of inconso AG

/4 4

Source: Tyrolit

inconso integrates SAP EWM for TYROLIT

Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG

YROLIT Schleifmittelwerke Swarovski KG,

whose headquarters are in Schwaz, Austria,
has built a new logistics center in the Czech
Republic. The new building near Prague was finished
at the end of 2014. The logistics software specialist
inconso was tasked with implementing SAP EWM 9.0
(Extended Warehouse Management) and an intelligent forklift control.
TYROLIT is one of the leading providers of innovative solutions for grinding, cut-off, drilling, honing,
dressing and polishing in the areas of metalworking,
construction and glass. The company has about 4,600
employees at 29 production sites in 12 countries. Currently, an outbound delivery warehouse for worldwide
shipping that adjoins the Czech production location
in Bentky nad Jizerou is being built. It will consist of
a manual high bay warehouse for Euro and industry
pallets as well as a manual small parts warehouse
distributed across three levels and various, additional
areas such as goods receiving, packing areas or consolidation zones. For internal transports of warehouse
goods, the use of up to 14 forklifts is planned.
inconso is implementing a warehouse management
system based on SAP EWM for the representation of
the managing of the warehouse processes in this new
warehouse. The go-live will take place by the end of
2014. A forklift control system will be integrated into
SAP EWM to ensure the efficient operation of the
forklifts.

inconso integrates new HTML standard

for mobile terminals inconso Logistic
Suites HTML5 provides more flexibility
when selecting hardware

he logistics software specialist inconso has

upgraded its framework for the dialogs of end
mobile equipment to HTML5. inconso users
can now choose between the proven .NET client and
the newly implemented HTML5 client for the dialogs of
their mobile terminals.
On the client side, the previous framework was based
on a .NET client the so-called MDT browser. The benefit of this realization is that hardware specific functions can be addressed. However, this is associated
with restrictions when choosing client hardware and
the client operating system.
In the age of smartphones and tablets, one must expect increasing heterogeneity and volatility for hardware and operating systems in the area of mobile data
recording. The new HTML5 client addresses this diversity. It is a purely browser based client providing
high flexibility when choosing suitable hardware and
operating systems while also running without local installation. Depending on the extent of browser support
for the HTML5 standard or the availability of additional
functionalities, hardware specific functions can still be
accessed.
The HTML5 client is embedded in the proven framework and uses the identical configuration data and the
same transaction layer as the .NET client. This enables parallel operation of both client versions without
additional expenditures, thus giving users more flexibility.

Blood and plasma donations securely

managed with inconsoWMS X

aema AG is a modern and high performance

company in the area of blood donations and
blood supply. As a health care provider, Haema contributes significantly to secure supply of blood
and plasma products in Germany. Currently, there are

Source: Heama

35 national blood donation centers and more than 2,000

mobile blood donation appointments are organized each
year. In 2013, about 1,100 employees collected over one
million blood and plasma donations, creating 99 million
in revenue. Haema is thus the largest, independent blood
donor service in Germany.
In line with its expansion strategy, Haema opened a new
central office in Leipzig in 2013. Here, new and revised
logistic processes ensure more efficient and transparent
processing as well as the distribution of the blood products. As a pharmaceutical company, Haema emphasizes security and traceability in all process steps.
Haema has chosen the leading standard software solution for pharmaceutical logistics, inconsoWMS X.
inconsoWMS X includes numerous pre-configured, industry specific processes. Through intelligent scaling,
further expansions can be integrated easily. Furthermore, the performance scope of the logistics software solution can be seamlessly extended with standard modules
from inconsoWMS.

We decided on inconso AG due to

their proven, in-depth pharmaceutical
know-how and their long track record
of experience in the implementation of
warehouse management solutions for
pharmaceutical companies.
Jrg Fahrenbach
Member of the Board of Directors of
Haema AG

OPTIMIZED INTRALOGISTICS IS
NOT ENOUGH!
Focusing on the optimization of intralogistics alone is not enough. Rather, it should
be part of the optimization of the entire logistic network.

-commerce is becoming ever more popular,

even more so due to the mobile internet. This
and the increasing number of customers demanding higher goods availability and shorter
delivery times are among the unbroken trends that
can only be managed well with excellent logistics.
Internet trade is becoming increasingly important
for offline store businesses, resulting in more and
more multi-channel retailers. The simultaneous
processing of deliveries to stores, end customer
orders and returns requires an efficient IT control.
This control must be able to represent all processes and manage and optimize stocks across warehouse borders.

Customer demands are

increasing
Along with keeping delivery
promises and offering free
shipping, customers also expect shorter delivery times.
Today, same day delivery is
not uncommon anymore and
even the first pilot projects in
Manhattan offering delivery
within two hours of ordering are under way. ThereWilfried Pfuhl
fore, desired goods must be
Member of the Board of Directors
at inconso AG
available everywhere and at
all times, despite not being
manufactured everywhere. Procurement logistics thus
becomes part of the processes to be optimized. The entire logistics network must be focused on before intralogistics can be modified accordingly. How do you structure
a network so that goods are transported from the production location to the warehouse and from the warehouse
to the regional depot as quickly as possible? How will
this network be managed? Answering these questions is
the first step in supply chain optimization. This process is
supplemented by detailed questions about subprocesses,
the answers to which are always based on the optimization of the entire network.

Permanent availability of goods

Reading the words sold out or currently unavailable
in an online shop can cause the customer to order elsewhere due to the large number of suppliers. To prevent
this, multi-channel retailers try to always have goods for
shipping in stock and, in case of emergency, rely on
store stocks. Because multi-channel retailers work with
individual goods warehouses for e-commerce and stores
as well as wholesale warehouses, supply chains should
be viewed holistically in order to optimize all goods flows.
Multi-channel in the fashion industry
Based on the order type, multi-channel operation requires
different delivery processes and, consequently, specialized processing in the warehouse. Especially in the textile
and fashion industry, special requirements must be considered. There are different delivery types even for stores.
First, there is the initial supply that contains entire collections and might also be processed using cross-docking
concepts. Second, there is the replenishment and an
increasing volume of returns that are brought to stores
that also require booking. Direct end customer business
that is characterized to an even larger extent by returns
must also be considered. The ideal solution represents
these processes on a standardized logistics platform for
all distribution channels and also enables the planning
and control of the entire logistics network across all channels. Modern processes such as click & collect or shipping from stores can lead to further optimization.
Focus on the supply chain
Representing the various requirements in only one IT
system is a major challenge. The system must be largely
configurable and able to access subordinate systems. For
multi-channel retail logistics, it is imperative that the order
processing can be used in several variants and, if necessary, be modified on short notice.
If data from transport planning for load planning, departure times and staging time frames is provided, a warehouse management system can plan the picking pro-

cesses including the needed resources in advance.

Current information about possible delays in the arrival times of transport capacities can lead to replanning
in picking and prevent the misallocation of resources.
Capacities for the collection of goods can be planned
better if reliable information on the estimated arrival times of transport systems is made available. This
can be optimized through a holistic solution for supply
chain execution. In this way, processes are planned
and executed while taking all movement directions into
account. The system considers when what goods are
available at which location and the point and time they
are needed. Stocks can be reserved across locations
and orders can be split in emergencies. This guarantees fully optimized processes.
Single source of stock

Reliable and service-oriented

Multi-channel logistics are optimally organized with the

functions of an intelligent solution for the comprehensive
control of all supply chain execution processes. Stocks
are optimized and picking and transport routes shortened,
leading to ideal, short reaction times. The inconso solution, inconsoSCE, provides the required transparent view
of current stocks at the sites and in transit along with the
availabilities of stocks and the utilization in the warehouse
and transport. Everything is provided in a level of detail
impossible in an ERP system. Thus, one has all the necessary data under one roof and can achieve a tremendous increase in efficiency and a reduction in costs at the
same time. SAP AG also supplies flexible software applications that optimally connect intralogistics and transport
management. SAPs Supply Chain Execution platform is
a modern approach that can fully represent logistic processes from the supplier of the supplier to
ERP-System
the final customer.

A comprehensive supply
chain execution system
such as inconsoSCE can
provide different variants
of stock management.
Production
flows
inconsoSCE
Logistics Network Control
If necessary, a single
can even be conInventory Management
Order Management
source of stock can be
sidered with this
set up this means that
supply chain execuInterface Management
Advance Notification and Inbound Control
there are no longer indition solution. All in
vidual stocks for various
all, the benefits of a
inconsoWMS
inconsoTMS
Warehouse Management System
Transport Management System
delivery types, but each
holistic solution can
order accesses only
greatly reduce costs
Warehouse Management
Transport Management
inconsoYMS
Yard Management
one stock. However, dif- Goods Receiving
and simultaneousLoad Space
Picking
Manual
Tour
Shipment System
Optimization
Control
Control
Dispatch
Planning
Control
ferent picking processly satisfy customer
es needing representaneeds. In the long
Invoicing
KPI
Interfaces
Transport Control / Fork Lift Management
tion in the warehouse
run, due to the instructure must still be
tense competition in
Material Flow
Pick-byPick-byRF
Carrier
ATLAS
Parcel
Telematics
RFID
considered. Individual
e-commerce, this is
Calculator
Light
Voice
items are picked for onthe only strategy for
Source: inconso AG
line orders. For stores,
advancement. Relifull pallets or boxes that are sorted by color are picked. able delivery with high quality service.
Stock management with a single source of stock can be
supplemented with an assignment function in order to Excellent logistics expertise makes all the difference
avoid delivery bottlenecks. A certain quota can always
be retained for online orders.
A partner with excellent logistics expertise, such as inconEarly booking of returns to the inventory
Even the handling of returns when organized and
managed efficiently contributes to stock optimization.
When an a return arrives, the corresponding item is already booked to the inventory and reserved for new orders during the goods inspection. This means the item
can be directly prepared for shipping without having to
be stored-in first.

so AG, is the right choice when it comes to choosing the

appropriate solution for customer specific SCE challenges. An SAP partner with the SAP Recognized Expertise
status in the area of supply chain management, inconso
implements modern SAP systems as well as powerful, inhouse solutions such as the inconso Logistics Suite. Last
but not least, in both cases special, proven add-ons developed by inconso AG play an important role in tailoring
the solutions to customer requirements.

E-FULFILLMENT AT
BFS BAUR FULFILLMENT
SOLUTIONS

8
Source: BFS

BFS Baur Fulfillment Solutions fulfills various

customer requirements with inconsoWMS X.
Different locations, several clients, one system

ver 30 million goods movements and packages per year the Upper Franconian fulfillment specialist BFS Baur Fulfillment
Solutions provides large-scale logistics processing for end customers, shops and major customers. 800 employees work in several logistics
centers with over 70,000 m2 of storage space in
order to guarantee fast and reliable processing
of orders, deliveries and returns. Efficient software control of the many processes for store-in,
picking and shipping is crucial. In several project
phases from 2011 to 2014, the industry specific
e-fulfillment version of the warehouse management system inconsoWMS X was implemented
and now ensures efficient logistics processes.

even higher quantity. The order processing in this

multi-channel operation has several special features. After the customer orders reach the system in
the course of the day, they are first sorted and then
assigned to specific selection strategies. This creates batches that can be optimally processed.

BFS Baur Fulfillment Solutions offers its customers

the full spectrum of services along the value chain,
from customer dialog to goods handling through to
payment management. The sites for storage, shipping and returns processing in the B2C and B2B
business are structured differently: They consist of
semi-automated and manual warehouses that are
now all managed and controlled directly from the
inconsoWMS X system. The warehouse management system not only manages the different warehouse locations, but also the manifold requirements
of customers. Multi-client capability was one of the
most important criteria for BFS in selecting the appropriate software. In addition, the system should
optimally cover the necessary logistics processes
and offer a high degree of flexibility through functional extensibility. inconso AG was able to meet these
requirements with its functionally extensive software
inconsoWMS X.

Volume optimized picking

Weismain site: Textiles in multi-channel operation

The logistic processes for three customers are managed at the Weismain site in Upper Franconia. The
main focus here is textile goods for the consumer
business, i.e. hanging and lying goods. A five-digit
number of orders is processed every day, but the
warehouse was designed to be able to handle an

At BFS inconsoWMS X supports a batch creation procedure for optimizing picking routes. Based on the location of the ordered items in the warehouse, orders
are consolidated into a batch in order to ensure the
shortest route possible for pickers. inconsoWMS X
can also consider the capacities of individual areas.
All picking, sorting and packing processes can be
flexibly modified.

There are also different processing types for pick

processing. In two-step picking, the items of batches
are first collected and then buffered and transported to the packing stations in so-called comb carts.
There, the goods are optimally packed by volume
into the shipping boxes before being shipped. For
multi-order picking, however, items are picked into
picking vehicles and then brought to the packing stations. Here, these and other picked items are consolidated into orders. The goods are checked one last
time before being packed and shipped.
Returns as a source of supply
Returns processing of the aforementioned textile
goods poses a challenge for BFS. Even the fulfillment service provider has to deal with the hot topic
of e-commerce. Returned textiles, bags or shoes are
processed at several, sequentially arranged workstations. The boxes are transported on a conveyor
belt, scanned, checked and then rebooked into the
inventory. Afterward, the items are shrink-wrapped,
labeled and stored in again. For BFS, returns processing is not a burden on the system, but a matter
of course. Returns are our most reliable supplier,
states Jurgen Naeye, branch office manager of the
Weismain site.

Weight check in goods issue

Another special feature is the processing in goods
issue. Here, the orders are transported on a conveyor belt, scanned and then distributed among the
connected shipping lanes in order to reach the correct courier express parcel (CEP) service provider.
In addition, the packaged shipments are weighed
since some courier and express parcel service providers have specific weight limitations. If a package
exceeds the permitted weight, the system automatically transfers it to a reprocessing station where it is
split into individual deliveries.
Despite the special features of the processes and
sites, inconsoWMSX allows for the logistics processing of multiple clients at different logistics sites with
only one application. All in all, a maximum of over
20,000 orders with almost 100,000 order positions can
be processed daily. As a fulfillment service provider, it
is of utmost importance for BFS to supplement efficient processing with precise invoicing for rendered
services. Therefore, inconso provided an integrated invoicing tool, the add-on inconsoLSA (Logistics
Service Accounting). By investing in inconsoWMSX,
BFS ensures existing processing and simultaneously
strengthens its market position as one of the leading
fulfillment service providers.
Webshop processing of bulk goods, small parts
and other goods
At other locations, the bulky and perishable items as
well as small parts of a webshop supplier outside the
textile industry are processed. The warehouses partially consist of high bay warehouses in which goods
are stored at heights of up to 7.5 meters. The warehouse movements, including picking processes, are
supported by forklifts because very heavy goods and
large, light items must be stored.
For the storage of perishable items, the warehouse
management system inconsoWMS X must also include a feature that is not needed for the storage of
textiles. It must include the best by dates of goods
and take them into consideration when storing them
out.

10
Source: BFS

WE PARTICIPATED IN
THE CONFIGURATION
Interview with Dr. Martin Koch, IT manager of BFS
Baur Fulfillment Solutions
Source: BFS

inconso: Dr. Koch, what was especially important to

you during the selection process and the initial phase?
Dr. Martin Koch: In 2011, we reached the point where
we could no longer do without a warehouse management system that optimally represents our different processes, customers and locations. In September 2011,
we chose inconso as the supplier of the appropriate
system. The kickoff was in October and the requirements specification was accepted in January 2012. It
was important to us to participate in the configuration of
the solution. Which is why we wanted inconsoWMSX
as a template with configurable elements. The system
was ready in July 2012 and could be tested. Everything went according to schedule.
inconso: And what was the implementation like?
Dr. Martin Koch: It went smoothly. In November 2013,
the first client at the site in Weismain went live. Due
to the experience we gained during the first phase,
we were much more relaxed when entering the sub-

sequent phases. In July 2013, the entire Weismain

site including the other two clients there went live
under inconsoWMS X. Shortly afterwards, we could
even quite spontaneously install another client. Since
March 2014, the Seewiese site is also managed by
inconsoWMS X. From the start, the management
across sites was one of our most important requirements, which is why were very pleased with the
smooth implementation.
inconso: If you do a before and after comparison,
what has changed thanks to inconsoWMS X?
Dr. Martin Koch: With inconsoWMS X, we are now
able to expand our excellent market position as a fulfillment service provider for trading companies. We
have continuous stock security from goods receiving
through to goods issue and can flexibly modify and extend the system to meet future challenges. Were now
much better prepared for sudden throughput growth,
new clients or seasonal fluctuations.

11

12

Source: Linde Gas

LINDE GAS EXPANDS

WITH SAP EWM

inconso ensures an excellent start for the new SAP landscape at

Linde Gas

ince 2013, all warehouse and material flow

movements of the central warehouse of Linde
Gas Division in Leuna are managed with SAP
EWM and SAP EWM MFS. The warehouse includes
a fully automated storage and retrieval system
with fully automated lean lifts and several shuttle
facilities, pallets, dangerous substances and long
goods warehouses and two block warehouses with
800 storage positions. In the 20 month project duration, the software specialist and SAP partner inconso
implemented the software solution and has been
responsible for support since June 2013.
The gas division of Linde Group manages a reliable
service and distribution network for gases and gas related accessory products as well as associated services in over 60 countries. The customer spectrum
spans from the chemical and metallurgy industries to
the manufacturing industry and home care through
to the food and semiconductor industries. The warehouse management processes in Leuna are distributed across two physical halls as well as one outside
warehouse and encompass manual and automated
areas. The products of the subsidiary Linde Gas
Therapeutics GmbH & Co. KG are also stored and
moved there.
Differentiated product spectrum
Linde Gas supplies hospitals, patients in the home
care area, its own Gas & More shops and its own filling plants, production facilities and distribution centers with consumables or spare parts. In addition, external bottle inspection plants are supplied with bottle
accessories and spare parts. A next day delivery is
guaranteed if the weight of 30 kilograms is not exceeded and the booking occurs before 13:00. Delivery
takes up to a maximum of 48 hours for later bookings,
higher weights or bulky products. Express and courier
shipments are also possible. Due to the differentiated
product spectrum, the warehouse contains areas for

small parts, pallets, long goods and block warehouses.

Unburdening the user
The business areas of the company have significantly grown in the last few years, so that the previous
software control reached its limits. After an in-depth
analysis of different variations for warehouse management, the company decided on the modern and standardized SAP logistics solution in 2011. The user is
the first to experience this positive change. The new,
standardized workstation dialogs create more transparency and simpler system operation. With the new
solution, Linde Logistik fulfills the necessary requirements regarding modifications in adherence to legal
regulations and flexibility.
The requirements the new system and the integration partner inconso had to meet were very diverse
and are optimally fulfilled by SAP EWM. First, all old
data had to be transferred without data loss. After the
migration, the full functionality had to be guaranteed
immediately. The new logistics control now includes
two-step goods receiving with goods acceptance
managed by the system. Goods acceptance is temporally uncoupled from the actual inbound delivery. The
weight master data and appearance of the packages
are thoroughly checked. To this end, they are individually compared to product pictures if no picture exists
yet, one must be taken before the collection processes can resume.
After the inbound delivery, handling units (HUs) are
created, which are then stored in automatically. Based
on the product, the master data specifies a preferred
storage type that determines the destination HU.
Based on the target warehouse, the packages are transferred to pallets, pallet cage or transport containers in
the staging zone. The quality check in goods receiving
is only booked in EWM, not in ERP. Another special

13

feature of HU creation is that serial numbers for some

of the materials are obligatory.
Modern conveyor technology
In order to speed up warehouse processes and relieve
the user, Linde has set up
automated equipment at several locations. Along with the
fully automated storage and
retrieval system (ASRS), this
includes lean lifts and shuttle facilities. The material
flow component SAP EWM
MFS controls this technical
equipment of the automated
warehouse areas and to this
end, communicates directly
with the PLC level. The SAP
EWM application was configured by inconso, supple- Source: Linde Gas
mented with inconsos own add-ons and integrated into
SAP ERP.
The store-in via trays in the automated areas must be
handled separately in SAP EWM. In doing so, the trays
must be optimally filled so that few gaps result. In the
process, the basic patterns of the trays as well as the
sizes, heights and quantities
of the containers to be moved
are reconciled.
Picking in waves
Waves for picking are created automatically according
to specified criteria or manually. That is to say that outbound delivery positions are
consolidated for processing
with regard to the picking
process. The criteria for this
have been modified to suit
the specific processes of Source: Linde Gas
Linde. Thus, product combinations can create a wave
or a group of positions that can be managed from the
automated warehouse.
SAP EWM has a high system availability as well as
transparency thanks to its excellent dashboard from
which picking is centrally controlled. The manual and
automatic wave assignment, wave release and reser-

14

vations as well as the determination of the picking type,

i.e. whether picking takes place parallel in all warehouse types or consolidated, occur via the dialog. If
an express order arrives on short notice, priorities can
be changed via the dashboard even after the release.
Of course, the dashboard is also
indispensable for the visualization
and clarification of disruptions.

Pick, Pack & Send

In certain warehouse areas and
for certain outbound deliveries, the
implementation of the pick, pack &
send procedure picking directly
into the shipping box was necessary. If an order fulfills the defined
criteria (specific product combinations) and if the associated warehouse types are suitable for the
procedure, the shipping type is
already determined in the picking dashboard. At their
workstation or via the MDE, the employee is shown the
note pick & pack and a packaging material recommendation that can, if necessary, be modified manually.
The employee packs the positions directly in the shipping HU and prints out the delivery note and inspection certificate, enabling the picking to be completed
directly at their workstation. The
shipping label is either printed directly at the picking location or at
the shipping workstation after the
HU has been transported there.
Afterward, the HU is loaded directly into the roll container of the CEP
service provider.
SAP EWM simplifies the visualization
of warehouse resources, pending
warehouse tasks and the representation of warehouse extensions.
The included process optimization
and enhanced process security
also contribute to significant increases in productivity. inconso and Linde concluded a
specific service contract for SAP EWM support on the
basis of the worldwide Linde service organization. The
new logistics system is multi-client capable and can be
connected to the systems of various customers. This
includes SAP ERP as well as non-SAP ERP systems.
In addition, inconso connected an external shipping
software.

SMOOTH SYSTEM START-UP

ON TIME AND BUDGET
Interview with Reinhard Probst, manager of the central warehouse in Leuna
inconso: Mr. Probst, why did you
choose a new IT control for Linde
logistics?
Reinhard Probst: Our former software supplier had to file for insolvency back in 2008. We knew immediately that wed need a new
and above all reliable solution that
also provides modern and extended functionalities. Since then, Linde
has pursued a uniform SAP strategy. It was therefore obvious that
wed select an SAP system. The
only thing missing was the right
partner.
inconso: And you found the right
partner in inconso?
Reinhard Probst: We consider
inconso to be the optimal, strategic logistics IT partner. Regrettably, due to Linde internal decisions,
we couldnt restart the project until
2011. We were happy to quickly get the
project under way with inconso. Their
project realization greatly impressed
us. Especially inconsos intensive
support during the go-lives, which
ensured a smooth system start-up,
impressed us.

inconso: What did the project agenda look like?

Reinhard Probst: We started in February 2012 with the definition phase,
meaning with the joint creation and
acceptance of the business blueprint. The analysis phase, in which
we created the documentation and
test cases, began in May. In the development and customizing phase
from June 2012 to February 2013, we
commenced implementation. inconso and the Linde project team carried out several milestone workshops
and continuously supplemented the
documentation, one of the most important duties in the gas industry.
The verification phase with integration tests and user training courses
occurred parallel to the development
and customizing phase. In January
and February, conveyor technology
tests were run on several weekends.
We could finally go live in May 2013.
inconso also supported us during the
stabilization phase, which was followed by the seamless transition to
the support phase.

Reinhard Probst: inconso was an

excellent partner in all aspects. The
project was completed on time and
budget, exactly as planned. All of our
logistics requirements regarding the
system were realized and the heterogeneous order spectrum can now be
managed by efficient processes. Additional rollouts for our site in Switzerland or the large warehouse in Marl
are already being planned.

inconso: Are you satisfied with the

way things went?

inconso: Thank you for taking the

time to talk to us.

Source: Linde Gas

15

Imprint
Publisher:
inconso AG, Bad Nauheim
Editorial Address:
inconso AG, Marketing & Communications,
Dieselstrae 17, 61231 Bad Nauheim
marketing@inconso.de
Phone: +49 6032 348-0, Telefax: +49 6032 348-100
Headquarters:
Bad Nauheim
Locations:
Bremen, Dresden, Essen, Gallin, Hamburg, Heidelberg,
Cologne, Mnster, Sindelfingen, Lyon (F), Madrid (ES)

Source: BFS Baur Fulfillment Solutions

mail@inconso.de | www.inconso.com