König & Meyer experienced a total transformation of its warehouse logistics. The German manufacturer of music accessories not only moved into its new state-of-the-art logistics centre with space for 7,200 pallets, but also went live with its new warehouse management system (WMS) from AEB, a leading provider of global trade and supply chain management software and services.
“We didn’t want to move into our new logistics centre with our old solution, which relied heavily on manual processes,” explains Björn Brem, who heads the WMS project at König & Meyer. “Our aim was to create a forward-looking logistics concept by improving and – wherever feasible – automating our processes and workflows.”
König & Meyer opted for AEB’s ASSIST4 Warehouse Management solution because it had already successfully been running AEB’s shipping and export software for ten years. One highlight for König & Meyer is the pick-by-voice solution, which helps the pickers be more productive while reducing the incidence of errors. Another feature that helps streamline processes is the completely mobile solution for large-shipment packing. This consists almost entirely of repacking from warehouse pallets to shipping pallets, so it wasn’t feasible to work with a desktop computer, printer, or scales. König & Meyer is able to rely on mobile equipment instead.
“A large share of our shipments – about 90 to 110 pallets a day – goes to retailers and wholesalers. That’s why it was so important to us to find an efficient solution for large-consignment shipping,” Brem adds. Since König & Meyer also ships up to 130 packages a day to its B2B customers, the customer solution also includes a traditional packing station with a carrier link.
“Even during the start-up phase, our picking processes were already much more efficient and our warehouse transport routes much shorter. We’ll see more positive results once we start using the data generated in the system for analysis and optimisation,” says Brem. The company has achieved its goal of reducing picking errors. “Our customers are the direct beneficiaries,” says Brem.
Both König & Meyer’s project director Brem and AEB’s project director Dr. Jochen Fuhrmann were very happy with the working relationship during the project runtime of about a year: “We were able to keep to the ambitious go-live timeline even though many of the processes had to be set up for the first time and supported by the WMS. We ended up with a well-engineered solution that we were able to implement without any problems,” concludes Fuhrmann.
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About AEB (International) Ltd (www.aeb.com/uk)
For over 35 years, AEB has developed software to support the global trade and logistics processes of businesses in the industrial, commercial, and service sectors. More than 5,000 customers from over 35 countries use AEB solutions for transport and warehouse management, import and export management, preference management, and much more. They benefit from enhanced efficiency, compliance, and transparency – domestically and internationally – thanks to features such as customs and embargo checks, improved collaboration with supply chain partners, and automated shipping processes. AEB’s portfolio extends from ready-to-go online solutions to comprehensive logistics solutions. The company has offices in the UK, Germany, Singapore, Switzerland, Sweden, the Netherlands, Czech Republic, France, and the US, and runs its own certified data centre in Germany.
About König & Meyer (www.k-m.de/en/index.html)
Established over 65 years ago in the music industry , our company stands for sophisticated equipment with excellent quality. Our products are distinguished by innovative design, functionality and durability. As one of the world’s leading providers of music stands, microphone and instrument stands, speaker stands, seats and accessories for lighting, sound and studio technology, we constantly are challenged to develop innovative solutions for our customers’ needs and wishes. About 270 employees in Wertheim, Germany work together to fulfil this promise constantly. In accordance with our quality standards, almost all metal and plastic items are manufactured in in-house production. Over 1,500 stands and brackets are produced in our two plants in Germany and sold in 80 countries worldwide. Many of our products have already become classics as well as standards in the music industry. Numerous patents and international trademark rights substantiate König & Meyer’s innovative spirit. The proverbial durability of our products also supports environmental considerations.
