Hoek group has improved its logistical efficiency and flexibility with an integrated WMS/WCS from Actemium. “The WMS/WCS offers real-time insight into order processing, which allows us to deliver the right flowers, plants and accessories to our customers on time,” says Ruben Hoek. “Thanks to a doubling of efficiency, we can now process many more orders and adjust our capacity more flexibly to demand.”
“We have invested in a new sustainable building with modern technology to continue to realize our growth ambitions. Within this new building, all activities that were previously carried out at five locations by 200 employees are housed and at the same time better integrated with each other. In order to increase both the efficiency and flexibility of our logistics, we have consciously opted for a mix of mechanized, robotized and partly manual order processing.”
Ordered today, delivered tomorrow
The lead time from receipt from the auction to order processing is crucial. “We supply flowers and plants to florists, wedding and event planners in more than 52 countries,” says IT department manager Marcel van Egmond. “Customers from the United Kingdom, for example, who order before four o’clock in the afternoon, have fresh flowers and plants in their store the next morning. Each order starts in our Florisoft ERP system and is forwarded to the WMS/WCS. Here, based on smart algorithms, orders are scheduled, all ordered products are picked in the storage area and placed on our conveyor belt system. Part of our stock is picked with a goods2person system that brings trolleys with stock to the order pickers.
After order picking, the barrels are transported to the packing area, or directly to the order assembly area. In the packing area, the barrels are sorted and buffered per order and some of the flowers are packed. They are then transported back to the assembly area. As a final process, all boxes and barrels in the assembly area are sorted to the correct assembly location and placed on trolleys in preparation for dispatch. For the management of these logistic processes and the integral real-time management of all equipment, we went in search of the most suitable software for logistic management and control (WMS/WCS).”
Rail Guided Vehicles
Hoek group has approximately 2,200 containers with flowers, plants and accessories in stock, of which approximately one third is sold daily. All orders are collected with approximately 4,000 pick orders per hour. This is done via the WMS/WCS, partly manually and partly mechanized with Rail Guided Vehicles (RGV). “We have more than doubled the efficiency of order picking with this mechanisation and automation project,” says van Egmond. “In the coming period, we will increase efficiency even further by, among other things, deploying 25 additional RGVs. Other advantages of the WMS/WCS control are the ability to prioritize order processing more flexibly, better insight into the required personnel capacity and more checks to prevent errors in deliveries.”
