Distribution Expertise
Eric Veraart,
Corporate Supply Chain Manager & QSE
Since the beginning of 2015, Corporate Supply Chain Manager & QSE Eric Veraart has been conducting a critical review of all operational, logistics and IT processes at Van Leeuwen. ‘My focus is not only on what we accomplish, but especially on how we do that,’ says Veraart. ‘That provides new insights that form the basis for a redesign and standardization of our internal processes. Our ambition is an organization that best fits the diversity of our customers and the changes in market demand.’
‘Our pipes and components find their way to a wide variety of customers, ranging from new construction projects in the Energy segment, and MRO contracts with local and global organizations to a variety of customers in the Industry market segment,’ says Veraart. ‘By standardizing our processes, we ensure that our internal processes reinforce one another as much as possible. By combining the strengths of the various branches, we are able to even better and faster meet customer demand. Our MRO customers require fast delivery. Van Leeuwen therefore provides flexible processes and an effective transportation network. Because we are equipped to carry out complex projects, we are also capable of providing added value services, such as performing additional treatments, storing customer-specific stocks and providing smart logistics solutions.
In 2016, we decided to continue to invest in plant and machinery. Our cutting capacity in Europe is being extended considerably, and by increasing efficiency relating to picking and logistics, we ensure a better time-to-market.
The redesign is taking place as part of the LeeuwOne Project: Leeuwen, Excellence, Efficiency, Uniformized, Way of Working. It is supported by a single IT platform that will first be rolled out in Europe. By working with a single database, a single system and a single multi-locati on stock, we digitally open up our physical stock, spread across branches, to all sales people, and thus our customers. In the near future, at the push of a button, our sales staff will be able to see which products are available in which warehouses, as well as the status of a delivery. Sales transactions will take place faster and simpler, reducing the risk of mistakes.
The optimal availability and accessibility of our product range must obviously be supported by a smooth operation. Veraart: ‘To ensure reliable time-to-market delivery, we are improving our efficiency in the area of treatments, picking and logistics. Process efficiency and quality go hand in hand. A good example of this is the introduction of a supplier portal: suppliers in real-time, via the internet, can reserve their own unloading timeslot in our warehouses. The supplier itself can now determine the time of delivery and the goods are unloaded at the agreed upon time. We have become more flexible and reliable, while at the same time less coordination is required and waiting times have virtually disappeared.
The process improvements and investments open up the path to modern services. Our customers want to have access to real-time information in the future and be able to conduct a lot of their business electronically. It is our ambition that customers, no matter where in the world, can count on the same high level of service: flexible, reliable and contemporary.’
 |
‘Van Leeuwen opts for |
|
Jochen van Rooij, |
Since 2016, Van Leeuwen has been working on a complete redesign of its IT system. This redesign is aimed at optimally synchronizing customer requirements and internal processes. Because of this ambition, a significant investment was made in SAP S/4 HANA (High Performance ANalytic Appliance), an advanced platform that provides our operations with real-time access via a single database to information about stocks, transactions, deliveries and reports. Through means of this platform we can respond fast and flexibly to market developments, increase delivery reliability and shorten delivery times.
The combination of the newest IT technology and the redesign of processes, ensures that our processes are in line with future developments. All kinds of new services are coming within reach. For example, booking orders via a webshop and the online tracking & tracing of deliveries. Another big advantage is that by reporting from a single system, we can easily compare the performance of the branches, for example in terms of reliability and cost reduction. With these investments in advanced IT, Van Leeuwen can move in any direction when it comes to developing contemporary services.’
 |
‘We enable our customers |
| David Gregory, Operations Manager, United Kingdom |
|
‘Van Leeuwen does not just supply pipes. We like to be a crucial link in the customer’s production planning process. We consider it an honor to enable our customers to respond fast and efficiently to their own customer orders on the basis of our just-in-time delivery. For example, Van Leeuwen United Kingdom supplies chromium-plated pipes to a large producer of hydraulic cylinders. We purchase the pipes with the margin on the outside diameter for polishing and chroming specified by the customer.
On the basis of the customer’s production schedules, we cut the various diameters precisely to the required lengths in our warehouse in Brierley Hill. After that, we cooperate with a treatment specialist for further treatment, chroming, polishing, and packaging in special protective packaging materials. We then collect the materials and sort them according to size and length in a dedicated storage area in our warehouse, so that we can quickly pick the requested products for each order placed by the customer.
This means that the customer can order exactly the required quantity of ready-made products from our stock, without the need for maintaining large stocks itself. Furthermore, Van Leeuwen guarantees quality and traceability. Every delivered batch is given a unique identification number in our SAP S/4 HANA system and is traceable to the originally purchased pipes and the corresponding test certificate.’