Berlin, October 11, 2016 B2B and B2C logistics from a single source? Rieck has developed a solution for its new customer Warmies that makes it possible to handle the entire shipping process to wholesalers and end consumers in parallel from a single warehouse.
Cuddly toys in the microwave? An unusual combination, but that’s exactly the Warmies business model. The fluffy bunnies, bears or owls are filled with a natural mixture of herbs and grains that heats up in the microwave and then provides soothing warmth for up to an hour and a half. The warming stuffed animals are sold through pharmacies, selected specialist retailers and directly to end customers via the company’s own web store. Demand is increasing, especially now that the cold season is approaching. In order to be able to reliably supply all customers, the Lübeck-based manufacturer Greenlife Value has entrusted the Rieck Logistics Group with the complete shipping process.
One product, versatile order structures
At the start of the peak season for warmies, all orders are received by the Berlin logistics service provider. The system forwards both B2B and B2C order data to mobile data collection devices. Rieck employees then pick the goods from stock in a route-optimized manner and dispatch them.
“The challenge lies in the different order structures and individual customer requirements,” explains Patrick von Oy, Managing Director of Rieck Projekt Kontrakt Logistik in Berlin. “For example, a pharmacy wholesaler orders boxes of twelve Warmies in one color only, while a large specialist retail customer wants 20 warming stuffed animals in different colors in one box and with their own item numbers on the product in special packaging. Then there are the individual orders from the customer’s web store.” In order to be able to handle these recipient-dependent processes smoothly, Rieck spent five months analyzing the needs of the customer Warmies, adapting IT processes and work steps and programming and testing software interfaces.
Five packing stations for individual special handling
The result: all processes and information about special handling, such as weight or packaging specifications, are displayed and monitored for employees via the monitors at the Warmies-specific packing stations. This means that B2B and B2C orders can be processed in parallel. The two printers at each packing station differentiate between department store and pharmacy shipments. “Pharmacies use different labels than retailers because they work with a different barcode system,” explains Patrick von Oy. The logistics company also designed these labels in-house. “Rieck has integrated all processes into the IT system so effectively and flexibly that we can react quickly if requirements change,” says Kai Zimmermann, Head of Operations at Greenlife Value. “This process orientation convinced us right from the start.”
