With Transwide solutions, the Paul Hartmann Group strives towards excellence in the way it manages

July 8, 2013 - PRLog -- Brussels, July 8th 2013 – “Zero defect”: that’s the motto of the Paul Hartmann Group, who are committed to getting the most out of technology and logistics practices to enhance their growth, both now and in the future. After making the decision in 2010, when it opened its new platform at Belleville-sur-Saône (48,000 m2) to use Transwide SaaS-based TMS solutions to optimise all of its inbound factory, supplier and dealer deliveries in Europe and around the world, the Paul Hartmann Group has just embraced a new phase in its relationship with this software developer.

On the strength of the success of the first inbound “Trade” optimisation and planning project, the Paul Hartmann Group has recently adopted new modules boasting considerable added value to draw on performance indicators within France and enhance its management of intercompany logistics across Europe. “The best illustration of the relevance of Transwide solutions within our organisations is the fact that we estimate that we were seeing a return on investment (ROI) after 3 months, with our first inbound management and planning project,” explains Paul Hartmann France’s Logistics Project Manager, Fabrice Mast.

Transwide solutions at the heart of Paul Hartmann France’s transport management

An integral part of Paul Hartmann France’s upstream supply chain, Transwide’s TMS solutions now manage 100% of arrivals from factories, suppliers and dealers every day. It uses three modules: twCall-Off, dedicated to electronic communication of transport orders; twSlot, designed to manage carriers’ schedules via an online portal; and twSlot Partner Page, specifically designed for our suppliers’ carriers who are not listed by Paul Hartmann but who can still schedule appointments. As well as the fact that all low added value administrative tasks have been disposed of, the Transwide TMS gives Paul Hartmann France a relevant, comprehensive overview of its daily traffic, so that it can anticipate and optimise the management of the arrival of more than 30 articulated lorries and the loading of over 80 lorries every day.

All this in perfect harmony with the SAP ERP, so there is a two-way interface between the Paul Hartmann Group’s information system and the Transwide solutions. Depending on the volume of supplies needed on a particular day, the day before, SAP prepares twenty or even thirty transport orders, which are automatically passed on to the carriers involved online (twCall-Off, as well as email notifications). These carriers log on to the web portal, using twSlot, to schedule their day according to the time slots available or requested (morning, afternoon, or specific time), and/or specific requirements for the delivery (designated building or bay). Once the carrier is onsite and the pallets have been scanned, the transport order is closed and the purchase order created in SAP, so the pre-invoicing process can be managed in real time. As well as this, the Transwide TMS manages dealers’ remainders by offering the option to schedule deliveries for carriers who aren’t listed.

The Transwide modules have managed to meet the demands of the Belleville platform perfectly, by harmonising and facilitating arrivals. To such an extent that Paul Hartmann no longer has any penalties for failing to fulfil unloading deadlines. Fabrice Mast adds, “The schedule planning managed by Transwide is incredibly accurate. There are zero defects in terms of shortages or congestion.”

With a view to taking the optimisation and management of arrivals even further using performance indicators, Paul Hartmann France has decided to add three new modules to its Transwide TMS solution: twData, dedicated to extracting data in Excel to generate KPIs; twControl, designed to send out notification emails about any issues; and twSelect for sequential or simultaneous “cascaded” tendering and quota management. “With a transport budget of around € 23 million a year, we are always having to look for options for improving productivity in this area, at the moment focusing on inbound distribution, and in the near future for client deliveries”.

Transwide TMS solutions at the heart of a “zero defect” approach to managing intercompany logistics

To manage its inter-company logistics throughout Europe more efficiently, the Paul Hartmann Group has just extended its use of Transwide TMS solutions to its 40 European logistics sites. The Belleville logistics platform has decided to introduce the twTrace module, so that everyone in the transport chain can check the status of a consignment, from loading through to delivery. Paul Hartmann has also chosen to launch Transwide’s Business Intelligence (BI) module, which provides the analysis, statistics and illustrations needed to optimise transport management and deal with urgent jobs, according to a defined frequency.

Fabrice Mast sums up by explaining, “We are witnessing a rise in the use of Transwide TMS solutions within the Paul Hartmann Group. Over a hundred of our employees are now using them every day. Incredibly versatile and modular, Transwide’s SaaS-based TMS helps us develop and optimise our transport chain.”

About Hartmann

A world leader in the field of dressings, hygiene products and products for use in operating theatres, the Paul Hartmann Group was founded in 1818 and now has 9,000 employees, working in 37 countries on 5 continents. Its turnover exceeds 1.3 billion Euros. With over 346 million Euros and 1,000 employees, France is the Paul Hartmann Group’s number one subsidiary, with two production sites and 3 logistics centres.

About Transwide

A division of Wolters Kluwer Transport Services, Transwide is an on-demand transport management solution, offering shippers and carriers a complete range of applications dedicated to transport management (TMS: Transport Management System), planning and optimisation, procurement and transport administration. It provides modular, on-demand transport management solutions. Transwide is a SaaS-based collaborative platform with which users can enhance their operational and economic performance thanks to planning, visibility and cost management tools. It currently connects more than 500 different businesses, including some of the world’s major players, to a network of over 18,000 logistics service providers.


Media contacts

Michael Laermann

Marketing Manager, WKTS – Transwide

Tel. : + 32 (2) 722 99 57 – Email : mlaermann@transwide.com

Twitter : @transwide