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Seize opportunities and generate benefits: Marabu GmbH & Co. KG trusts in S&P and the WMS SuPCIS-L8

18.07.2022

Colours, colours, colours - as far as the eye can see. Marabu GmbH & Co. KG is one of the world's leading manufacturers of screen, digital and pad printing inks with its headquarters in the technology region of Stuttgart.

For more than 150 years, Marabu has been developing ink series that have repeatedly set milestones worldwide in both industrial and graphic applications, standing for high-quality special inks with the quality label »Made in Germany«. In addition, there is the traditional business division Creative Paints for hobby, art and school.

Continuous growth and increasing customer demands require changes and process optimisations in the warehouse in order to ensure future viability and competitiveness in the long term and to be able to meet customer demands in the long term. In addition to basic requirements for the new warehouse management software, a solution was also sought at this point that could also be flexibly adapted and expanded in the future to the growth of the company. Challenge accepted - so Marabu decided to implement the warehouse management software SuPCIS-L8 as part of a modernisation project. First at the location in Bietigheim-Bissingen and then also in the warehouse in Tamm. A major challenge in the modernisation project was that the conversion of old and new processes had to be carried out during ongoing operations. To ensure that the changeover was as trouble-free as possible, an intensive test phase was carried out and completed in advance.
Through the introduction of the WMS SuPCIS-L8, Marabu has since been using all the advantages of a modern warehouse management software: from goods receipt to order picking to shipping, the WMS SuPCIS-L8 ensures smooth and digital processes in the paint manufacturer's warehouse. In addition, the integration with the ERP system of IFS Deutschland GmbH enables the WMS to provide information on order progress and the current stock situation in real time.

Recipe for Success Logistics Strategy - Efficiently Solving Challenges in the Warehouse
When designing the warehouse strategies, the project partners S&P and Marabu focused on uniform processes for both locations. Processes and strategies that are used with the WMS SuPCIS-L8 in Bietigheim-Bissingen can also be found at the warehouse location in Tamm. By digitising the processes, a flexible and transparent material flow was made possible. In addition, mobile consolidation, packaging and loading processes were introduced and optimised in accordance with the applicable handling regulations.
At both locations, Marabu also relies on the integration of hazardous materials handling: a large proportion of the items stored at Marabu are hazardous materials, so that they have to be labelled and declared accordingly for transport. The necessary hazardous material data is transferred to the warehouse management system via an interface to the ERP system. The same applies to the reference weights that have to be taken into account for the various shipping options. By managing hazardous materials with SuPCIS-L8, Marabu has a control function for the entire process, a transparent supply chain and the best possible handling of their hazardous materials in the warehouse - the potential for danger is reduced. Another special feature at Marabu is the returns processing. To ensure that the returns can be collected quickly and independently in the WMS, the data of the outbound deliveries are retained in the WMS and can then be easily referenced in the event of a return.

Efficient and transparent interaction for a colourful future
Integrated multi-order picking ensures route-optimised and paperless order picking at both locations. However, while pick-and-pack picking is used in Bietigheim-Bissingen, the employees in Tamm use MDE devices to pick orders in mesh boxes. The use of mobile printers also makes it possible to label the goods and to apply shipping labels to the packages ready for dispatch during the picking process, thus reducing the time spent at the packing station. The result: modern warehousing with minimised travel times, maximum efficiency and a reduction in the ecological footprint. Marabu has been a climate-neutral company since 2021 and has thus achieved another important milestone in its sustainability strategy.

»Our custom-fit software solution enables Marabu to react flexibly to market requirements in the long term. The intelligent processes and workflows map all of Marabu's requirements and make the best possible use of the potential in the warehouse,« says Renata Unger (project manager at S&P Computersysteme GmbH).



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