Lauterach - 04.12.2007
From Bottleneck to Success Factor
x|vise sets the course for the future of logistics at Drexel und Weiss
Growth requires optimum basic conditions for logistics. This is why x|vise innovative logistics, a subsidiary of Gebrüder Weiss, is helping zero-energy house pioneer Drexel und Weiss set the course for a high-performance logistics structure. The market leader in zero-energy housing technology is currently undergoing rapid expansion due to the rising demand. Consequently, logistics processes have become a more important factor for the company. "When you are on the threshold between being a small business and becoming a medium-sized business, logistics suddenly play a very important role in operations,” says engineer Christof Drexel, Managing Director at Drexel und Weiss.
Challenging estimates Valuable knowledge transfer However, the Managing Director sees the greatest benefit for Drexel and Weiss as the journey, not the destination. During the mutual planning phase x|vise had demonstrated the correlations and helped Drexel and Weiss become more familiar with the methods. "Thanks to this knowledge transfer we were eventually able to design the ideal logistics solution for us using our own resources,” says Christof Drexel. "The work resulted in a professional logistics structure that satisfies our needs.” x|vise innovative logistics is a subsidiary of Gebrüder Weiss. A total of 12 individuals are employed in the branch offices in Lauterach, Vienna, Graz and Dubai. The consulting firm focused on real-world solutions specialises in the analysis and optimisation of logistics processes. The company concentrates on the areas of warehousing, procurement, distribution and designing information processes.
After making the decision to expand warehouse capacity at the Drexel und Weiss headquarters in Wolfurt, Christof Drexel approached the logistics advisors at x|vise innovative logistics. x|vise Project Manager Alexander Kieslinger describes the greatest challenge in the scope of the project as creating the estimates for required space: "We needed to calculate the storage space needed in the future and determine how long the warehouse would satisfy the customer’s requirements considering the dynamic nature of their business.” Inventory growth estimates through 2009 indicated that a larger warehouse alone would not be sufficient to cover the growth in quantities and stock in the mid term. "Purchasing will need to make adjustments,” explains Alexander Kieslinger, "in order to achieve shorter procurement cycles and to have producers store some of the components themselves.”
"We entered the project with the goal of finding out how to optimise the warehouse,” says Drexel. At the time we didn't realise that the warehouse also represents an extremely important interface to our external logistics. According to Alexander Kieslinger, the existing driveway leading to the building and a single ramp would soon be inadequate for efficient loading and unloading of vehicles, so additional construction measures and organisational adjustments have been planned. "This has set the course for the future,” Christof Drexel says enthusiastically about the solution.
Sina Balke
Gebrüder Weiss GmbH
Bundesstraße 110, A 6923 Lauterach
press@gw-world.com
T +43.5574.696.2168
F +43.5.9006.2173
http://www.gw-world.com/
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