Technical wholesale sector: between cable drums, construction site and warehouse. (Part 1/2)

Technical wholesalers are more than just a link between manufacturers, specialist dealers and commercial customers. It keeps construction sites running, supplies tradespeople and supplies industries and the public sector. Whether cables, electrical parts, machines, building materials or special parts - wholesalers handle countless flows of goods every day.

They move goods that could not be more different. Sometimes it's steel girders weighing tons, sometimes tiny fuses. And it is precisely this tension between "big and small" that makes everyday life in technical wholesale so challenging.

This is where smart software solutions come in, streamlining processes and creating transparency. So that no construction site stands still and every tool is on the shelf on time.

What different wholesalers are there?

• Electrical wholesale: cables, switches, control panels and lighting.
• Wholesale of building materials: concrete, steel, wood, sanitary supplies and insulation materials.
• Machine and tool wholesalers: machines and tools for construction and manufacturing.
• Electronics wholesale: components, semiconductors and computer accessories.
• Automotive wholesale: spare parts, accessories and workshop equipment for the automotive industry.
• IT wholesale: hardware, software, network technology and peripherals.
• Energy and environmental technology wholesale: solutions for renewable energies and environmental technology.
• Telecommunications wholesale: telephony, networks and communications equipment.

Our customers - big names in the industry.

Whether Hermann Müller, Granzow, Jäger Direkt/Werk28, Farbtex, Hartje, Eisenhart Laeppché GmbH, Fega & Schmitt, Moster, Elsinghorst Handel, Börner, Zander, Adam Hall or Kramp - the list goes on and on. They are all representative of an industry that proves day after day how important smooth processes and efficient logistics are.

Where the shoe pinches: Challenges in technical wholesale.

• Coordination of various shipping service providers, freight forwarders and the company's own fleet of vehicles.
  This is where tactics are used, with time windows, routes and capacities. Everything has to fit.
• Managing a huge range of products.
  From tiny screws to bulky pipes - everything needs to be stored, found and delivered together.
• Management of cable drums and precise cable cutting.
  drums must be managed in the system and cables cut to the millimeter.
• Direct sales at the counter to tradesmen.
  While orders are being processed in the background, everything has to be ready at the counter.
• Specially procured goods.
  Some things have to be ordered separately and yet the customer must receive their delivery on time.
• Consolidation of orders.
  Instead of filling up the truck three times a day, orders are collected - for a bundled delivery per day or week.

Solutions that work.

• Intelligent route control & route management for optimum route planning.
  So that every journey is planned efficiently and no kilometers are driven unnecessarily.
• Yard and gate management ensures order.
  Whoever is entering, leaving or waiting is digitally controlled for less stress.
• Order consolidation so that deliveries are made efficiently.
  Multiple orders are bundled into one delivery. Saves time, costs and nerves.
• Package planning for maximum overview.
  The system already determines how everything fits best in cartons, on pallets or in trucks.
• Reel management that keeps cables and co. under control.
  Cable reels are managed digitally so that cuts and returns work smoothly.
• Virtual picking area with real-time inventory data.
  Know exactly what is available at all times. No nasty surprises during picking.
• Cross-docking process for the management of special goods.
  Specially procured goods are delivered directly to the customer without unnecessary intermediate storage.
• Collective order creation for even more efficiency.
  Combine individual orders and make everyone happy with one delivery.

Challenge 1: Coordination of various shipping service providers, forwarding agents and the company's own fleet of vehicles.

The technical wholesaler supplies construction sites, trade businesses, retailers and industrial customers. Every delivery should arrive on time and at a fair cost. Whether it's overnight replenishment deliveries or on-time deliveries at lunchtime - the planning has to be spot on. Otherwise there is a risk of chaos, delays and dissatisfied customers.

In everyday life this means:

• A delivery is made the next morning to a craft business in the neighboring village.
• At the same time, a major construction site 500 kilometers away is waiting for urgently needed materials.
• And the company's own fleet should be optimally utilized, while freight forwarders and shipping service providers are seamlessly integrated.

Solution 1: Intelligent route control & route management

Our software plans each route, the times and the loading of the vehicles. This means that one tour starts a little earlier so that both customers - the local trade business and the large construction site in the distance - are supplied reliably and on time.

Route control is the "link" between order, package and transport. It ensures that all relevant orders are planned, picked, packed and loaded correctly and in line with the touring requirements - with maximum transparency and control options for the control station. The result: less stress, less idle time and satisfied customers.

Solution 2: Yard and gate management

Good planning does not end on the road. What actually happens when the trucks arrive on the factory premises? This is exactly where it is decided whether things run smoothly or whether valuable time is lost in queues.

Our yard and gate management provides an overview:

• Which gate is free?
• Which truck is waiting?
• Which resource is currently available?

This reduces waiting times, improves capacity utilization and keeps the flow of goods stable.

You can find detailed information on yard and goal management in this blog post.

Challenge 2: Managing a huge product range.

For technical wholesalers, product range diversity is part of everyday life. An 8-meter cable duct meets a small fuse, and both need to arrive at the customer's premises together. And this has to be done reliably, quickly and in as few packages as possible. The problem: small parts and large items are often stored in different storage zones - from the outdoor block warehouse to the small parts warehouse. Conversely, this also means different processes. And this is exactly what can make picking and shipping a challenge. Only a professional control system can solve the problem.

Solution 1: Order consolidation

The software coordinates all goods movements.

• Buffer stock: Orders from different areas are collected until they are complete.
• Full transparency: employees can see the order status at the packing station at all times.
• Packing station: Only when everything has been picked is it packed. And in such a way that it makes sense.

The result: no searching, no back and forth. Everything ends up in the right place at the right time.

You can find more details in this blog post.

Solution 2: Package planning

Let's be honest: who wants to send air unnecessarily? Nobody. And that's exactly why automatic package planning makes all the difference. It is closely linked to order consolidation. The software plans in advance based on shipping type, quantity, volume and weight:

• How many packages does the order require?
• Which size fits best?
• What regulations and restrictions must be observed?

This results in few and optimally filled packages. Packed full, but not stuffed full. This saves filling material, protects the environment and reduces costs.

Pro tip: In order for the cartons to be calculated correctly, master data such as length, width, height and weight must be maintained. Volume measurement systems help to record the size data and ensure the necessary precision.

Challenge 3: Management of cable drums and precise cable cutting.

The management of cable drums seems simple. In reality, however, it is a supreme logistical discipline. Over the years, many companies have developed processes that are neither planned nor digitally supported. The result: paper lists, calls in the warehouse and unsafe stocks. In short: cable intralogistics is often still old-school.

The dilemma with the meters.
Let's take a simple example: A customer orders 10 meters of cable. Sounds easy, right?

• 2 x 5 meters? Doesn't fit.
• Cut exactly 10 meters to length? Risky, can quickly be too short.
• Practice in the warehouse: cut to length between 10.5 and 11 meters.

This results in leftover pieces, confusing rolls and chaos. Plus a paper slip on which someone manually enters how much is left. And in case of doubt, the whole thing is only noticed again when the drum is empty.

Solution: Drum management

Our solution mirrors the cable drum data directly from the ERP system - precisely, transparently and retrievable at any time.

• Precise control during cutting: no more "pi times thumbs".
• Automatic replenishment: When things get tight, drums come directly from the pallet warehouse.
• Fewer errors, more efficiency: employees save time and the error rate drops.
• Full transparency: always clear how much is left on which drum.

Conclusion: With digital support, cable logistics is no longer a game of chance. Companies can control the cutting process precisely, save time and ensure a smooth flow of materials.

The detailed process description for cable logistics can be found here.

The first three challenges already show that everyday life in technical wholesale is anything but routine. Without digital support, there is a risk of inefficiency, chaos and, in the worst case, dissatisfied customers. But with the right software solutions, even cable drums, routes and product diversity can be managed with ease.

In the second part, we look at the next challenges - from counter sales and special procurements to order consolidation. Here it becomes clear how flexible, fast and sustainable modern processes can be designed.