Neptune Partner’s The Config Team implemented PreBilt™, a highly configurable mobile solution for the SAP supply chain, to manage stock movements within the facility.

Configuring the solution to meet the specific customer needs, PreBilt™ was deployed to manage a range of digital warehouse processes, including goods receipt, putaway, staging for production, picking, packing and loading. All helping to achieve the goal of creating a digital warehouse.

The new mobile solution allows users to carry out end-to-end supply chain activities from a mobile device, with the transactions directly updated in SAP in real time. Teams now have live up-to-date visibility of all stock, as Danielle Howarth, Business Project Manager at Whitecroft Lighting, explains: “PreBilt™ enables much improved visibility of our stock, with the knowledge that the quantities and locations being reported in SAP are accurate, has enabled quicker and more accurate picks.”

The team also utilizes the image capture functionality to take photos of orders as they are loaded onto the vehicle, which is then attached to the delivery note for a complete audit trail.

Operating a Just-in-Time approach to delivering materials for production, the manufacturer was looking to improve productivity and reduce downtime in waiting for materials. Previously there
was lots of paperwork involved, transferred to different trays for various stages of the process.

To address this need, The Config Team configured its Supply Chain Reporting solution, which enables key information to be displayed on large wallboards in the production area. The live data feed enables team leaders, managers and users to have real-time visibility of the status of all orders. It is clear to see what has been picked and staged, picked but not staged, what is in production and crucially, what work is building up to enable the reallocation of resources to busy areas, ensuring no bottlenecks are slowing down production.

With PreBilt™ up and running in the customer environment in less than three months, from the initial workshop, Whitecroft Lighting has seen immediate benefits in its operation, with all operatives engaged with the new solution, finding the intuitive interface easy to use, ensuring the quick realization of improvements.

Immediate benefits included:

• Increased inventory and picking accuracy
• End-to-end traceability
• Improved productivity
• Quicker dispatch times
• Improved customer experience

Commenting on the service provided by The Config Team, Danielle added: “The team working on our project at The Config Team were all brilliant. Some of the key consultants have been end-users, so they understood exactly what we were trying to achieve, which was really key for us and a massive plus point. The knowledge and experience instilled confidence straight away, and everyone was always very responsive, which took any implementation stress away for us.”

Whitecroft Lighting is one of the UK’s largest manufacturers of commercial lighting, providing tailored lighting solutions for commercial, industrial, healthcare and education applications.

Whitecroft Lighting has 370 employees, an annual turnover of £55m and undertakes all R&D, product design and manufacturing in its headquarters and neighboring 10,000sqm manufacturing facility. In recent years, Whitecroft Lighting has been at the forefront of sustainability and circularity in UK commercial lighting, leading the market in the development of products that minimize the use of material and promote reusability through replaceable modular hardware.

Industry Focus: Manufacturing
System Version: SAP WM
Devices: iOS and Android
Timeline:  3 months