Introduction
When Puregas had a requirement to upgrade their cylinder tracking system, FSL Consulting brought in GraniteWMS as a solution. While Sage 300 integration was the main driver of the change, the data GraniteWMS provided also enabled FSL to create an automated rental system which led to increased rental income and improved customer behaviour.
The Client
With over 50 years experience in the gas industry, Puregas is a leading supplier of purified and blended hydrocarbon gas in Southern Africa. Puregas works with approximately 5000 gas cylinders and needs to control and report on the movement of these cylinders, while maintaining a continuous workflow. At any time Puregas needs to know its cylinder’s physical location, specific contents, and whether a cylinder is empty or filled.
The Problem
Before implementing GraniteWMS, Puregas had an in-house tracking system in place. This system was set up by FSL Consulting and had been running successfully for five years, taking Puregas from 20% accuracy to 80% accuracy in tracking its cylinders. After five years however, the system needed to be upgraded. The scanners being used were out of date and the design of the system meant that a new development was necessary if they were to integrate Sage 300c. Taking the lessons learned from the previous system, FSL Consulting built a scope for a new requirement. They needed a tracking and management system that would integrate easily into Sage 300, while still providing accurate oversight and tracking of all cylinders.
The Solution
In 2018, GraniteWMS was engaged by FSL Consulting to implement its warehouse management system at Puregas. GraniteWMS was a solution that could not only track their cylinders with the level of detail needed, but also offered easy integration into Sage 300. The Granite Warehouse Management System is a software designed to deliver a simple and efficient warehouse management solution to businesses in need of a standardised barcode-based solution.
GraniteWMS is purpose-built, simple to implement, and easy to use. It can be easily integrated into an existing ERP, such as Sage 300, and allows for end-to-end traceability of stock items through labelling, scanning, and process visibility. GraniteWMS was implemented at Puregas in October 2018 through a phased implementation. FSL worked closely with GraniteWMS, which provided ongoing commitment to getting the system set up and running in the way that was needed. Due to the flexible nature of GraniteWMS, FSL Consulting was able to not only implement a standard warehouse management system but also able to build an automated rental system on top of it, using the data available from GraniteWMS. This was not just a standard warehousing solution. Rather than a static implementation, it is a constantly evolving site with new functionality continually being rolled out. In addition to the successful cylinder tracking for rentals, FSL is also in the process of assembly integration, which will be up and running soon.
Outcome
By using the GraniteWMS data to implement better tracking of rental cylinders, Puregas has seen a significant change in customer behaviour and has benefited from improved workflow due to the automation of rental invoicing. The high level of traceability that GraniteWMS provides enabled FSL Consulting to build a complete rental tracking system on top of the standard warehouse management solution. It is this rental system and the reporting that goes with it that has led to a change in customer behaviour. Because Puregas now has complete insight into which cylinders are deployed at any particular rental customer, they have closed a number of reconciliation issues caused by uncertainty around the number of cylinders a customer has on site. Reporting transparency has enabled customers to better perform their own stock take, to ensure they know where all the cylinders are, leading to improved cylinder rotation as empty or unused cylinders are returned. For Puregas, this not only increases rental revenue accuracy but also reduces the risk of losing cylinders, while the rotation of cylinders increases effective use of assets. It also enabled improved customer service through clear communication, reduced errors, and easy usage tracking. While the old tracking system had an 80% accuracy rate for tracking cylinders, with the implementation of GraniteWMS, this increased to over 90%. The flexibility of GraniteWMS also allowed for additional control measures to be put in place around business processes, leading to more efficient workflows. Together, FSL Consulting and GraniteWMS have provided ongoing support and continuous innovation for Puregas to support the ongoing needs of the business.
Contact GraniteWMS:
info@granitewms.com
www.granitewms.com
