In the fall of 2019, Pearl implemented SAP Extended Warehouse Management (EWM) for Borregaard. The system is integrated towards LIS's shelving system for a complete and automated storage solution.
By using an efficient and optimized EWM solution, in combination with the size and capacity of the warehouse, Borregaard's total storage of lignin products are collected under the same roof. Previously, the company had several external inventories for lignin. As one of the world's most sustainable producers of biochemicals and biomaterials, Borregaard is committed to solutions that can further reduce the carbon footprint associated with the product life cycle. Climate and environmental impact are therefore always an important part of all the company's investment projects. Effective zero-emission transport solutions, both for shipping raw materials into the plants and outgoing transport of products to customers, will reduce CO2 emissions associated with Borregaard's logist.
About Borregaard
Borregaard has one of the world's most advanced and sustainable bio refineries. Using natural, sustainable raw materials, Borregaard produces advanced and environmentally friendly biochemicals that can replace oil-based products. Borregaard has 1,100 employees at factories and sales offices in 16 countries in Europe, America, Asia and Africa. Borregaard also has strong positions in the industries of ingredients and fine chemicals.
Extended Warehouse Management
SAP EWM was first launched in 2005. Since then, the application has matured and is today one of the market's best inventory management systems.
SAP EWM can be implemented as either a decentralized system or as an integrated system. The latter, Embedded Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), requires S/4HANA as an ERP system and is a built-in application component in S/4HANA. With S/4HANA, the customer also has the opportunity to choose a decentralized EWM solution if, for strategic reasons, this is a more suitable solution for the unique customer.
For Borregaard, a decentralized EWM solution was implemented and integrated with their existing SAP ERP system. Pearl has good experience with such implementations. Easy-to-use apps were developed through the Fiori interface that gave Borregaard the functionality, simplicity, efficiency and storage control they needed, based on their specific needs. Once again, we learned that SAP's Fiori interface works well, both in terms of development opportunities and end-user experience of the solution.
Borregaard chose to use LIS's shelving system in its new warehouse. LIS is a total supplier of warehousing and logistics solutions for the corporate market in Norway. With over 40 years of experience from the Norwegian logistics industry, they provided a well-suited shelving system for Borregaard. Good communication and good interaction between the shelving system and the EWM solution was experienced. The integration between the systems made it possible to automate a good weight balance for the shelves in connection with placement and withdrawal of goods. In addition, the shelves are removable, allowing for good utilization of space, as well as automated access to products when needed.
Quality control and assurance is an important element in Borregaard's solution, and is thus integrated with ERP Quality Management via the EWM Quality Inspection Engine, to meet the quality requirements of the products.
Borregaard has streamlined the logistics of planning the carriers' access, from which the system automatically releases pickings that meet the customer-specific quality requirements, at the correct time to reach the departures. Outbound logistics is also fully integrated with their existing CMR solution.
Pearl is committed to using good solutions, which is an important foundation in all our projects. At the same time, any new project is a fantastic learning opportunity as no customers are the same! New experiences were also gained from the EWM implementation at Borregaard, which will benefit Borregaard and future/existing customers.
Feel free to contact us to talk more about Extended Warehouse Management, both integrated and decentralized, as we are the consultancy firm in Norway with the greatest expertise in this area.
Tom Berget
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