STRÖSSNER: Screw wholesaler optimizes inventory with intelligent software

The successful introduction of REMIRA's TIA A3 software solution has significantly improved operational processes at screw wholesaler Strössner. The family-owned company has been able to optimize its inventory and product availability while reducing tied-up capital. Strössner now also relies on a REMIRA solution for stocktaking, which has reduced counting time by approximately 95%.

Founded in 1890, Strössner is a family-owned company based in Hof, Franconia, Germany. It is a wholesaler of screws, fasteners, tools, and occupational safety equipment. Its customers include industrial companies, metalworkers, craftsmen, and DIY enthusiasts. Strössner has around 17,000 items in stock and is known for its good service and high level of expertise. The company currently employs eight people.

Goal: Less capital tied up in inventory

Before introducing sales & operations planning (S&OP) software, it was difficult to maintain an overview due to the large number of items, recalls managing director Herbert Strößner. The target and minimum stock levels for stock keeping units (SKUs) were calculated once a year and adjusted manually in the ERP system in the meantime. The figures were therefore very inaccurate. Particularly problematic were the high stock levels of items in product group D, which are rarely in demand. These accounted for around 37% of the total value of goods in stock. “Of course, customers expect a competent wholesaler to be able to deliver these items too,” explains Herbert Strößner. The challenge is not to tie up too much storage space and capital for goods that are rarely in demand. As product cycles are becoming shorter and shorter, storage capacities also have to be adjusted more quickly than in the past, adds the managing director. “We had therefore been looking for a software solution to support us in our planning for some time. However, these were too expensive for small and medium-sized companies for a long time,” reports Herbert Strößner. That changed recently: with REMIRA's TIA A3 software, Strössner found a solution that is affordable and suitable for SMEs thanks to its customizable modules.

“We were hoping for more transparency about our inventory, better product availability, and less tied-up capital. It actually worked from day one,”

sums up the managing director.

Strössner uses the software primarily for order proposals and scheduling. The data for merchandise management is now automatically transferred to the system every night, enabling a high level of transparency and a significantly improved overview of inventory. "Our warehouse capacities can now also be used much more efficiently. With TIA A3, the inventory of items in product group D has been reduced from 37% to 25% of the total value of goods. The software has also helped us to identify these items more easily," says Strößner.

Despite inventory optimization, items that are rarely requested can still be delivered on demand. Strössner thus continues to be regarded as a competent specialist. The AI-based software has also further improved product availability by recognizing seasonal fluctuations in items and adjusting order proposals accordingly, which Herbert Strößner is particularly pleased about:

“Seasonal fluctuations also occur in items where you wouldn't expect them. Without TIA A3, we wouldn't have recognized this.”

Solution for sample stocktaking also impresses

The positive experience with REMIRA's solution prompted Strössner to also use software from the Dortmund-based specialist for stocktaking optimization: Strössner now uses STATCONTROL Cloud, REMIRA's SaaS solution, as a service inventory for statistically validated and PwC-certified sample stocktaking. "We used to carry out a full inventory. This meant that all employees had to work eight to ten hours on three Saturdays," recalls Herbert Strößner. Despite the high effort involved, the results were inaccurate because it is difficult to maintain concentration when counting over such a long period of time.

“With STATCONTROL Cloud, we now only need a total of two hours for the stocktaking process. Instead of around 17,000 items, we only have to count 900, which means the effort has been reduced by approximately 95%,”

reports the managing director.

Sample stocktaking as-a-service

REMIRA's web-based application enables a greatly simplified and guided stocktaking process without any installation or IT effort. The extrapolation method and the sequential test are combined in the software, and paperless counting can also be used as an option thanks to the integrated counting app.

Strössner uses STATCONTROL Cloud as a service. The company transfers the data to REMIRA via a secure transmission channel, where it is imported into the software and the samples to be counted are determined. Strössner then receives these back, carries out the counting and returns the data to REMIRA. STATCONTROL Cloud then performs the evaluation and extrapolation, and the final stocktaking reports are sent back to the customer. “The results have improved significantly with STATCONTROL Cloud, and the deviations from the actual inventory are less than 0.1% since we started using sample inventory,” says Herbert Strößner happily.

“Now we even look forward to the stocktaking process. I've never experienced that in 40 years! What used to be a nightmare has turned into a magical moment.”

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