Supporting the optimisation of warehouse processes for a leading European foodservice business as part of a Digital transformation to SAP S/4HANA

Digital transformation to SAP S/4HANA and digital supply chain for a nationwide network of cash-and-carry and delivery service wholesale outlets, serving large and small-scale companies in the hospitality industry, leisure facilities, caterers, large-volume users, company restaurants, petrol stations, small and medium-sized enterprises, small retail businesses, and the institutional market.

The Challenge

Supporting the business strategy to continue scale-up and stabilise operating margins, the supply chain required an overhaul to overcome current challenges, introduce greater controls and move towards common ways of working in order to ensure more consistent output, productivity and predictability.

The Solution & Approach

Working as part of a wider SAP S/4HANA transformation project led by a global system integrator, Rocket are providing specialist supply chain operations and SAP digital supply chain software expertise to this project.

Updating the current supply chain solution will bring greater reliability and consistency to the customer supply and provide greater controls and management to the warehouses. However, this project impacts significant change across all areas:

Systems - moving to SAP Extended Warehouse Management (SAP EWM).

Technology - moving to SAP HANA and modernisation of operational technology.

Operations - improvement and standardisation of business process and ways of working.

People - change management across multiple sites.

Acknowledging the Change Management challenges, the project is using an MVP (Minimal Viable Product) approach, first targeting the core requirements and mitigation of priority pain-points currently impacting the supply chain.

The MVP approach provides a short time to value without deviating from the longer-term strategic needs and supporting the SAP HANA roadmap.

SAP Extended Warehouse Management will be used. Running on SAP HANA this WMS will be deployed as a decentral architecture to the SAP S/4 HANA ERP system, ensuring scalability and responsiveness in the digital supply chain operations.

Creating an efficient mobile workforce is an essential aspect of the project. The supporting warehouse mobile infrastructure will be updated, including modern android based industrial mobile (RF) devices and printers allowing them to support new labels.

Other operational technology, such as the warehouse automation, will be addressed with alignment to standard SAP EWM business processes and greater integration of system and operational activities.

Accurate representation of the warehouse layout will drive up customer service by using layout-oriented processes and the creation of system driven work allocation.

Areas included in the MVP are:

• Goods receiving optimisation
• Replenishment planning and execution
• Quality inspection
• Mobile workforce
• Advanced outbound planning and execution
• TM integrated inbound and outbound processes
• Automation integration
• Batch management
• Intra-company warehouse transfers and sales

Managing Change Management is a key success criterion with a prioritisation of mitigating current pain points while building a platform for longer term capability supporting the SAP HANA roadmap.

Business Outcomes

Anticipated benefits of the approach and solution are:

• Greater process planning and management information and tools
• More consistent output, productivity and predictability from common ways of working across supply chain
• Optimised warehouse processes according to current business need
• Efficient mobile workforce
• Improved customer services from work prioritisation and a system-guided approach to task allocation to warehouse operatives
• Improved throughput with fully integrated third party automation
• MVP approach to streamline future rollouts within the company

Working with a UK subsidiary of a global specialist manufacturer and service provider to government departments, where compliance of Information and Communications Technology Security is key for the SAP ERP system processing.

The Challenge

The goal of this project was to migrate the entire SAP Suite on HANA landscape to Microsoft Azure Cloud Services.

To deliver this business system migration they looked for a UK based consultancy and system implementation partner with expertise in SAP HANA ERP solutions and operating these in hyperscale environments (Microsoft Azure, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Google Cloud Platform), with a proven SAP migration methodology and strong experience and understanding of working with manufacturing and engineering businesses.

The Solution

Having previously created an independent SAP Business Suite on HANA ERP as part of an SAP landscape transformation carve-out to serve the independent UK entity and isolate the processes and data, Rocket worked with the client on the next stage of their SAP HANA roadmap to create a scalable futureproofed cloud SAP HANA landscape, allowing the complete migration of the 3-tier on-premise SAP Business Suite on HANA to Microsoft Azure.

The combination of SAP HANA and Azure now provides a scalable platform for our client to leverage their data effectively, providing data driven insights and management with the necessary capabilities to enhance business agility going forward.

The Rocket SAP Cloud migration methodology will be used to Prepare & Migrate the SAP ERP environment onto the Microsoft Azure HANA landscape. The approach reduces business downtime, allowing all production migration steps to be completed outside operating hours and maintain business data and process continuity. Change management impact to the end-users is practically zero, which is a huge benefit.

Integrity of all interfaces to external systems, including the global parent SAP landscape is maintained along with the necessary Information and Communications Technology Security standards, data isolation and security which is preserved throughout.

Business outcomes

• Migration of entire on-premise SAP Business Suite on HANA landscape to Microsoft Azure cloud services was completed on time and on budget
• Created a more independent cost effective and scalable infrastructure
• Simplified IT landscape
• Reduce IT management overhead
• Cost effect - only pay for what is needed/used
• Improved agility - scale up or down easily within minutes
• Futureproofing for S/4HANA migration needs
• 24/7 business continuity and security built in
• The migration to Microsoft Azure is expected to significantly reduce Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)

“Driving down IT costs, faster, simpler processes and IT management and landscape and the creation of a more independent, scalable, and cost-effective infrastructure are the key objectives of the project.”

-SAP & IT Manager

An exciting project with a well-known premium fashion brand retail leader who are putting the User Experience (UX) and employee brand engagement at the heart of their digital supply chain values and operations.

A refreshing outlook from this forward-thinking business, that will bring many benefits to the business and workforce.

The Challenge

The business has a large mobile workforce across multiple worldwide locations, compounded by very seasonal demand requiring a significant contingent workforce during the peak periods.

As with every business, optimising operating processes for efficiency, accuracy and cost are central to this project. However, this project is taking a more cutting-edge approach with an appreciation of the additional workforce benefits to be gained from the creation of an enhanced UX implementation.

The project goals include:

• Creation of optimised warehouse mobile execution processes
• Alignment to company brand
• Optimised user experience to:
  • Accelerate on-boarding and minimise training time and cost
  • Increase clarity and ease of use
  • Provide greater user self-sufficiency
  • Align user behaviours and performance to company goals

The adopted solution needs to be robust, scalable, high performance and not add technical complexity.

The project is running as part of a wider program in which the business is undergoing a business systems and process transformation around the implementation of SAP S/4 HANA platform and as such needs to take advantage of the latest S/4 development techniques to drive up performance for the high throughput operation.

The Approach - Rocket Design & Operation Thinking Mobile UX Design Methodology

Selected as the specialist SAP mobility partner for all aspects of the mobile solution. Chosen for our Enterprise Mobility approach, methodology and know-how combined with our SAP EWM experience and turn-key mobility services and extensive innovation IP:

• Design, project management and implementation of SAP EWM Mobile Solution.
• Mobile UX design using the Rocket Design & Operation Thinking UX design methodology.
• Interactive prototyping using SAP Build.
• ‘Rocket Mobile’ high performance SAP Mobile UX framework.

Benefits of Approach

Using the Rocket Design & Operational Thinking UX Design Methodology puts the user at the centre of the design process to ensure the user persona and user experience is designed considering all the necessary aspects to ensure a robust, fit for purpose, high performance outcome.

The Solution

The overall solution is being built on the SAP Digital Supply Chain platform, Extended Warehouse Management (EWM), with the mobile execution.

• SAP EWM 9.5 on HANA - providing all warehouse process logic and data.
• SAP EWM Mobile Framework – providing the core mobile process structure and integration into EWM processes.
• SAP ITS (Internet Transaction Server) – the core SAP mobile architecture for on-premise / RF connected devices.
• Rocket Mobile – significantly enhancing the standard SAP EWM Mobile Framework within the SAP ITS architecture.
• Mobile Devices - running Rocket Mobile through SAP ITS and executing directly against SAP EWM.

The project includes optimisation and extension of standard EWM mobile transactions and the development of bespoke tailored mobile processes.

Mobile device selection and deployment will be carried out with the benefit of the Rocket mobile technology SAP provisioning library and SAP Digital Supply Chain mobile device validation program.

Benefits of Solution

The solution keeps the core SAP EWM application and technical architecture standard, ensuring ease of support, performance and compatibility with the SAP roadmap & release strategy.

The Rocket Mobile UX framework is built on SAP ITS mobile and keeps the solution 100% on-premise and without any middleware, while providing significant uplift to the standard capability and resulting benefits to the operation and mobile workforce:

• Improve productivity, clarity and ease of use.
• Faster user on-boarding & lower training costs.
• Higher adoption by meeting user expectation trends.
• Underpin new distribution centre mobile scenarios.
• Optimisation of UI to mobile device types (buttons, touch screen, scan/voice).
• User empowerment with rich value-add features.
• Strong employee brand engagement.
• Align design with any broader mobile / UI strategy.
• Easily apply corporate style guidelines & logos.

Supporting the UK growth strategy for LDH (La Doria) Ltd the leading UK Own Label supplier of canned tomato products, fish, fruit and vegetables, dried pasta and other ambient foods to the major UK supermarkets.

As part of their continued UK growth, LDH has commissioned a new distribution centre, to be built in Suffolk, UK. The warehouse will be highly automated, including a Swisslog ASRS (Automated Storage & Retrieval System), high bay cranes, monorails, automated checks (pallet structure) and pallet wrappers.

“In dealing with Rocket I took great comfort in that they understood my industry and my business instantly. I felt that Rocket listened and were experts in their business understanding, speaking my language, taking the time to understand the goals and business outcomes I needed to achieve. Even before we made our formal partner selection Rocket were very willing to go the extra mile to help, they have become a trusted sounding board.

Rocket have a mature approach to multi-vendor projects and very strong warehouse automation knowledge. Their methodology helped us establish a clearly defined and effective collaboration between Rocket our EWM partner & our automation provider Swisslog.

Since starting the project in July, Rocket have lived up to their promises, having put in place a strong, experienced team who are very aligned to the ‘Rocket’ ways of working that we expected from the pre-sales engagements with them. The Blueprint workshops are running well, to a very good level of detail and the consultants are all extremely knowledgeable.” Mark Anson, IT Director, LDH (La Doria) Ltd.

Part of an overall program covering the DC construction, fit-out, automation and Warehouse Management software and technology.

LDH, who are an existing SAP ERP user, were keen to retain the benefits of an integrated SAP landscape and have selected the SAP Extended Warehouse Management platform to control the entire operation at the new distribution centre. This is where Rocket has been selected as the preferred partner to bring its valuable experience and expertise and lead the full implementation lifecycle of the SAP EWM aspects of the program and lean on their project methodology to integrate closely with the overall program, including close collaboration with Swisslog for the automation integration to ensure the Key Operational Performance Targets can be met and sustained.

• Capacity to handle in excess of 3m pallet movements per annum
• Integrated design with low total cost of ownership
• All business logic in SAP EWM = one controlling system = no interfaces
• Harnessing state of the art solutions
• Remaining on the SAP roadmap
• Brexit Ready design

The Solution

SAP EWM will be used to meet an extensive scope including the following highlights:

• Goods Receiving Optimisation
• Advanced Production Integration & Kitting
• Picking, Packing, Staging, Loading
• Batch Management
• Mobile Workforce
• Quality Inspection Sampling
• Transport Unit Planning
• Yard Management
• Automation Integration

The project includes fully integrated mobile execution of which Rocket are also responsible, providing the SAP EWM mobile solution which will leverage the SAP EWM RF Framework and ITS mobile through Rockets turn-key SAP mobility provisioning framework including mobile devices, software and content libraries.

The project will use the following Rocket EWM project accelerators and benefit from numerous pre-built EWM add-ons ‘Rocket Packs’:

Project Accelerators

EWM Overview Training – accelerating LDH project understanding of SAP EWM

Blueprint Accelerator – using Rocket rapid deployment content to accelerate To-Be process design and understanding of future ways of working.

If you would like to learn more about this project please get in touch.

One of Europe's largest and fastest growing technology distribution and specialist service providers, needed to reduce overall freight cost per unit.

Rocket Consulting enabled transport process automation to speed up decision making and drive down cost per pallet.

The Challenge

To provide a transportation management platform to reduce logistics cost of supplying products from over 350 technology brands to a customer base of 22,850 retailers and resellers and improve decision making capability.

The Solution

A UK first for Rocket who, as a trusted SAP partner, has been approved to deploy the latest Ramp-up release of SAP Transportation Management (TM) 9.3 on HANA which will be used to automate and optimise package building, resource planning, carrier selection and freight costing. Real time access to logistics business intelligence and embedded analytics has been achieved thanks to SAP HANA and Smart Dashboards from Fiori.

Business Outcomes

• Transport process automation
• Moving away from time-consuming siloed manual processes and system
• Drive up vehicle fill rates
• Drive down cost per pallet
• Speed up decision making based on real-time business intelligence
• Running better and better decision making

Planned Go-Live

Q1 2021

One of Europe's largest and fastest growing technology distribution and specialist service providers needed to decrease their cost-to-serve and increase profitability.

Implementing SAP Extended Warehouse Management, Smart business and HANA Fiori, Rocket Consulting provided true operational excellence.

The Challenge

Rocket’s client required a tightly integrated logistics execution platform, supplying products from over 350 technology brands to a customer base of 22,850 retailers and resellers as part of a supply chain expansion programme. Key challenges include improving profitability of high-volume, low margin business.

The Solution

Another UK first for Rocket who, as a trusted SAP partner, has been approved to deploy the latest Ramp-up release of SAP Extended Warehouse Management on HANA. Extensive warehouse process optimisation, automation and mobilisation will form the foundation.
HANA will enable third party billing to significantly reduce third party logistics operational overheads, additionally, real time business intelligence and embedded analytics will improve visibility, traceability and operational management through Fiori’s Smart Dashboards.

Business Outcomes

• Reduce the logistics component of cost-to-serve
• Provide profitable customer services
• Simplify the management and profitability of third party logistics services
• Provide real-time business intelligence
• Speed up decision making and help to run a better operation overall
• Provide true operational excellence

Planned Go-Live

Q2 2021