Automotive Distributor Benefits from Made4net WMS

(SANEPR.com) January 7, 2009 -- Colmobil was one of the first companies in the Middle East to implement a WMS solution in 1997. Its DC features a state of the art warehouse and distribution center built with conventional storage racks, a crane-based automatic storage and retrieval system (AS/RS), and automated picking from a mini-load warehouse.

However, after 10 years of working with a two system combination of an outdated AX/VMS based solution and a warehouse control system, Colmobil made the strategic decision to seek a more efficient, low maintenance, and cost effective next generation warehouse management solution.

Colmobil’s technology investment initiative set high standards for a WMS. The company’s managers realized that with the warehouse serving as the hub of distribution activities, an efficiently managed warehouse would be critical to achieving success in customer satisfaction, cost control, optimal sales and fulfillment operations. Following meticulous reviews of their needs, the company chose Made4net’s WarehouseExpert to meet their uncompromising requirements, which included a system that:

**Is future proof to ensure Colmobil is always at the forefront of industry standards and best practices to meet any future needs.

**Could strip costs from their supply chain and match their competitors who are using advanced WMS software alternatives.

**Is backed by a solution provider that could guarantee longevity and experience for an implementation completed on time, on budget and to full specification.

**Unifies their business processes with Microsoft web-based service-oriented architecture (SOA) to lower total cost of ownership.

**Interfaces with many leading business enterprise applications.

**Offers a broader suite of functionalities that extend into their distribution channel and tie more of the overall supply chain into their warehouse operations, beyond core functionality.

**Provides customer visibility of inventory and order status for fulfillment service providers with urgent on demand features such as vehicle on road (VOR) orders.

Made4net, the leading supply chain execution software provider, evaluated Colombil’s needs to come up with recommendations for optimizing warehouse processes and a plan for a successful implementation. The Made4net implementation team handled the integration of WarehouseExpert WMS into the existing architecture of Colmobil’s DC. The team’s expertise managed a complicated integration of Made4net’s WMS to AS/RS (automatic storage and retrieval system) and mini-load (picking machine) provided by Unitronics (www.unitronics.com). The team ensured a rapid and smooth implementation of WarehouseExpert in a record time of less than 4 months.

Today WarehouseExpert controls all of Colmobil’s DC processes starting with pre-receipts, to storage optimization in all the storage zones and warehouse areas, complicated picking and packing, and full control of all the automatic elements. In addition, WarehouseExpert has been integrated to the host legacy system used by Colmobil to manage the warehouse, and is soon to be integrated to SAP R/3 as part of its launch in April 2009.


Made4net’s WarehouseExpert is now helping the leading car distributor to improve level of services to its clients and shops and to maintain leadership in the Israeli automotive industry.

About Colmobil

Colmobil Ltd. is one of Israel’s leading importers and automotive distributors of passenger cars, commercial vehicles, trucks and buses. Colmobil’s most known brands are Mercedes, Mitsubishi and Hyundai. Colmobil Corp. holds an 18% share in Israel’s car market. Colmobil continuously invests in its infrastructure and top-of-the-line facilities and operates a fully computerized logistics center and distribution network with its own fleet of trucks (supplying over 75 workshops across Israel), showrooms and fully-owned service centers in Israel’s main cities. Colmobil Corp. has 750 employees.

About Made4net

Made4net is a leader in delivering real-time solutions for managing and improving Supply chain Execution. Offering a Best of Breed WMS from small to large warehouses, dynamic routing to optimize the distribution process, and additional complementary solutions such as Yard Management, Loading Optimization, and Delivery management, which provide an end-to-end solution for any logistics oriented organization. Made4net’s SCExpert™ platform offers a comprehensive yet modular suite of products that may be implemented individually or as a complete end-to-end integrated solution. For details: http://www.made4net.com/solution.php and contact a Made4net expert to check your WMS ROI today at http://www.made4net.com/requestContact.php .