Bullet Express pulls the trigger on WMS solution

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Glasgow-based third-party logistics provider, Bullet Express (BE), has gone live with Microlistics ‘Express’ Warehouse Management System (WMS) in its 210,000 sq ft warehouse in Glasgow, Scotland, providing a platform to offer a broader range of supply chain and logistics services to its growing list of customers.

The Glasgow DC serves customers across varying industries including food and beverage, medical equipment, steel and paper products, plastic decking, engineering products, and furniture. BE’s services now include storage, picking, and packing of all distribution orders.

In seeking a WMS, BE wanted a solution that would be highly-scalable as the business continues to grow, with functionality that would provide customers full visibility of the inventory it manages on their behalf as well as comfort that BE had invested in a world-class Warehouse Management System to support their customers’ businesses.

Microlistics Express WMS is a Tier-1, off-the-shelf solution that supports all typical warehousing operations in a comprehensive, easy to install and easy to use system. There is no need for additional programming or system tailoring – saving both time and cost, and providing a rapid return on investment due to its non-Tier 1 price tag.

David McCutcheon, Managing Director at BE, sees the company utilising the new WMS to connect supply chains and businesses, bringing them together to overcome and capitalise on the pressures and business changes caused by Covid-19.

“Bullet Express is on a digitalisation journey in response to the rapid pace of technology change, booming eCommerce and omnichannel sectors, and a strong market for third party logistics services. We are growing rapidly and continuing to form partnerships with clients in new industries and were ready to invest in technology both in the warehouse and across our delivery fleet.

“Implementing the high-calibre Microlistics Express WMS – a WMS with powerful 3PL functionality – along with Microlistics’ vast experience in the 3PL space and ongoing place in the Gartner WMS ‘Magic Quadrant’, gave us a high level of confidence in our choice of the solution and business partner.”

Another key factors in BE’s decision to implement the Microlistics Express WMS solution was the ability for it to be deployed in only 30 days. A claim that would be tested by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Remote go-live

The WMS was implemented despite severe Covid-19 operating restrictions.

Warehouse Manager, Charles Mooney felt the implementation went smoothly despite the curve balls sent by the pandemic.

“The virus challenged the deployment teams to be innovative. Bullet Express and Microlistics stayed well connected with video conferencing and other collaboration tools. Due to the need for a remote go-live, we did a lot of additional preparation before the date to ensure the implementation went smoothly. And it did.”

Improved productivity and service

Bullet Express has so far successfully on-boarded all its customers to the new platform. BE has evolved from being largely a storage and transport centric company, to offering fully-fledged 3PL warehousing services to its customers, with technologically advanced pick, pack, and dispatch services, with full visibility.

BE’s new service offering is already attracting enquiries for its 3PL services, such as one customer with 14,000 SKUs requiring 60,000 square feet of storage and pick, pack, and dispatch services.

Microlistics’ Express WMS has given BE immense operational improvements in productivity and efficiency, along with faster, more efficient service for its customers. It now has real-time visibility of operations, integrated and accurate real-time 3PL billing, activity-based costing, no paper, reduced double-entry/data keying, and improved stock rotation.

David McCutcheon noted the marked improvement in productivity and accuracy.

”We have moved from a paper-based system to a system-directed RF operation achieving better stock rotation and task efficiency, and this has had a massive impact on our order accuracy, which has skyrocketed. It is a really pleasing result for us.”

Microlistics Founder and Managing Director, Mark Dawson, said that the Express version of Microlistics WMS was designed to meet the needs of 3PLs like Bullet Express.

“We’re pleased that the software and expertise that comes with our Express WMS offering is having such a measurable and immediate impact on the Bullet Express business, and we look forward to this successful partnership continuing into the future.”

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