INDUSTRY WATCH
THE BUSINESS CASE FOR
A PROCESS-DRIVEN WMS
THAT INTEGRATED INTO THE
MANUFACTURING PROCESS
WAS OBVIOUS, AND THE
BENEFITS HAVE BEEN
SUBSTANTIAL.
S
ensory FX is a leading local
developer and manufacturer of
flavours and fragrances into the
African market. The company exports
to a number of customers across the
African continent, serving a wide range of
industries including food and beverage,
cosmetic and personal care, chemical,
pharmaceutical, and household products.
Business challenge
Sensory FX’s business depends on the
meticulous management of a wide range
of raw materials, primarily liquid and
powder chemicals and oils. These raw
materials are then blended according
to precise formulas into products
that are customised to meet clients’
specifications. Stored materials must
then be picked out of the warehouse in
precise proportions as determined by the
formula for the specific product being
manufactured. Once the final product is
completed, it returns to the warehouse
for eventual despatch.
Because some of the raw materials are
very expensive, the need for accuracy
and traceability is increased. The process
has numerous checks and balances
built into it, ensuring that sampling and
analysis occur at key stages to ensure
that clients’ formulas are being adhered
to. Traditionally, the company had used
spreadsheets and other manual tools to
manage its stock and control the picking
process, leading to inaccuracies and
non-conformance to formulas. As the
business grew, it became imperative to
move to a digital system that supported
better control and visibility across the
entire warehouse and manufacturing
process, and reduced turnaround times
on fulfilling orders.
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A related requirement was batch
traceability, the ability to trace and control
raw materials, work in progress, and
finished products through all stages of
the manufacturing supply chain, including
planning, materials management,
production and distribution. Traceability
capabilities help to achieve:
• Compliance with regulatory and
quality standards
• Proactive management of
product recalls with near-real-time
corrective action
• Improved customer safety through
better accuracy of formulas
• Improved product quality and reduced
costs incurred by non-conformance
with product specifications
• Performance management
of compounders
A final requirement was overall visibility
and proper production planning. The
new system would have to support
streamlined processes within the
warehouse, incorporating a structured
workflow from the time stock arrives
at the warehouse up to the point it is
despatched to the client as part of a
finished product
Cquential’s solution
“Sensory FX’s business is hugely
dependent on the ability to manage
small amounts of often expensive raw
materials to a high degree of accuracy
across a complex manufacturing process,”
said Rina Redelinghuys, Executive
Projects and Services at Cquential. “The
business case for a process-driven WMS
that integrated into the manufacturing
process was obvious, and the benefits
have been substantial.”
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