Storm Distribution's Successful Integration with Flowgear for Enhanced Logistics Management
Technology Category
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Data Exchange & Integration
- Application Infrastructure & Middleware - Middleware, SDKs & Libraries
Applicable Industries
- E-Commerce
- Transportation
Applicable Functions
- Logistics & Transportation
- Procurement
Use Cases
- Inventory Management
- Last Mile Delivery
Services
- System Integration
About The Customer
Storm Distribution is a modern distributor that sells its products through an e-commerce portal and national building suppliers. Unlike traditional distributors, the company does not manage stock themselves. Instead, they use a third-party logistics supplier to handle and ship goods to customers. The company is always looking for ways to improve its operations and efficiency. When they decided to change their logistics service provider, they faced the challenge of automating the integration of data between the new logistics provider’s warehouse management system and their Sage accounting system. They also needed to automate the process of accepting orders electronically from national building suppliers.
The Challenge
Storm Distribution, a distributor selling products via their e-commerce portal and through national building suppliers, was facing a significant challenge when they decided to change their logistics service provider. The company did not manage stock themselves, instead, they relied on a third-party logistics supplier to handle and ship goods to customers. The challenge was to automate the integration of data between the new logistics provider’s warehouse management system (WMS) and the company’s Sage accounting system. Additionally, Storm Distribution accepted orders electronically from national building suppliers, like Builders Warehouse, and this process also needed to be automated. Without automation, it would be a laborious process to capture and update information, and the possibility of errors would be high.
The Solution
To address the challenge, Storm Distribution's CEO, Nick Middelmann, sought advice from a Sage consultant who recommended Flowgear, an integration platform listed in the Sage Marketplace. With Flowgear’s integration platform, Storm Distribution was able to automate the process of order receipt, stock pick confirmation, purchase order creation, and stock shipment. This process integrated information between Storm and its key business partners. From a technical perspective, it involved integrating several different data formats and communication protocols, all accomplished with one integration platform. The Flowgear Professional Services team was described as easy to deal with because they could discuss issues in non-technical, business terms. Their ability to explain and implement both technical and non-technical issues was crucial in enabling the Storm Distribution team to get the integration solution they needed.
Operational Impact
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