Epplejeck ready for the future thanks to Diract's Ceyenne WMS

Epplejeck is the leading retailer of equestrian sport products in the Netherlands, with 21 stores and a successful webshop. The fast-growing company faced a challenge: professionalising and optimising its logistics processes. Arjen Mathijssen, logistics manager at Epplejeck, explains how Diract and their Ceyenne WMS helped them streamline warehouse operations, increase efficiency and be ready for further growth.

From small starter to the biggest player in Europe

At Epplejeck you find everything for horse and rider, except the horse itself. We offer a wide range, from supplements and fly bonnets to saddle pads and riding socks. Since our founding in 2008 we have grown every year. In 2015 we took over the Hypofilialen, and at the end of 2021 Epplejeck was acquired by an investment company. The goal? Further growth and professionalisation. In February 2023 I started as logistics manager, responsible for the entire logistics operation. It is my pleasure to make our ambition come true: becoming the biggest player in Europe. In the second half of 2023 a new CEO and CFO were also appointed to speed up the professionalisation further. Automation and efficiency were at the top of our list of challenges.

The challenge: from manual processes to full automation

When I started at Epplejeck, we used an ERP system with a warehouse module. That module did not offer the advanced functionality of a full WMS. Many of our processes were still manual, such as creating replenishment orders and determining the best location for products. If you want to grow, you need at least a system that does that kind of thing automatically. You don't get that with an ERP system. Understandably so, because an ERP system is aimed at a broad range of business processes; logistics is not its core. That is where Diract with their Ceyenne WMS stands out: full focus on logistics processes. From my previous job at Body&Fit I knew Diract is a reliable partner with a good solution. I managed to convince the CFO and CEO and we started the project.

The implementation: from blueprint to go-live

The implementation of the WMS started in September 2022 with the blueprint phase, in which we examined all logistics processes closely. After a short pause in the planning, we made the decision in December and continued. In January 2023 we started training employees and preparing for go-live.

At the same time we were dealing with the move of our head office and distribution centre to a new building in Heerenveen. Despite this extra challenge, the collaboration with Diract went very well. Beforehand they say they are entering into a partnership, and not a word of that was a lie. They really think along with you. It isn't about selling the system and saying 'good luck with it'. Together you investigate which processes are best solved within the WMS and which you are better off tackling in another way.

At the end of May we went live. During go-live the consultant was with us for a whole week. That support was very welcome, because we did run into some small hiccups in that process. For example, we had chosen a pick strategy that turned out not to be feasible. That was mostly on our side; on paper we had thought everything out nicely, but in practice it worked differently than expected. Together with Diract we then looked at what was possible and how we could set it up as efficiently and well as possible.

We are still in regular contact about points that need attention. It is a continuous process. The collaboration with our two contacts at Diract is very pleasant. The lines are short. When I call, I don't get a menu of options, but the person I need to speak to. Usually time is made straight away to tackle the problem. If that doesn't work out, he brings in a colleague and a quick solution follows.

Explaining the handheld terminal to an employee

Data, control and optimisation

Thanks to Ceyenne WMS we now have much more control over our logistics processes. With Diract's Warehouse Intelligence module we can get visual insight into our performance via Power BI. Logistics is one of the biggest cost items in a company, so it is important to keep those costs low. But you don't want to compromise on quality. Thanks to the extra data we now have, we can continuously optimise processes and reduce costs. What used to be done manually now runs fully automatically. This not only saves time, but also reduces errors and increases efficiency. The collaboration with Diract was truly above expectations throughout the whole project. Short lines, direct answers and quick solutions. They know their own system inside out, but more importantly: they come from the logistics world. They understand what is going on and know what works. And, not to forget: they are great people. You can have serious conversations with them, but there is also room for a joke in between. That makes the collaboration pleasant and human.

Consultant and employee look at a handheld terminal (black and white)

Don't underestimate it

If I had to give one tip to organisations considering a WMS, it is that you shouldn't underestimate it. Implementing a WMS requires change management, and that takes more time and energy than you often think. Involve the right people on the shop floor and make sure there is enough training. It takes time to change ingrained work patterns.

And another important lesson: gather a strong project team around you. At the start we worked with a – too – small team, but in hindsight we should have involved more people. Implementing a WMS affects every aspect of logistics, so it is essential to include different perspectives.

Ready for the future

We are very satisfied with the collaboration with Diract. They check in regularly to see how things are going. What I also appreciate is that when we come up with a new idea that works well for us, they immediately consider including it in their standard solutions. That is exactly the collaboration you look for in a partner. Thanks to Ceyenne WMS we are ready for further growth and can keep working on our ambition: becoming the biggest player in Europe.