trailer world issue Three 2009

32 Issue Three 2009 that was the challenge” is how Heidrun Streich described the neces- sary co-operation process. For three years now, the Hellmann facilities in Chicago, Hong Kong and Osnabrück have acted as the pillars of Sennheiser’s global SCM strategy. These three locations serve the markets in the USA, in Asia and in the EMEA region (Europe, Middle East and Asia) with finished goods previously manufactured in Germany, Ireland or New Mexico. It is above all the customers of Sennheiser’s subsidiaries who profit from the streamlined structures, as consignments are now shipped directly to their destinations without having to pass through the regional warehouses. Shorter delivery times and enhanced deli- very quality together with lower transport costs are the overall result achieved with the Hellmann logistics scheme. The flexibility of the new SCM concept was demonstrated in Janu- ary 2007 when Sennheiser set up a new subsidiary in India. Within just a few weeks, the logistics experts from Osnabrück had establis- hed a local warehousing and distribution site with Hellmann India which merged seamlessly into the supply network. Hellmann also accompanied Sennheiser in expanding into Russia, fol- lowed shortly after by Japan and China. The principle in Hellmann’s approach is to make it unnecessary for Sennheiser to have to set up its own warehousing sites and capacities by assuming the role of Sennheiser’s outsourcing partner, providing all logistics services associated with the site. “Sennheiser is one of our benchmark customers”, says Günther Maaß, Key Account Manager Consumer Electronics SCM & Con- tract Logistics at Hellmann. The mechanical engineer has great ex- perience on the product side and is well aware of the delicate nature of premium audio products and the complexity of all related logistics processes. “Sennheiser also entrusts us with tasks that go way beyond pure transport”, Maaß explains. Hellmann assembles and finishes whole product series, such as the “evolution wireless” microphones. This entails putting together all the components in the individual cus- tomer order, followed by requi- site packaging and subsequently dispatching the orders by sea- or airfreight for intercontinental transports. With 600 different packaging variations, this means that every order has to be dispatched with very great care. “As customer it is in our very best interests for all the services related to transport and warehousing to be provided from a single source. And with the greatest possible perfection”, is how Andreas Kahl explains the decision to focus on one single logistics partner worldwide. For him, this also includes the absolutely complete trans- parency of all order-related processes by means of efficient software which makes it possible for example to track stocks or consignment progress online all over the world. An EDI interface and universal ERP system which is currently in the roll-out phase at all Sennheiser sales subsidiaries makes sure that Kahl and his Team are always well informed. The Hellmann Infor- mation Tool (HIT) developed by the experts in Osnabrück provides the greatest possible information depth and transparency by visu- alising the entire supply chain. Every single order can be tracked, controlled and documented using an online mask. The advantages for Andreas Kahl: “This gives us an outstanding overview – and the necessary farsighted approach. After all, we know that Hellmann is the strong partner we can rely on also where new markets are con- cerned.” (rp) Info More information about the named companies is available at www.sennheiser.com and www.hellmann.net »Tasks that go way beyond pure transport.« »Central versus local, that’s the challenge.« Music with a good tone: Andreas Kahl and Heidrun Streich (both Sennheiser) work at the supply chain together with Hellmann Key Account Manager Günther Maaß (on the right). Logistics Photos:Pfeiffer

trailer world issue Three 2009

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