Challenges and software solutions for the natural stone industry. Discover the integrated Axes Software application!
From ancient times to the present day, natural stone has been and continues to be a vital constructive and aesthetic element for the development of human civilization. However, despite its long-standing tradition, the modern natural stone industry finds itself at the intersection of artisanal craftsmanship and the demands of a dynamic global market.
Natural stone depots and processing units face increasing operational complexity and a series of significant challenges:
🔵 Managing a complex and varied inventory (stone types, dimensions, finishes, batches).
🔵 Coordinating sales, production, and delivery processes.
🔵 Ensuring the traceability of materials and the quality of finished products.
🔵 Efficient communication with customers throughout the entire process.
🔵 Planning and optimizing the use of resources (human, machinery, space).
To overcome these challenges, an integrated software platform, including CRM, OMS, WMS, and MES solutions, is key for agile operations and seamless coordination between departments.
Why is an integrated software platform important?
Fragmented information between departments: Integration transforms fragmented data into collective knowledge, enabling closer collaboration and more informed decisions at all levels of the company.
Optimized workflows: Automating repetitive tasks and data transfer reduces errors and accelerates processes.
End-to-end visibility: A complete overview of inventory, orders, production, and customer relationships.
Data-driven decision-making: Centralized reports and analyses provide valuable insights for continuous improvement.
Enhanced customer experience: Personalizing interactions, efficient order tracking, and on-time deliveries.
Reduction of human errors: Process automation lowers the risk of costly errors in order taking, inventory management, or production planning.
Case Study – Theda Mar – Efficiency Redefined
Axes Software developed an integrated software application for Theda Mar, a company with extensive experience in natural stone processing, with the aim of optimizing operations, providing complete visibility into workflows, and ensuring a seamless customer experience.
This customized solution was designed to meet the specific needs of the natural stone industry and Theda Mar’s business model. Through the seamless integration of CRM, OMS, WMS, and MES solutions, Axes Software created a centralized digital ecosystem that enables Theda Mar to:
🔹 Consolidate customer relationships: The CRM (Customer Relationship Management) module allows the sales team to efficiently manage customer interactions, track leads, personalize offers, and build long-term relationships.
🔹 Simplify the order management process: The OMS (Order Management System) module centralizes all order-related information, from creation to invoicing and delivery, ensuring fast and error-free processing.
🔹 Optimize warehouse operations: The WMS (Warehouse Management System) module provides clear visibility into inventory, facilitates rapid product location, efficiently manages inbound and outbound processes, and optimizes storage space.
🔹 Streamline production execution: The MES (Manufacturing Execution System) module monitors production processes in real-time, allows tracking of order status, manages resources, and ensures quality control.
Adopting the integrated software platform from Axes Software has brought a series of tangible advantages to Theda Mar, transforming the way the company operates and interacts with its customers. Key benefits include:
Significant Increase in Operational Efficiency
By automating manual tasks, eliminating redundant data entry, and optimizing workflows, Theda Mar manages to process a larger volume of orders in a shorter time, with the same or even optimized resources. For example, the time required for generating quotes and processing orders has been significantly reduced.
Efficient Coordination of Procurement Activity
The integration of CRM (for demand forecasting) and WMS (for inventory monitoring) modules allows Theda Mar to optimize its raw material procurement process. With a clear view of future orders and current stock levels, the purchasing department can plan material requirements more efficiently. This enables the negotiation of more favorable conditions with suppliers and avoids both shortages and excessive inventory accumulation. This improved coordination has contributed to reducing procurement costs and ensuring a constant flow of materials needed for production.
Optimization of Raw Material Processing
The MES module, integrated with OMS and WMS, provides Theda Mar with tighter control over the process of transforming raw stone blocks into finished products. The system allows precise tracking of raw material consumption for each order, monitoring equipment efficiency, and identifying potential losses or inefficiencies. This valuable information can be used to adjust cutting and finishing processes, maximize the use of valuable material, and reduce production costs. Furthermore, integration with WMS ensures that the right raw material is allocated to the correct order in a timely manner.
Ensuring Complete Material Traceability
The integration of WMS and MES offers Theda Mar end-to-end traceability of each batch of stone, from raw material reception to finished product delivery. Each processed slab or element can be tracked precisely, identifying the origin of the material, the processing stages it underwent, and any quality controls performed. This functionality allows for efficient management of quality issues, facilitates strict compliance with industry-specific regulations, and provides customers with confidence in the origin and quality of the purchased products. In the event of a problem, Theda Mar can quickly identify the affected batches and take the necessary measures in a timely manner.
Optimization of the Delivery Process and Cost Reduction
The integration of OMS with WMS allows Theda Mar to plan and execute deliveries much more efficiently. Having up-to-date information on order status (OMS) and the availability of finished products (WMS) enables the optimization of transport routes, the consolidation of loads, and the automatic generation of necessary documents (dispatch notes, invoices). This leads to reduced transport costs, minimized delays, and better coordination with customers regarding delivery times. Additionally, the delivery status can be tracked, and customers can be provided with accurate information about the estimated time of arrival of their order.
Reduction of Errors
Data integration between departments eliminates human errors that frequently occurred in manual information transfer processes. This has led to greater accuracy in orders, inventory information, and delivery documents, reducing costs associated with returns and rework.
Improved Customer Communication
With rapid access to interaction history, preferences, and order status, the sales team and customer service department can provide prompt and personalized responses. This improved communication has led to increased customer satisfaction and the strengthening of long-term relationships.
Inventory Accuracy Through Efficient Management of Production Losses
The integration between WMS and MES provides Theda Mar with a much more accurate view of available inventory. The MES module tracks raw material consumption during the production process and records any losses or waste. This information is automatically transmitted to WMS, adjusting stock levels in real-time. This rigorous management of production losses significantly contributes to inventory accuracy, avoiding discrepancies and optimizing procurement processes.
Simplification and Transparency of Billing
Thanks to the continuous flow of information between WMS and OMS, the billing process for Theda Mar has become much simpler and more transparent for customers. Detailed information about the shipped products, quantities, and any additional costs, recorded in WMS during the delivery process, is automatically transferred to the order management system (OMS) and used for invoice generation. This eliminates billing errors, ensures the accuracy of the information presented to customers, and contributes to a relationship of trust through process transparency.
Within this project, Axes Software and Theda Mar utilize state-of-the-art mobile terminals from Zebra Technologies. These robust and high-performance devices play a significant role in optimizing warehouse (WMS) and production (MES) operations.
Theda Mar’s warehouse personnel use Zebra terminals to scan product barcodes, quickly record receipts and shipments, perform accurate inventories, and efficiently locate materials.
In the production unit, Zebra terminals facilitate the tracking of order status, the recording of working time and material consumption, contributing to precise and real-time data collection, which is essential for the efficient operation of the WMS and MES modules.
The use of Zebra terminals has significantly increased the speed and accuracy of field operations. Benefits include: error reduction and improved productivity.
For visibility, control, and agility in the natural stone industry, choose an integrated software solution. It can solve complex challenges such as managing diverse inventories, coordinating multiple processes, and meeting specific customer requirements.
The Theda Mar case study demonstrates the concrete value of such integration. By implementing the Axes Software application, Theda Mar has managed to transform operational challenges into growth opportunities. The benefits achieved – from increased inventory accuracy and simplified billing to optimized raw material processing and improved traceability and delivery – demonstrate the impact that such a solution can have on the entire company.
Just as raw natural stone is transformed into works of art, so too can operations in the natural stone industry be refined and optimized through our customized software application!
Discover how we can help your company reach a new level of performance, transforming complexity into simplicity and challenges into competitive advantages! Contact us now!
