Most companies produce or purchase products that then have to go to one or more customers. Not so at HSR Packaging: here the workflow is exactly the other way around: HSR mainly collects things. So a challenge for Logres. How do you make sure this fits into an ERP package?

HSR Packaging is a family business that collects empty industrial packaging, such as plastic and steel drums, jerry cans and IBCs. IBC containers are tanks in which liquid or semi-solid substances can be stored and transported.

Industrial packaging is checked, weighed and assessed upon arrival. If the packaging is reusable, it is washed and reused in the market. Industrial packaging that is no longer usable is recycled into granulated pellets. All shipments are accurately recorded and reported to the government's National Waste Notification Point (LMA).

Thorough research

Substantial growth and economies of scale caused HSR to look for a useful ERP package several years ago.

Laura Blom - Van Manen, project manager, account manager and co-owner of HSR Pallets: 'Only a few years ago we were collecting 10 loads a day. Now there are easily four or five times as many. There comes a day when you can no longer keep doing everything in Excel. This is also due to strict government administrative rules around waste disposal.'

HSR did thorough research and compared various packages, ERP providers and also visited competitors and other waste management companies to see what software packages they were using. The final choice was SAP Business One and Logres as the implementation partner.

Laura: "The demo had already been worked out so well by Logres that we felt confident about it.

Looking critically

Laura: "We had put all the routes and channels within the company on paper beforehand and had drawn up a wish list of which components the package should contain. However, during the implementation process we discovered that sometimes it was better to work in a different way.

When you do move to a full-fledged ERP package, it's wise to take a critical look at your own structure. Why do the lines run the way they do and couldn't it be more efficient?

For example, we were not working with orders, even though that is an important building block in SAP Business One. In consultation with our employees and the consultant from Logres, we finally chose to change that.

Wish List

Once HSR has switched to the new package and has been using it for some time, the wish list for Step 2 is already filled.

Laura "In terms of possibilities of the package, we are maybe only at 60%, I estimate. A lot more is still possible, but we are already super happy with what we have achieved now. We have really focused on saving time and eliminating duplication of effort. That has worked out well and we are very happy with that.'

For the coming period, we will work with Logres to implement further optimizations.

Concerned

Working with Logres has been excellent for Laura. "I was very happy with the consultant we got. This was really someone who latched onto our case and that was exactly what we needed.

I have experienced Logres as a committed partner and easy to reach. I also like the fact that the company is located near us, but perhaps that is mostly instinctive.

Future

With the move to SAP Business One, an important hurdle has been taken for HSR.

Laura: 'Waste management is quite a complicated industry, with a lot of administration and paperwork to do. Waste is increasingly seen as a raw material. This means that waste processors have to work differently and that legislation and environmental requirements have to be adjusted accordingly.

But whatever happens, with SAP Business One we can easily move with it. We are ready for it!

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