As a long-standing, reliable partner, Arvato is strongly integrated into Olympus‘ processes and provides us with optimum support to fulfill our role as EMEA headquarters in logistical terms as well.”
Client reference
About the client
Olympus is one of the world’s leading manufacturers of optical and digital precision technology. Its portfolio includes innovative solutions for state-of-the-art medical systems, for example as microscopes and industrial inspection instruments.
A supply chain solution across different sites
Arvato offers Olympus a tailored distribution solution which is perfectly suited to the requirements of medical equipment from its sites in Hamburg and Harsewinkel.Background
Olympus was looking for a distribution partner that could draw on far-reaching know-how in logistics processes as well as in medical technology to create customised distribution solutions for its own product divisions and to constantly optimise and develop these solutions in a forward-looking and customeroriented way.
Vision
An integrated, one-stop distribution concept which creates the perfect conditions for different business units to ensure customer satisfaction and keep controlling expenses as low as possible for Olympus.
Arvato solution
As a cross-industry service partner with a vast network of sites, Arvato has developed a distribution solution which optimally combines the advantages of multi-user sites and existing industry know-how for medical equipment. For the worldwide distribution of medical technology from Olympus, the healthcare specialists set up a new site in Hamburg in 2012, closely followed by an expansion project in 2016, which saw the logistics space available, more than doubled.
From its site in Allermöhe, Arvato operates both the distribution centre for the pan-EMEA Olympus marketing and sales company and also the central warehouse for its regional Olympus Surgical Technologies Europe (OSTE) production centre which delivers to Olympus sales business centres globally. The centre’s portfolio includes more than 5,000 medical products such as endoscopes, laparoscopes and electro-surgical devices. More than 22,000 articles are stored here in total, ranging from large medical devices to small replacement parts. A further 2,000 ENT products were added following the expansion.
In 2021, a state-of-the-art Autostore will also be commissioned at the site to continue to grow with the customer, respond flexibly and efficiently to changing market needs, and ultimately provide optimal patient care for Olympus.
Arvato meets individual requirements
The wide spectrum of articles, strong variations in shipping volumes and stocks of the two Olympus business centres place great demands on the warehouse. A bonded warehouse was also set up to realise cost savings and the site was certified in line with ISO 13485 for handling medical equipment. The status as a “known consignor” allows air freight to be loaded quickly without additional checks at airports.
In addition, in Hamburg a storage unit for hazardous materials with space for around 500 palettes was established and a hazardous material organisation system implemented to ensure that the storage and delivery of hazardous materials/goods always complies with legal provisions. Assembling various individual components to form a kit and its subsequent dispatch is a further service provided in Hamburg. The outgoing goods processes are rounded off with an efficient bulking concept which ensures that orders are optimally pooled.
Global distribution
Arvato’s service portfolio includes shipping large volumes on behalf of the manufacturer to other Olympus distribution centres throughout the world as well as final-mile delivery for the sales company to medical centres and hospitals across Europe. As a premium manufacturer, Olympus attaches great importance to the satisfaction of its customers. Arvato helps deliver on these expectations by constantly optimising its service level and offering rapid delivery times of a maximum of 24 hours in Germany and 48 hours throughout Europe. Thanks to its transport management system, Arvato has also taken on part of the transport management workload of Olympus, including tracking and tracing.
Added value
- Particularly at times of temporary peak shipping volumes, Olympus benefits from the scalable structures of Arvato sites while still maintaining maximum transparency in all processes.
- The print-on-demand processes for printing the manuals are smoothly integrated into the existing distribution workflows.
- Warehousing incl. hazardous goods/materials handling and bonded warehouse
The whole case
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Astrid Jennen-Kleinhaus
Site Manager Hamburg