“At ERIKS, we want to be the best. Not only do we want to offer our customers products at competitive prices, but we also want to deliver them more efficiently, more accurately and faster than the competition,” says Jon Whitehouse, Product Business Unit Director. To achieve this, the British EDE member ERIKS invested 20 million pounds, around 22 million euros, in the new 11 000 square metre Fulfilment Centre of Excellence (FCE) in Oldbury, West Midlands. This replaces the previous ERIKS logistics centre in Halesowen. “For us, it is a very big step on the way to achieving the five customer satisfaction goals at ERIKS,” explains Jon Whitehouse. With 53 per cent more storage capacity than at the old location and 22 per cent more shelf space, the FCE achieves the first goal: to have exactly the products in stock in large numbers to be able to guarantee high availability.

One hundred per cent control

Picking, packing and dispatching orders with one hundred percent accuracy describes the second goal of ERIKS customer satisfaction. As an Industry 4.0 warehouse, the FCE has the technology to make this possible. At each stage of processing within the logistics centre, goods are checked against weight, size and barcodes to ensure that the correct products are delivered. “This happens not just for 99 per cent of orders, but for every single one,” says Jon Whitehouse.

“Our third goal is to deliver as quickly as possible within the UK and Ireland, the fourth to be able to track orders much better,” says Jon Whitehouse. “For both goals, the technology is already in place and is being implemented and optimised.”

The development of digital transformation that supports the customer makes the ERIKS customer satisfaction goals complete. “Extensive warehouse capacity already built now for future requirements, existing infrastructure and scalable Industry 4.0 technology, help to achieve the goals we have set,” says Jon Whitehouse.

In mid-January, Freek Dekkers, Sales Director North Europe-Benelux at EDE International, visited the FCE: “What ERIKS has created with the new logistics centre is very progressive. We have been working together globally and intensively for many years. With the new logistics centre, we will be able to expand our cooperation even further.” Congrats Eriks from EDE International!

Since February, the E/D/E member has set up a new sales wall at the Barneveld location, the Netherlands, to present the FORUM tools. The core business of H.O. Remmerden is the wholesale of tools for industry and construction companies at three locations in Rhenen, Barneveld and Druten, the Netherlands, as well as at a further location in Tiel for the collection of products. The company is characterised by its wide range of tools and its large stock assortment – both on site in the respective branches and in the overall warehouse at the Rhenen location.

Service-oriented

“Gewoon doen”, “Simply do it” – the motto of H.O. Remmerden – is reflected in the customer-oriented offers.

Special services include direct delivery to end customers as well as uncomplicated and fast repair of defective power tools. The feel-good factor is not lacking either: customers get a familiar feeling when they enter the shops. People know and trust each other – employees and customers meet here at eye level. This includes direct and specialised, but also very individual advice, which Remmerden sees as a service to the customer. In addition, ustomers can order further FORUM tools from the catalogue on site. People know and trust each other – employees and customers meet here at eye level. This includes direct and specialised, but also very individual advice, which Remmerden sees as a service to the customer. In addition, customers can order further FORUM tools from the catalogue on site. A total of 27,000 products, 7,000 of which are FORUM products, can be ordered and are delivered from the E/D/E warehouse in Wuppertal to the end customers in the Netherlands within 24 hours via drop shipment.

Structured and open  

The shop concept also contributes to the positive overall impression: It is well structured, open and clearly laid out. In February, a new presentation wall for the FORUM tools was fitted into this concept. At the Barneveld location, they were given a premium place. Three metres of wall space were provided for this purpose. What makes the exhibition space additionally attractive is the orientation in height: with a height of four metres and a two-metre-high banner, the wall is an eye-catcher for customers even from a distance. The FORUM tool wall in Barneveld was flexibly put together by Remmerden, erected in a very short time and, with the selection made, it covers the needs of all experts. Maximilian Görgens, BeNeLux representative at EDE International, provided advice, planning and implementation. And this is exactly the service he offers to the member companies: On-site advice, design suggestions and sometimes even the handicraft implementation up to the finished exhibition wall. 

As of 1 January 2023, Mónica Carrascal Rioja is the new Managing Director of DELCREDIT España S.A., a subsidiary of EDE International and the Spanish purchasing association CECOFERSA. With her appointment, Monica Carrascal replaces Rafael Martín Alfonso, who will take over the position of Advisor to the Board of Directors of DELCREDIT and CECOFERSA.

“We are pleased to have gained Mónica Carrascal, a long-standing CECOFERSA employee, and thus to be able to ensure a smooth transition of the management of DELCREDIT España S.A.”, says Annegret Franzen, CEO of EDE International AG.

In 2007, Mónica Carrascal joined CECOFERSA as Head of Purchasing and in this position made a valuable contribution to the organisation on both the supplier and member side. Annegret Franzen: “We thank Mónica Carrascal for her dedication and are sure that she will now apply this energy equally to our subsidiary. At the same time, we thank Rafael Martín for the ten years of joint cooperation.” Since the foundation of DELCREDIT España in 2012, he has been largely responsible for its excellent development in Spain and Portugal. “We are pleased that Rafael Martín will continue to be available as an advisor to the Board of Directors in the coming months and will thus pass on his experience to the new Managing Director,” says Annegret Franzen.

Strong cooperation on the Iberian Peninsula Since March 2022, EHLIS AG has held the majority shares in CENTRAL DE COMPRAS Y SERVICIOS PROFESIONALES S.A. (CECOFERSA).  This has created the strongest association in the B2B / DIY sector on the Iberian Peninsula with around 1,800 sales locations and its own central warehouse at the company’s location near Barcelona as well as further warehouse and service locations in Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia as well as on Mallorca and Tenerife. In order to be able to supply the members of the new constellation with goods even faster, another logistics centre is currently being built near Madrid on a floor space of around 60,000 square metres.

The Slovakian company Commerc Service s.r.o. decided to become a member of E/D/E several years ago. The decisive factors were strategic considerations and the desire to work more efficiently.

Javier Herrera, former Marketing and Communications Director of the Spanish CECOFERSA S.A. replaced the General Director of the Purchasing and Services Centre, Christina Menéndez, as of 20 October. “We want to further strengthen and expand CECOFERSA’s leading position and continue the excellent work that has been done for more than 30 years,” explains Javier Herrera on taking up his post.

In the middle of the year, the members of the Spanish purchasing association and E/D/E cooperation partner ASIDE met in Madrid, among other things for the new election of the board. After presenting its election programme, the previous board was re-elected for the next four years with the majority of votes. It is composed of Antonio González (President), Argimiro Fernández (Vice President), Ferran Marco (Secretary) and Cira Linares (Board Member).

More than 3500 visitors, including almost all members of Cadena88, national and international manufacturers and other visitors came to this year’s EHLIS A.G. in-house exhibition, ExpoCadena, in Sevilla la Nueva at the end of September. EDE International and Delcredit España, the joint venture of EDE International AG and CECOFERSA, were guests for the first time.