New Application Monitors and Processes Orders More Efficiently, Increases Customer Satisfaction

Challenges

Hadco is always looking for ways to better serve its customers, outpace its competition, and increase profitability. Over the past five years, Weidenhammer has worked with Hadco to create a variety of warehouse floor applications, all geared towards streamlining, automating, and digitizing its supply chain operations.

While the company had invested significantly in state-of-the-art storage facilities, the process of order fulfillment and workflow were still reliant on analog techniques. There were data discrepancies, their picking system and cut (drop station) both relied on paper-based processes, and there was too great of a margin for error. Moving to a data-based system that was centralized would help increase operational efficiency, accuracy, and productivity.

Solutions

Weidenhammer created a custom web application to replace the existing paper-based picking and custom order ticketing system. The application connected to Hadco’s enterprise resource planning (ERP) software, making it easier to keep track of the product life cycle as it made its way from order to fulfillment. This would allow for greater precision, tracking, and workflow.

The development team launched the solution in two phases, using an angular front-end with ASP.NET Web API on the back-end, with SQL for data storage. The first phase focused on implementing a picking system that could support all aspects of product fulfillment. The second phase facilitated custom orders and tracked the leftover materials that could either be used for another project or needed to be scrapped.

By creating an application that could be easily managed and maintained, Hadco was able to monitor and process orders more efficiently while having better insight into what materials were still on the floor.

Results

The digitization of highly complex and custom warehouse-floor operations and workflows was a huge lift for Hadco employees. The custom application tracks the progress of a ticket from its initial assignment, selection of the product, quality assurance of the product, and fulfillment, all while tracking deadlines.

Knowing the app is tracking the data and details enables staff to focus more on accuracy and productivity. It also makes it easier for managers to maintain inventory and know what was available, whether it is a standard order or a custom order that led to leftover materials. Staff is happier and the company’s pain points have been remedied, all while improving accuracy and timeliness of an order.

With faster order completion and fewer mistakes, Hadco is increasing customer satisfaction and opening the door to additional business.