PLC Direct outsources logistics
March 2000
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
PLC Direct
PLC Direct has outsourced logistics to a Gauteng based company thus allowing them to concentrate on core business, which is the sales, and marketing of automation products to the industrial marketplace. The company will be more focussed and streamlined, according to Managing Director, John Mentz. “We are a customer driven, service focused operation and simply want to strengthen our core competencies. One of the many elements of our strategic plan has been to outsource the total management of our stock, which will leave us with a significant additional capacity for growth.
'We believe we are the first automation company in South Africa to outsource our logistics, which is already a well-established practice with many corporates and importers. The decision was not easy to take but we are delighted at the progress we have made and know that the improved service levels will vindicate the move.' added Mentz.
The new operation, which came into effect on 1st March 2000, will lay the platform for planned e-commerce, identified as a powerful new driver that will revolutionise the sales of automation products worldwide. The particular economic and geographical conditions in South Africa are perfect for e-commerce trading and it is expected that this, coupled with the ease of use of PLC Direct’s product range, will synergise to form an unbeatable business model.
Growth is expected to accelerate even further with e-commerce, and with central shipping from Johannesburg to all destinations in South Africa, PLC Direct is gearing up for standard 24 hour deliveries from time of order placement on selected items in the product range. This will be in place by June 2000. PLC Direct customers still get the normal 2-year warranty on all hardware purchases with product returns being handled at PLC Direct regional offices.
According to Mentz: 'Everything we are doing and implementing is designed to improve our responsiveness in the market, to move our service effectiveness closer to the heartland of industry, and to improve our customer satisfaction levels. Although we pride ourselves on service, we know that there is always room for improvement and our logistics outsourcing will accelerate the process.'
E-commerce is expected to avalanche all markets and PLC Direct have recognised that the future of purchasing lies on the Internet. However, while it is easy to order and pay electronically, getting the product to the consumer is the headache which faces most e-commerce vendors and the only way to provide the expected service levels is to gear up logistically. Outsourcing to the professionals will allow the company to focus on its core business, and not worry about the basics of distribution.
PLC Direct, now known as Automation Direct was the first industrial automation company to embrace e-commerce and their web presence has revolutionised the way industrial products are being sold in the USA. The model will be introduced in South Africa in due course.
Johannesburg was chosen as the location for the central warehouse due to the volume of business there. The logistics company is a totally independent operation and is retained on a professional outsourced basis.
Further reading:
ABB updates distributed control system
ABB South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Leveraging 30 years of continuous innovation and reliability, ABB’s updated Freelance 2024 distributed control system (DCS) offers greater plant adaptability, faster and more reliable device communication, improved system security, and seamless data exchange.
Read more...
Four ways modern operations control can boost sustainability and efficiency
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
With the growing importance of digital transformation, HMIs and scada have evolved from control panels to vast operational hubs. Next-gen HMI/scada can bring together data, personalisation, and advanced insights to successfully achieve organisational goals, it is important to think about HMI/scada holistically within the operations ecosystem.
Read more...
The convergence of intelligence: DCS, SCADA and TLC
Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
In the early days of industrialisation, control systems were primarily mechanical, and relied on manual intervention and simple feedback loops to manage processes. Now, in the 21st century, industrial process automation systems are mind-blowingly intelligent, and provide almost unparalleled control and monitoring capabilities, making them integral to modern industrial systems.
Read more...
PC-based control for advanced hydrogen storage technology
Beckhoff Automation
Editor's Choice PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
The proportion of renewable energies from solar, wind and water is rising continuously. However, sufficient storage options are of the essence to use these energies as efficiently as possible. GKN Hydrogen offers a particularly compact and safe option, low-pressure metal hydride hydrogen storage systems with PC-based control from Beckhoff.
Read more...
ABB modernises key board mill
ABB South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
ABB has secured a landmark contract to modernise Smurfit Kappa’s Paper Machine 5 at its corrugated cardboard mill near Mexico City. ABB will provide Smurfit Kappa with DCS, accompanied by a comprehensive paper machine drives system, encompassing some of the market’s most advanced drives and motors meticulously designed to optimise PM5’s performance.
Read more...
The synapses of the distributed control system
Schneider Electric South Africa
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Industrial operations require a distributed control system (DCS) to coordinate and control their process subsystems in real time. Like the brain, a DCS is a multitasking maestro, controlling and coordinating complex processes in a myriad of industrial setting such as large manufacturing plants, providing valuable top-down control.
Read more...
Modular assembly platform for clean manufacturing
Beckhoff Automation
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
JR Automation delivers custom automated solutions for numerous industries. It has done this through its scalable, modular automation platform, FlexChassis, which speeds up time to market while cutting costs. The company chose the XTS linear transport system from Beckhoff because of its speed, and modular design that allows for multiple configurations.
Read more...
Selecting the best remote access solution for your application
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
In today’s Internet of Things (IoT) world, remote mobile access is a necessity for many industrial applications. There are several ways of implementing this connectivity with routers and virtual private networks.
Read more...
PLCs and PACs simplify data acquisition
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
Data acquisition, data logging and data analysis are required functions for most modern industrial control systems. The simplest and lowest cost way to provide these functions is often by using the same platform providing real-time control, namely the PLC or the PAC.
Read more...
Small-scale custom development in the information age
H3iSquared
PLCs, DCSs & Controllers
In the twenty-first century, the ability to put together custom electronic devices has become much more accessible to smaller companies, and even the private user. With the open nature of these platforms, potential developers can start learning systems easily, and do not need a massive capital output to do so.
Read more...
printer friendly version