In 2018, Zoutman, an international player in the salt sector, decided to take the step towards digital transport documents. Supply Chain Manager Wouter, who has been with Zoutman for 23 years, explains how it began and what advantages the switch to e-CMR brought.
From Information Session to Digitalization
During an information session in 2018, Pionira’s e-CMR solution first came to attention. “The decision was made in five minutes,” Wouter recalls. “It seemed like a logical step in the context of digitalization. A paper CMR goes through many departments across different parties, why not handle it more efficiently?”
Zoutman immediately opted for an API integration with their ERP system, so documents were automatically generated from the booking process. They started with one driver with a tablet as a test – someone who made many small deliveries daily. “We soon moved step by step to larger transports. Within six months, the entire fleet was operational.”
Sector with Specific Challenges
In the salt sector, speed is crucial: large volumes need to be processed in a short time. The paper CMR consumed a lot of time: manual transcription, archiving, copying of attachments,… Wouter discovered significant time savings with the digital CMR: fewer errors, higher readability, real-time tracking, and no more physical archiving. “We haven’t regretted it for a minute,” Wouter emphasizes. “The time savings are considerable. For creation and archiving alone, we save 5 minutes per CMR.” In total, this yields them approximately 150 man-days per year – almost a full-time employee.
Zoutman’s customers also experience the benefits: they receive the CMR directly in their mailbox immediately after loading or unloading.
Ease of Use and Additional Benefits
According to Wouter, the transition to the digital system went smoothly. New employees simply receive an iPad and can start immediately. “The system is self-explanatory.”
Along the way, Wouter and his team also discovered additional benefits. Faster evidence in case of damage and clear registration of empties and euro pallets now ensure smoother invoicing.
The integration with the weighbridges also provides extra efficiency: weighing slips are sent directly to eWastra, without paperwork. Only at the request of certain customers is a delivery note still printed and handed over upon delivery, but signing upon receipt is seamless via the e-CMR.
Future-oriented
For Zoutman, the digitalization of transport documents is a step that perfectly aligns with their vision of efficiency and innovation. “We would never want to go back to paper. The advantages in terms of speed, reliability, and overview are just too great,” concludes Wouter.
