The Challenge:
Manufacturer received hundreds of shipments daily from dozens of suppliers for large-scale industrial assembly, but warehouse operations ran completely offline—disconnected from inventory and ERP systems, with no material traceability or governance.
The lack of visibility and traceability of materials directly impacted production timelines, efficient use of warehouse space, and overall project delivery performance.
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The Solution:
Customized mobile app with QR scanning integrated to ERP and barcode printers, delivered in less than 30 days.
The Results:
Bottom Line:
Kinetech delivered a mobile-first smart warehouse solution in only 3 weeks that integrated seamlessly with their existing ERP and institutionalized their warehouse processes without forcing undesired operational changes.
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This industrial manufacturing company’s warehouse operations were performing well enough—supporting the building of complex industrial solutions for major oil, gas, renewable energy and construction projects. Their operations worked, but they worked the hard way and the challenges of the status quo were quickly growing.
The manufacturer faced a critical operational blind spot in managing materials that flowed from dozens of suppliers into their warehouse daily. These materials supported the construction of large-scale industrial products that were assembled on-site before being shipped to customer locations. Despite the importance of this process, material traceability and governance did not exist. The symptoms were clear and costly:
System Landscape
The Daily Pain Points
The Breaking Point:
Picture this scenario: You need materials today, they are not there. Procurement swears they ordered and received them on time, but somehow they have been used elsewhere or lost. Now you are facing 8-12 weeks to reorder, production delays, contract issues, and unhappy clients whose projects are now behind.
The warehouse crews spent hours searching for materials that should have been readily available. Staging areas were cluttered with materials of unknown status. Without location information, they resorted to physically searching warehouses looking for labels written on shipping crates.
Previous attempts to build custom solutions had been unsuccessful, leaving the team skeptical of new technology solutions.
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Technology Platform
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Implementation Approach: Methodical Speed
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When Kinetech demonstrated the working application onsite after just 2.5 weeks, the warehouse team's response was immediate and telling:
"When are we going to be able to get this?"
The application workflow was instantly recognizable—workers could see their exact daily processes reflected in the software, but now with digital precision and real-time accuracy.
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Operational Transformation
The Numbers That Matter
Qualitative Impact: Skeptics to Champions
"We open the app, we look up the job number, and we see the location, and we walk right over to it."
- Warehouse Manager
The warehouse crew who were initially most resistant became the application's biggest champions. This transformation from skepticism to advocacy demonstrated not just functional success, but cultural acceptance.
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Perfect Solution Fit
The application was built specifically for their operations based on their processes, not the other way around. Through direct engagement with warehouse personnel, project managers, and procurement the Kinetech team ensured the solution enhanced existing workflows rather than forcing process changes.
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Rapid Value Demonstration
A working prototype in 2.5 weeks generated immediate excitement and buy-in from end users who could instantly recognize their daily processes in the software.
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Seamless Hardware Integration
Full integration with warehouse infrastructure including label printers created a complete tracking workflow:
- Generate QR codes upon shipment receipt
- Automatic printing via integrated warehouse printers
- QR codes physically attached to shipments
- Shipments moved to designated warehouse locations
- When parts needed: scan location QR code → scan shipment QR code = complete traceability of consumption and movement
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Integration Excellence
Seamless connection to existing homegrown ERP meant no disruption to established data flows or data integrity.
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Mobile-First Design
Built specifically for warehouse environments and handheld device usage, ensuring practical usability in real working conditions.
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This material management application represents more than operational improvement—it establishes a digital foundation for clients' continued digital evolution.
Expandable Architecture
The Mendix platform provides a scalable foundation for additional modules:
- Advanced analytics and reporting for performance and obsolescence tracking
- Tighter integration with suppliers
- Automated reorder systems to optimize procurement
Proven Success Model
This project established a replicable success model - demonstrating that digital transformation can enhance rather than disrupt proven processes, building confidence for future growth.
Kinetech Perspective: Enhanced Foundation
“We took a client who was already successful and brought clarity and enhanced foundation to them in a way where they are now set to add even more value to what they are doing.”
- Luke, Kinetech Development Team
Why This Matters for Your Business
This clients’ story demonstrates that even complex, manual operations can be transformed quickly without disrupting proven business processes. The key is finding a partner who understands that the best software doesn't force change—it amplifies what already works.
Ready to achieve 100% inventory accuracy without changing your proven processes?
Kinetech specializes in rapid development of customizable solutions built with Mendix that fit your process perfectly. No forced changes. No unnecessary complexity. Just results in less than 30 days.
