Fast, direct delivery: major efficiency gains for spare parts and equipment

In order to provide faster service and better performance to customers, Royal IHC units Dredging Equipment and Services have made vast efficiency gains. “Lead time for spare parts and equipment has been reduced by an average of thirty percent, saving two to three weeks of delivery time in some cases. The time required to provide a quotation has been approximately halved. The benefits this improvement brings have exceeded our expectations,” the two unit managers exclaim enthusiastically.
Fridus Rijnten of Dredging Equipment: “One of the first two measures we have taken is placing execution within one ERP system and merging teams. This eliminated almost all transactions between Dredging Equipment and Services and it’s the linchpin of the improvement effort.” Peter Bronsveld, Services, adds: “Despite our long-standing collaboration, there appeared to be plenty of room for improvement and streamlining of our internal processes.”
Reduce handover times
Discussions with our customers revealed that delivery times and the speed of quotation were essential. Peter Bronsveld: “Our focus was on the moments at which order information is transferred between employees of our two units. Every transfer takes time and there is always opportunity for errors or information not being passed on properly.”
Adding value
”Fridus Rijnten adds: “Every step in the process between the customer’s request and the location where the product is made costs time and money. We have made this process as small as possible. The shortest route between the customer and the foundry, as we sometimes say.” Peter Bronsveld: “A lean process in which we have eliminated all inefficiencies. There are no 'walls' between departments, no discussion about who is responsible for what. Everyone working on a quotation or order is really adding value. One example is the fact that order managers can now buy standard parts themselves and no longer need to wait for a purchasing employee.”

There are no 'walls' between departments, no discussions about who is responsible for what. Everyone working on a quotation or order is truly adding value.
Peter Bronsveld - Director Services
Shorter time-to-quote
Among other things, this leads to a shorter time-to-quote. Fridus Rijnten: “Our customers now receive quotations faster. We have become fifty percent quicker, on average, thanks to this improvement and we monitor this continuously. Of course, we sometimes receive very complex quotes, but in those cases, we indicate that a longer processing time is needed.”
Straight to Allard
Another important acceleration follows from the fact that our four largest dredging customers can now place their orders directly with the maker. Presently, this is Allard in Turnhout. The customers talk directly to the foundry. Fridus Rijnten: “In essence, we did the same thing here, too. We eliminated the transfer moments, saving time and money once again. The customer does not need to go through an intermediary but speaks directly to the specialist.”

Our four largest dredging customers can now place their orders with the foundry directly
Fridus Rijnten - Director Dredging Equipment
No intermediary
The same 'hotline' between customer and maker is also planned for Royal IHC's Indian branch. Fridus Rijnten: “In Mumbai, we have our own steel construction company. The people who work there are trained using the knowledge and experience of Dredging Equipment's specialists. We can perform construction work for our customers there at competitive rates. Our customer support department helps with this; we are no longer acting as the traditional intermediary.”
Organisation-wide efficiency improvement
Realising shorter lead times for spare parts and equipment is part of a larger efficiency drive at Royal IHC. As of September 1, 2024, Royal IHC's four equipment companies have been merged into one single legal entity. In addition to Dredging Equipment and Services, SAS-Hytop BV (the hydraulic business unit) and Systems (the automation and digitalisation branch) have also been merged into this new organisation. Administratively, the merger of the four entities benefits customers as well as suppliers.

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