Distributors Unlock the Value of Tail Spend with ACTYLUS Smart Bin Systems from Apex

By automating vendor managed inventory (VMI) programs, ACTYLUS brings a new level of automation to a previously inefficient and expensive process once accepted as being part of a company’s tail spend.

Consider industrial fasteners, for example. It is estimated companies will spend as much as $81 billion globally on industrial fasteners by 2018. Despite this sizable expenditure, this purchase involves little more than a company getting three distributor bids before buying the cheapest option. And the replenishment process is usually manual, requiring trips to count bins before refilling them.

This inefficient process drains productivity and is prone to inaccuracy. This increases the risk of a stock-out, which triggers emergency reordering that requires rush delivery charges. And if a stock-out results in a missed production deadline, the company can be charged costly fines.

ACTYLUS smart bins automate the replenishment process, sending alerts and reorder notifications when preset bin levels are detected. The end result is a faster, more accurate reordering process. Powered by the Apex Trajectory Cloud™, ACTYLUS gives distributors and their customers 24/7 visibility into supply inventory. This eliminates the need for counting trips, preventing stock-outs and their subsequent consequences.