One of Australia’s largest privately owned steel manufacturers, Apex Steel has built a strong reputation for service and reliability across its network of more than a dozen locations.
However, the company faced challenges due to a legacy paper-based system which resulted in inaccurate stock counts and fulfilment delays. To overcome these issues, the company undertook the digitalisation of its workflows both at its warehoue and shop floor operations.
The deployment included Zebra’s MC9 series rugged mobile computers, ZT400 series industrial printers, and DS3600 series barcode scanners. Reseller and independent software vendor (ISV), LogiQ-On Technology was brought in to facilitate the project.
This integration also involved an upgrade to Apex Steel’s warehouse management system (WMS), now using Produmex WMS, which efficiently connects to SAP Business One (B1).
“In the steel industry, differentiation comes from service, not the product. We needed to deliver on our promises with absolute certainty,” said Nick Lachimea, chief corporate officer at Apex Steel. “Receiving orders could take up to an hour. With Zebra’s MC9 series mobile computers, it now takes 10 minutes, making our team six times faster. We can tell a customer immediately if we have an item in stock and commit to next-day delivery with 99% confidence.”
Zebra's solutions provide a single source of truth for inventory management. The system also helps avoid production errors; its ultra-rugged barcode scanners validate each steel coil’s colour and gauge before processing, preventing material waste and costly rework.
Additionally, Zebra’s industrial printers automate the final labelling process, ensuring each package is correctly identified for shipping. The durable nature of these technologies has notably reduced downtime and maintenance costs, enhancing overall operational efficiency.
“Across the APAC region, organisations are increasingly investing in digital solutions to enable smarter, more agile operations. Apex Steel demonstrates the practical application of intelligent operations,” commented Joelle Booi, country lead for Singapore at Zebra Technologies.
