Modular solutions meet customer demands

Savoye provides solutions for logistics, picking, warehouse management, IT, planning and integration. The company is raising its profile in the UK. Benot Davoust (pictured right), Savoye UKs MD, discusses the strengths of the company and its offerings.

Q: What differences do you notice between UK operations and those you have experienced in the past?

A: I am very excited to be the MD of Savoye in the UK as this offers me challenges in both business and my private life. The fundamental operations of warehouses and distribution centres are similar throughout Europe, however there are subtle differences, ranging from land and labour costs, transportation networks, and differing cultural aspects that impact significantly on the suitability of the solutions we offer.

Q: Which end user companies do you think are doing well? What can they teach similar organisations?

A: We are seeing a lot of activity now in mail order and e-business companies, which face a unique series of logistical problems, where the need to offer the highest level of customer service is matched with very aggressive pricing and marketing. This is due really to the advent of the Internet as a means of B-to-C order entry, where a high number of items are available 24-7 and there is a low level of customer loyalty. The key reason for the success of these companies is to focus on the customer, and offer solutions and services that respond to the customers needs, such as next day delivery and a good returns policy.

Q: How do you see the SCE market developing? Where will Savoye fit into the overall picture?

A: Undoubtedly solutions are need to become more flexible whist offering a better return on investment, which means our software at the heart of any solution needs to have more functionality options, based around standard components that result in lower costs. The Savoye philosophy, for both hardware and software is to provide modular solutions that are highly configurable. This gives us the opportunity to size a solution with the correct modules and then configure it in such a manner so that it fits exactly to the application.

Q: What should Manufacturing&Logistics IT subscribers expect to see from Savoye?

A: Savoye is always developing and improving new solutions, recent success have been our voice picking tools, where we can offer both the industry leading Vocollect solution, or our own unique solution with barcode scanning as confirmation.

Savoye has developed a new packaging concept JIVARO, which is a fully automated end-of-line carton closing system that cuts the carton down to the fill height and reduces the despatch volume.

In addition to this we have made significant developments in our MAGMATIC ASRS pallet storage solution, and many other improvements and developments across our entire product range.

Benot Davoust: Credentials
Following his degree specialising in mechanical, electrical and IT engineering, Benot Davoust formed the 3i company in 1985 and successfully developed it in the WMS market (warehouse physical throughputs management, order picking fulfilment centres, high-speed sorters and automated warehouses management), before integrating the company as a division of Savoye in 2001.

After the integration of 3i within Savoye, Davoust took an active part in the creation and the development of the a-SIS company (a merger of LOGARITHME and 3i) and contributed to the Savoye order-picking fulfilment systems development.

Due to his successful experience in management, business development and success in the implementation of logistic projects, Davoust was appointed MD of Savoye UK in February 2005.