Furniture brand Spinder Design is optimising its e-commerce operations with logistics software from Arox

Spinder Design, based in Drachten, manufactures functional steel furniture. The company is best known for its sturdy and durable solutions for the hallway, such as coat racks, mirrors, shoe cupboards and shoe racks. Spinder Design’s main focus is on the business-to-business market. In addition, the company has been offering a dropshipping service for a few years and has recently started targeting consumers directly. The growing number of dropshipping orders made it necessary to adapt its logistics. Arox Logistics IT, based in Hoogezand, has helped Spinder Design to optimise its e-commerce logistics process.

Spinder Design began manufacturing steel products, such as bike racks and garden furniture, 50 years ago. “What sets us apart is that we’re really good at working with steel. All our products are finished with a fine-textured powder coating,” explains Anna Venema, marketing manager at Spinder Design. “This prevents rust from forming and gives the products a high-quality finish. We’re at the forefront when it comes to identifying and responding to trends. A good example is our shoe cupboard, one of our best-selling products.” Gerard de Haan, who is responsible for purchasing at Spinder Design, adds: “Our products are strong and durable and will last a lifetime. And the design is timeless.”

Online boost

Initially, Spinder Design focused primarily on the business-to-business market. The company supplied large furniture retailers, homeware shops and online shops. “Our products are ideal for online sales, as you don’t need to feel or test them,” says Anna. “Good photos are crucial in this respect. What’s more, our products are a suitable size for posting. We’ve really seen a boost online. We sell a lot in our own country and in Germany, and for the past few years also in Scandinavia and Belgium.”
Spinder Design recently launched an online shop where consumers can order directly. “We want to increase our visibility and, in future, also start offering products via social media. Thanks to a multi-channel strategy, we aim to make the purchasing process – including delivery – as easy as possible for the end consumer.” High-quality products require robust logistics

Spinder Design’s success brought with it challenges in terms of warehouse management. “We were growing, but our warehouse system couldn’t keep up with that pace,” explains Gerard. “Our warehouse staff were walking around the warehouse with pieces of paper. To improve this process, we started working with Arox Logistics IT.”

Smart software for WMS and transport

Arox has implemented a Warehouse Management System (WMS) for Spinder Design. “Arno Bruining from Arox has also helped us with smart warehouse management,” says Gerard. The warehouse has been completely reorganised: for example, all the racking units have been fitted with a QR code. Orders now all come in via the WMS and are forwarded to the warehouse staff’s scanners.

Smart software ensures that products are correctly allocated to suitable carriers. “We can now pick orders much more efficiently and quickly,” says Gerard. “And we always have an up-to-date overview of our stock. Thanks to the WMS and the new working method using Arox’s smart software, Spinder Design has a complete solution for storage and transport. We are working much more efficiently and our products are delivered to the customer in the best possible way. A huge leap forward!”