14 minute read
SAVOYE ME— In Expansion Mode
Savoye makes extensive inroads in the Middle East
The Logistics Technology and Supply chain Software provider comes in as a designer, manufacturer, and integrator to offer global solutions to intralogistics challenges
The leading supply chain technology provider seeks to leverage the region’s geographical location and advanced logistics network to grow its markets and to contribute to national efforts aimed at boosting industrial activities in line with the National Vision objectives of individual regional countries.
In April 2021, Savoye, the global logistics solution engineering company, announced that it had established its own office in the UAE as part of its ongoing expansion in the Middle East.
Savoye has a huge portfolio of solutions deployed across over 40 countries that combine hardware and software according to customer needs such as manual, semi-mechanised, mechanised, highly automated or robotic installations. The company, which made a €191-million turnover in 2021, meaning a 26% growth compared to 2020, provides cutting-edge equipment and warehouse management system (WMS) solutions which harness the latest digital technologies.
“We are very optimistic for the industry’s growth potential which will primarily depend on e-commerce activity. Logistics companies will invest and enhance in last-mile deliveries through technology to create more agile supply chains. We believe there is a vast potential in the UAE market to expand our specialized logistics services as demand for data-driven intra-logistics services continues to grow and the UAE pushes ahead to achieve the UAE Industrial Strategy 2030,” affirmed Alain Kaddoum, Managing Director, Savoye ME, on his appointment to this apex position at the commencement of regional operations.
The UAE and the GCC have been resolute to enhance its logistics capabilities by embracing digital technologies to drive value for the supply chain. To that end, Savoye is keen to bring to the market its more than 35 years of experience in retail logistics and the control of automated systems amid rising e-commerce demand and growing customer expectations on speed and accuracy of delivery across the globe.
A year on into its operations, Alain Kaddoum sat down with Global Supply Chain for an exclusive and wide-ranging interview to bring our readers to speed on developments, accomplishments and his strategy for the company going forward.
Global Supply Chain (GSC): In your own words, give us the one-minute spiel of the Savoye Group as a corporate entity and provider of Supply Chain solutions?
Alain Kaddoum (AK): With our 35 years of global experience in the design and implementations of automated intralogistics solutions combined to software for the Supply chain, Savoye has established itself as a significant player in the regional supply chain sector, bringing a wide range of logistic solutions in just oneyear of setting up an office in the UAE.
Our full range of automated and robotized technologies as well as software (WMS—Warehouse Management System; WCS—Warehouse Control System; TMS—Transport Management System; OMS—Order Management System) helps bring about better management and performance of supply chain systems.
GSC: As the Managing Director for Savoye Middle East, what are your top priorities for the company for the short and possibly the long-term?
AK: I strongly believe that the growth of any organisation depends on the quality of its workforce. So, one of my top priorities is to help build a strong and self-dependent local team by hiring top talents and experts from the region. I will also keep working on empowering
employees through training, upskilling, and creating a work environment that recognises and values their hard work.
As part of the initial phase of our development plan in the Middle East, we will be reaching out to existing and potential customers for brand awareness. Savoye has an unprecedented value proposition to offer by combining a full spectrum of solutions ranging from Manual processes to Warehouse Automation and this should be widely communicated to the local market.
The future of the logistics and supply chain sector is immense given the ongoing digital transformation in the Middle East, which is one of the regions with the highest growth potential. With the Middle East implementing technological tools across levels and sectors, leveraging the right technology is imperative.
GSC: How have Savoye ME’s priorities / expectations been rearranged and what kind of new demands / pressures are being put on your business now in this pandemic-era?
AK: From a global perspective, we think there is a need for the clients to restructure their logistics operations in order to keep pace with the increasing demands, particularly from the e-commerce sector.
The supply chain and logistics industry are no stranger to challenges, given how big and significant the role it plays in the global market. The disruptions caused by the pandemic have magnified some of the vulnerabilities of this industry and presented new challenges. The Covid-19 pandemic highlighted the urgency to embrace digital innovations and automation to sustain business operations, driving organizations to ramp up their investments in smart technologies.
Besides the pandemic, the other factors that are currently contributing to the pressure on organizations are the growing eCommerce industry, changing trends, and the increasing demand for
productivity across operations.
On our part, we are prioritising further development in innovative and sustainable supply chain solutions to address the challenges and the complexities of logistics operations. As a logistics solution provider, we need to keep up with the challenges faced by our clients, hence, we continue to ensure the right balance of investments in organization, processes, and technology.
The changing landscape entails organizations such as Savoye to focus on innovative solutions, meet customer demands, improve service, drive cost reductions, and lessen environmental hazards.
GSC: Savoye ME is a leader in robotics and software …what do you count
among your strengths and USPs-unique selling propositions?
AK: Savoye is a leading global player in the design, manufacture, and integration of automated and robotics systems in the logistics and supply chains industry. As part of its constant innovative approach, Savoye introduced a mobile robotics solution that is unique in the supply chain market.
This solution, which is based on autonomous and collaborative robots, combines its logistics expertise and its experience in logistics flows. The product is now available in the market.
For some years now, mobile robotics has been establishing itself in warehouses. Driven by the development of many solutions from innovative startups to more industrial applications, these autonomous mobile robots (AMR) are intended to assist operators in their daily tasks. They facilitate and optimise storage and order picking operations in many industries, including eCommerce, and the retail industry.
However, at Savoye, which is an expert in supply chain-specific software and technologies, the subject has already been addressed for a few years. The company was keen to structure a truly innovative approach to the subject, dedicated specifically to in-warehouse applications.
For instance, Savoye recently partnered with HAI ROBOTICS, the world leader in Autonomous Case-handling Robotics (ACR) systems. The HAIPICK system features autonomous and intelligent functions. Robots pick and place boxes or bins on storage shelves up to seven meters high and are able to carry up to eight loads to continuously feed goodsto-person picking stations. The solution is also flexible and works well even in extreme weather conditions.
According to industry experts, most supply chain organisations will invest in artificial intelligence and digital software by 2024. Robotics solutions such as HAIPICK will help companies in the digital transformation across their supply chains, increasing productivity, automating processes, and improving their total operation.
GSC: How important is automation for the logistics in the Middle East and what trends are you observing in the region?
AK: Logistics in the Middle East is currently growing at a standard pace and is expected to bring a promising future. Automation has become one of the most used technologies amongst industry stakeholders.
It helps to speed up logistics operations to meet consumer demands, and thus saves a significant amount of cost and time. An emerging trend today is cloud-based logistics platforms, which can be tailored to business needs. We are developing applications that meet these requirements.
There are countless processes in the supply chain - including procurement, distribution, customer service, reverse logistics - which can be automated. The major advantage of automated logistics is real-time access to loading and data analysis, which helps companies to make informed and better decisions.
The hand-entry of data can result in mistakes that increase shipping costs. However, automation of this process can lead to minimal human intervention, resulting in reduction in losses incurred due to such errors.
GSC: What opportunities and challenges confront Savoye ME going forward in the current landscape?
AK: We see a lot of expansion opportunities in the region, especially with logistics and supply chain businesses adopting advanced technologies for more efficient operations. These advanced solutions are key to addressing pressing industry challenges such as the complicated global logistics system that leads to higher charges for product storage, transfer, and management. For instance, at Savoye, we help tackle the complexity of the logistics system through one of our ground-breaking solutions, the ODATiO software.
This multipurpose solution includes warehouse and transport management systems designed to enhance communication and productivity. With the help of ODATiO, we enable companies to manage their storage space, ensure the accurate tracking of product arrival and departure, and even calculate the amount of fuel required to ship the goods. Likewise, our order management systems, robotic assistance, and packing machines are also helping address the industry’s technology requirements.
GSC: What are your expansion plans for the company for the foreseeable future in the region?
AK: On a global platform, further to the successful entry of Savoye in the North American market 3 years ago, the next challenge for Savoye will be to penetrate the ASEAN region where we recently created a subsidiary. In addition, we have recently signed an agreement with INCUBE, which is one of the Middle East and North Africa’s premier supply chain mobility solutions provider, to expand internationally.
Besides establishing itself in various countries like Europe, the USA, the Asian region, and more recently in Dubai to enter the Middle East market, this recently formed partnership is also part of the international development program of Savoye to boost the sales of its ODATiO software and ensure that it will be available to a broader customer
base across the MENAT region. Savoye is looking forward to forging more such partnerships in the region to continue growing and expanding and providing the industry with world-class solutions.
GSC: Who are among the top three performing countries in the region for Savoye ME?
AK: Companies are rapidly adopting new technologies to cope up with the increasing need for efficient, faster, and smarter supply chains. If we look at the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), three main countries – the UAE, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA), and Kuwait – are embracing digital transformation and investing in new technology and robotics faster than the rest of the region in different sectors, including logistics.
With several government initiatives and different mega-projects, the UAE and KSA have been able to establish themselves as pioneers in digital transformation and innovation in the region.
GSC: How significant is the region for Savoye ME?
AK: In the Gulf region, like other parts of the world, companies are feeling the urgency to embrace digital innovations and automation to sustain the business operation, post Covid-19 pandemic. In addition, the adoption of AI-driven applications for warehouse management system (WMS) and transport management system (TMS) is growing steadily, with trends predicting accelerated implementation in the future.
Such applications make use of data analytics software to optimize space within warehouses, routes for transportation, goods-to-person movement, and overall productivity.
Savoye has established itself as a significant player in the regional supply chain sector, bringing a wide range of logistic solutions, in just one year of setting up an office in the UAE. We intend to utilise the UAE’s geographical location and highly developed logistics network in order to grow its business and contribute to the UAE’s Industrial Strategy 2030.
in the region in 2021 and how were your financial metrics impacted by the pandemic?
AK: We are quite happy with our performance during last year. We had many opportunities to showcase our solutions and we partnered with companies to expand our growth. One of the highlights was participating in the Materials Handling Middle East show, where we presented our automated, robotic, and intralogistics solutions to the region.
Our partnership with INCUBE in the region has been successful, and likewise, we continue to explore and bring innovative solutions to the MENA region. With a great team here in the UAE, we are sure to achieve milestones during this year.
GSC: How is Savoye ME performing in the region this year 2022 and how do you hope to close this year?
AK: Our performance during the current year is looking promising. After building up the local team, we intend to secure our first project in automation in the region. We are laying special emphasis on developing the automation market in the region by partnering with local organizations on joint development and innovation projects.
We will also continue to share our expertise, as part of our marketing strategy, by participating in supply chain and logistics events, animating webinars and roundtables.
GSC: Briefly summarize some of the more recent Savoye ME proprietary technologies that have potential and positive bearing on the logistics / warehousing sector in the region?
AK: Traditionally, the separate use of WMS and TMS increases management costs and time. But a complete modular single application, such as ODATiO of Savoye, combining WMS and TMS, ensures proper and organised transfer of goods and materials through warehouses while simultaneously reducing costs for businesses.
The ODATiO software is our leading and number one technology in the region currently as most businesses seek solutions that reduce costs and increase profits. With
an end-to-end visibility platform, the entire supply chain process can be managed from manufacturing to delivery, while controlling the costs and risks of wholesale distribution, logistics, and retailing.
GSC: Tell us about Savoye ME’s partnership with HAI ROBOTICS following the partnership agreement signed in September 2021?
AK: Since the announcement of our partnership with HAI ROBOTICS, pioneer and leader in this type of mobile robot, we can note the increasingly growing interest and inquiries for the solution HAIPICK by Savoye and we are really excited and optimistic about it. For the first time in Europe, we presented the system in an Innovation Centre in Belgium, more recently it has been presented during a show in Paris and very soon in the UAE.
The HAIPICK system uses autonomous order picking robots that pick and place boxes or bins on storage shelves up to 5 to 7 meters high and able to carry up to 8 loads to continuously feed goods-to-person picking stations.
This new solution now offered by SAVOYE combines HAI ROBOTICS’ mobile robots with our in-house technologies: goods-to-person X-PTS Pick Station, LED strip-based put-tolight shelves, INTELIS conveyors, WMS and WES control software. The advantage is that this solution can be supplied on a stand-alone basis or as part of a more overall system, combining or paralleling several order preparations processes.
The partnership with HAI ROBOTICS allows us to provide solutions that are ever better suited to the current and future needs of our customers operating in rapidly evolving and even changing markets, by offering them robust technologies in the service of long-lasting systems.
GSC: As the official at the helm, what is your vision for Savoye ME going forward?
AK: We aim to reach the maximum number of potential clients in the logistics and supply chain sector so that we can provide innovative and sustainable solutions to them. As the business landscape becomes increasingly competitive, the need for timely and standard delivery has risen, which has led to a greater demand for automation systems and artificial intelligence tools.
Logistics solution prov iders such as ours need to speed up and continually improvise solutions to meet the current and future requirements. We aim to establish a responsive sector through a high performance and functional system through our solutions.
