Full Speed ahead for efficient logistics
Time for e-quality –time for GW
E-scooters are very much “in,” and the market is ballooning – including in Germany. The Swiss premium manufacturer VMAX therefore decides to enter the German market through a subsidiary. What this fledgling company – VMAX Mobility GmbH – urgently needs at the start is help from logistics experts to build up a distribution network (B2B and B2C) across Germany. Gebrüder Weiss is a standout candidate with its logistics solution that combines transport, warehouse logistics, efulfillment, and specific add-on services. The two companies have been working closely together since 2022 to increase the reach of the VMAX brand even further with quality and precision.
At a glance: VMAX
VMAX is a Swiss e-scooter brand that has carved out a niche for itself in designing and manufacturing high-performance, high-quality electric scooters for personal use. The company was founded by Dany Dätwiler in 2015 in the Swiss canton of Aargau. It entered the German market in 2022 with VMAX Mobility GmbH, with the brand also launching in the U.S. a year later via a subsidiary (based in Los Angeles). The premium manufacturer has its sights on further international growth in the coming years.
The challenge
The challenge
VMAX intends to become established on the German market quickly. Unlike they have to date in Switzerland, its premium scooters are to be sold directly to the public (B2C) via a dedicated online shop, not just on a B2B basis. Corresponding transport and logistics structures will need to be put in place swiftly.
The requirements:
Reliable, punctual deliveries from China, where the scooters are manufactured in a company-owned plant
Handling all warehouse logistics operations and launching an e-fulfillment solution (including returns management, repairs service, and sending out spare parts)
High-quality packaging solution to get the scooters to the end customer safe and sound
Direct, continuous, and transparent flow of information between GW and VMAX
Flexibility: acting rapidly in the face of changing circumstances, with the focus firmly on finding solutions
Gebrüder Weiss
The solution
The solution
Door-to-door shipments from China to Germany by ship or railway (depending on the customer’s time specifications); customs clearance included
Standardized programming interfaces (APIs) used to integrate Shopify, the online shop platform used by VMAX
End-to-end warehouse management and efulfillment:
Scooters unloaded individually by hand
Incoming goods checks, inventory postings, putting items into storage or on pallets in batches of ten, and immediately shipping them on to key accounts
− Picking, packing, and shipping to retailers and end customers
− Handling returns and having repairs carried out by GW staff in our own service workshop adjacent to the warehouse
Packaging solution: extra cardboard shell
Weekly supply chain meeting and connection to myGW customer portal
Gebrüder Weiss
The benefit
The benefit
Simplicity – your one-stop shop
GW’s full-service solution lets VMAX outsource all its transport and logistics operations. The in-house repair service with additional consulting on technical queries is a custom add-on to the standard package.
Full speed – hit the ground running with ecommerce
VMAX can launch its online sales straight away thanks to the straightforward link from its web shop platform to GW’s IT systems. All data is synchronized in real time, making all the order processes fully and consistently transparent for VMAX and its customers
Walk the talk – no sooner said than done!
Maintaining direct contact with its customers at all times is extremely important to GW. Named contacts, regular check-in meetings, and the online customer portal ensure that no question goes unanswered and all necessary tweaks to the supply chain are made swiftly.
Gebrüder Weiss
Being in direct contact with GW’s logistics team allows you to work quickly together and focus on finding solutions.
“When we were choosing our logistics partner, having a direct line to the logistics team on the ground was particularly important to us. This is precisely what Gebrüder Weiss guarantees. It means that, on top of the usual day-to-day business, we can tackle all manner of different problems together, always working quickly with an eye on potential solutions.” www.vmax-escooter.de
