A warehouse management system (WMS) is a software application used to manage the processes involved in receiving, storing, and shipping products and to ensure that these processes operate optimally. A well-designed WMS moves products and materials through warehouses and distribution centres efficiently, cost-effectively, and profitably. Find out more about our WMS system.

All organisations that store and distribute products will benefit from a WMS with WMS options available to fit companies of all sizes. Typically, organisations turn to a WMS for support when they run into one or more of the following issues:

• Increased growth is outpacing the warehouse's capability to deliver and meet customer expectations
• The competition can offer delivery options you cannot match, for instance, same-day delivery.
• An increase in customer complaints caused by late or inaccurate deliveries
• Space within the warehouse is becoming constrained
• There is no accurate view of inventory, and as a result, there is a risk of lost sales or excess inventory

From a warehouse manager's perspective, a WMS provides control of the operations and allows you to focus on the essential aspects of your role while the team executes the low-level tasks. Therefore, it’s time to look at the option of a WMS if you spend most of your day fire-fighting issues caused by manual processes, human error, and inventory problems.

One of the mistakes many companies make is to believe that the implementation is quick and just a case of installing a piece of software like you would on your laptop. WMS project implementation times vary from around three months to 18 months, depending upon the complexity of the solution required. Typically, the stages of the project include: 

- Requirements analysis and preparation of the design documentation, including any integration to upstream or downstream systems
- Master data collection, cleaning, and loading (this can take time as many companies don’t have this to the extent required by the WMS)
- System build/configuration (creating the business rules and setup required explicitly for your warehouse)
- Integration Testing
- Customer Testing
- Go-live
- Launch Support (on-site handholding while you become familiar with the operations)

Our warehouse solutions support a disparate range of industries. Since opening our doors in 2006, we've helped many companies improve their warehouse management systems and business processes. These industries include telecommunications, fast-moving consumer goods, pharmaceuticals, supply chains, couriers, NGOs, and the like.

A warehouse control system (WCS) is a software application that provides the bridge between a WMS and automated equipment such as conveyors, sorters, and automated storage and retrieval systems, to name just a few. The WCS takes instructions from the WMS and orchestrates the movements of products, orders and people to ensure the optimal utilisation of the to fulfil the requested tasks.

Companies that want to operate at world-class levels benefit from the addition of automation and a WCS to take their capabilities to the next level giving them a real competitive advantage in the marketplace.

A WMS controls all operations within a warehouse and optimises processes to allow your warehouse team to do more in less time. A WCS can help companies move their distribution to the next level, but it is not necessary for all businesses. Which way to go depenhttps://apex-rts.co.za/warehouse-services/wmsds on your business, customers and product lines.

Reach out to Apex for a consultation so that we can see what you need to achieve your warehousing and distribution goals.

Apex believes in partnering with like-minded companies that offer services, products and solutions that complement our own. As a team, we can provide a comprehensive solution to any business needs within the warehouse and distribution industries.

We integrate these software solutions into a custom-made warehouse management solutions for you.

Made4Net specialises in supply chain execution software, including warehouse, transportation, labour and yard management solutions.

Matflo allows your organisation to select a complete solution or only the components that you need.

ConnXion WCS connects your business's higher-level systems to automated equipment.

Freight Intelligence allows us to offer courier service providers and those that utilise those services the power to manage the delivery process.

Yes, our WMS offerings provide solutions optimised for multi-channel distribution and seamless integration with technology, including voice, vision, IoT, shopping carts and carriers.

Our WMS solutions operate in 3PL environments around the world. The features offered include allowing different business rules per client, billing of services provided and a robust set of tools to communicate between your systems and each of your customer’s ERP systems.

Yes. We work with Non-Governmental Organisations successfully implement projects sponsored by USAID and the UNDP.

Yes. Our pharmaceutical warehousing and distribution solutions meet the demands for traceability and serialisation vital to effective pharmaceutical distribution. We have been providing solutions to the pharmaceutical industry's everyday challenges for several years. We are proud to service several leading forces in the African healthcare supply chain management.

Yes. Our pharmaceutical warehousing and distribution solutions meet the demands for traceability and serialisation vital to effective pharmaceutical distribution. We have been providing solutions to the pharmaceutical industry's everyday challenges for several years. We are proud to service several leading forces in the African healthcare supply chain management.

Yes. Although we are known for our integration prowess in WMS and WCS, we are a business process improvement company. Our solutions improve processes, so our clients remain competitive, profitable, and relevant.

Yes. Apex is a BBB-EE Level 1 certified firm committed to employee development and transformation.

No. We integrate WMS and WCS. We have partners with whom we can provide this technology, which we then integrate into our WMS software solutions.

Managing Director Alan Richard founded the company in 2006, leveraging his experience in warehouse management and client-focused ideals to offer a comprehensive variety of solutions to warehouses of various functions and outputs throughout Southern Africa.