Schaedler YESCO Upgrades Warehouse Management System with Tecsys

Over the past few years Schaedler Yesco has undergone significant growth. This ESOP company, which celebrated its 100th anniversary last year, has undergone much growth, and with it the resulting change, over the past few years.

It has:

• Opened new, organic, locations.
• Made a number of acquisitions, inclusive of expansion into Ohio and New York.
• Opened a western Pennsylvania RDC.
• Added many employees, including some senior executive roles
• Now serves contractors “wherever” the contractor needs to go to service their customer
• Relaunched, and upgraded, its website to strategically support its customers,
• And is in the process of moving its headquarters into a new location.

Lots of change. Lots of plans for growth. A commitment to the future.

And with growth comes the need to improve operational efficiency. That starts with the warehouse.

In Schaedler Yesco’s model they have a central distribution center (CDC) that supports branches in Central Pennsylvania but also can act as a redistribution hub for its regional distribution centers (RDCs).

• Note – Recognizing that they are in a state that historically has been split from a NEMRA agent perspective (but now, for a number of agents is being combined), the company endorsed the NEMRA POS / POT standards and shares this information with its suppliers. (If you are interested in the NEMRA POS / POT standards, contact NEMRA or me. Channel Marketing Group assisted NEMRA in the development of these industry standards.)

Given the importance of its CDC, the company sought to improve warehouse productivity with a focus on generating increased throughput, efficiency, cost-effectiveness, and better data to make inventory, delivery, and staffing decisions to support its customers.

The company decided it needed a more robust system and sought appropriate equipment and a software solution. They selected Tecsys as their software platform, which is being implemented by Tecsys’ system integrator, Avalon CSC.

The goal … position for future growth to support the company’s long-term, independent future. Leadership, and the family, recognized that to compete in today’s market … and support tomorrow’s customers, it needed the right infrastructure to build upon.

Schaedler Yesco Selects Tecsys’ Warehouse Managment System

According to the Tecsys press release:

“Tecsys announced that Schaedler Yesco Distribution, Inc., has selected Tecsys’ warehouse management system, Elite™ WMS for Electrical Distribution, to modernize its fulfillment operations. This strategic initiative will introduce real-time data insights and automation integration at its main distribution center, which serves as the backbone for nearly 30 branches across a tristate area.

With accuracy, efficiency and productivity top of mind, automation is a key priority for our business,” said Farrah Mittel, president of Schaedler Yesco. “Tecsys’ experience integrating with Eclipse gives us confidence in a smooth transition, ensuring we can enhance efficiency, improve visibility and better serve our customers without disrupting our core operations. This investment is not just about technology; it’s about strengthening our ability to deliver exceptional service and expand our footprint in the industry.”

Real-time data, VLM automation, and enhanced wire-cutting to bring efficiency and control to Schaedler Yesco’s distribution network.

Schaedler Yesco serves a diverse array of customer segments in the electrical distribution market across residential, industrial and commercial applications. Amid the increasingly complex demands of the supply chain, the electrical distributor is advancing its technology environment to align with its dedication to innovation and reliability. By replacing its legacy Epicor Eclipse RF Warehouse inventory management system with Tecsys’ Elite™ WMS, Schaedler Yesco is establishing a real- time data environment, offering visibility and control over its distribution operations.

Further optimizing storage and retrieval processes, the new Tecsys environment enables Schaedler Yesco to automate warehouse operations across its over 260,000 square feet of inventory with the implementation of vertical lift modules (VLMs).

“We are excited to work with Tecsys as we transform our operations,” continued Mittel. “With Tecsys, we will have the tools needed to improve productivity, drive efficiency, and enhance service to our customers.”

Tecsys’ Elite™ WMS features purpose-built functionalities for complex distribution environments, including those for electrical distribution. Its sophisticated features — from wire-cutting management and volumetric optimization to automation integration — help businesses streamline operations while enhancing accuracy and service standards.

With seamless integration with its existing Eclipse ERP, Elite™ WMS enhances visibility and efficiency while ensuring continuity in its business operations.

Tecsys system integrator Avalon CSC will progressively deploy Tecsys at Schaedler Yesco, establishing network-wide transparency across warehouse management and business intelligence functions. As part of Schaedler Yesco’s comprehensive supply chain transformation, the company will then focus on warehouse automation by leveraging VLMs as a key optimization strategy to further streamline operations.

Bill King, chief revenue officer at Tecsys, added, “We are honored that Schaedler Yesco has chosen Tecsys as its supply chain partner. Our WMS is designed to meet the challenges of today’s dynamic distribution environment, and we are confident it will empower Schaedler Yesco to achieve its operational goals and support long-term growth.”

Some Thoughts

• Investments such as these, on top of the company’s growth initiatives, sends a message to customers and suppliers … the company is positioning for the future, not for an acquisition. Why? Consider the investment level. An investment of this magnitude, just from the time commitment, requires time to generate an ROI. Few strategic acquirers need another warehouse (they already have much larger ones!) Kudos to the Schaedler Yesco management, and ownership, for strategically planning for tomorrow.
• Further, this type of investment requires continued growth.
• In a world where data can be gathered and interpreted, the information should enable Schaedler Yesco to further enhance operations, service, and generate insights to affect supplier relations. Every investment needs an ROI, and this type of investment can have multiple ROI streams … associate satisfaction, customer service, profitability, and sales generation.

If you’re planning for tomorrow, you need to think about the front, and the back, of the house. As a supplier considering how to be intentional in your channel strategy, investment should be one of your criteria in determining tomorrow’s partners.