New solution optimizes planning of 40 to 60 containers per week

Via Chassé, a wholesaler in office supplies and hobby materials, has automated container planning with Metrica from Jeroen van den Berg Consulting. The solution replaces the existing Excel-based approach and supports the weekly planning of 40 to 60 containers.

Planning this flow of goods was a complex puzzle in practice.

“Many factors play a role with every container,” says Sebastiaan Gielens, director of Via Chassé. “Expected arrival times change constantly. Do we choose transport by truck or barge? How many unloading crews are needed daily? How do we distribute the work throughout the day?”

Additionally, costs quickly escalate when containers sit too long in terminals or empty containers are returned late. At the same time, planning directly impacts product availability for customers.

Previously, planning was done manually in Excel. This not only cost a lot of time but also led to unnecessary costs. There was also the risk that customers couldn’t be supplied on time because inventory was still sitting at the quay.

Mathematical Optimization

Metrica is connected to Microsoft Business Central. Based on available information about inventory, orders, forecasts, ship arrival times, and available unloading capacity, the system calculates an optimized unloading schedule. After approval by planners, this schedule is written back to the ERP.

The system uses mathematical optimization methods to calculate all trade-offs. The result is more predictable operations, more targeted deployment of capacity, and better control over inbound goods flows. Additionally, demurrage and detention costs are reduced, and available unloading capacity is better utilized.

According to Jeroen van den Berg, the implementation also marks a next step for his consultancy, which celebrates its 25th anniversary: “Many companies still manage complex logistics processes with Excel, while volumes, exceptions, and dependencies continue to grow. The knowledge and optimization methods we’ve built up in consulting projects, we’re now bringing together in Metrica.”

About the author
Jeroen van den Berg is the author of Highly Competitive Warehouse Management and holds a PhD in warehouse algorithms from the University of Twente. He has been advising companies on warehouse optimization and WMS since 1997, running his own consultancy since 2001. He develops Metrica, a Warehouse Optimization System.