Container Centralen: a solid foundation for innovation

Container Centralen (CC) is a European market leader in reusable transport items (RTIs), known for their CC pool system, the largest such system for RTIs. More than 20,000 horticultural growers and fresh-produce suppliers use these RTIs to transport goods to retailers, who then use the items to display their products. By supplying standardised containers, trolleys, and stackable shelving units, Container Centralen organise the entire logistics process efficiently and sustainably, keeping costs as low as possible for the customers. To guarantee smooth logistics, efficiency is paramount and a reliable scanning device is essential. Container Centralen wanted to replace the outdated scanner in use at that point.

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Within 4 months, Quatronic created a new RFID scanner app that tracks 4 million RFID-registered RTIs for more than 20,000 customers. In addition to improvements in efficiency, reliability, and flexibility, the OutSystems application laid a solid basis for innovation.

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The challenge

In order properly to manage the pool system logistically, an efficient scanning device is of utmost importance. When it became clear that the software running the scanning device was outdated, there was an urgent need for a solution that could be built within six months. Additionally, it was desirable for depot staff to perform other actions beyond just scanning and, moreover, the scanner was required to register not only the quantity of goods received but also their composition.

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After a brief exploration of the problem through our standardised Design Sprint, this challenge was translated into the following evaluation criteria:

• Delivery of an MVP on the existing scanner;
• Application functionality without network coverage;
• Integration with the customised logistics system 'LogLink';
• Evidence of development speed;
• Guarantee of maintenance and ease of use.

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We now have a solid basis and the flexibility needed to innovate continually.

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Our approach

Working with a team of three consultants, we operated in two-week sprints. At the end of each, we presented our progress to the stakeholders at Container Centralen, allowing them to provide immediate feedback throughout the development process.

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Three months after production had begun, Container Centralen received a fully integrated prototype at their depot in Hazerswoude (NL). Following a successful pilot phase focussed primarily on usability enhancements, the new RFID scanner app went live a month later and the transport equipment supplier launched a European training programme.

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The entire application was built using OutSystems, the leading low-code platform. The convenience and flexibility of this low-code environment allowed us to focus heavily on thoroughly analysing Container Centralen’s needs and developing the right solutions. As a result, we were able to deploy the RFID scanner app rapidly with all the required integrations, ensuring it fit perfectly with Container Centralen’s business operations.

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The result

Beyond replacing the obsolete scanner with updated software, the new app delivers numerous improvements, including:

• Faster scanning: users can now scan standard RTI configurations instead of individual components;
• The ability to record discrepancies between packing slips and actual deliveries;
• The ability for users to register damaged items and initiate repair orders;
• The RFID scanner app can now be used for inventory management.

These changes contribute to greater efficiency and reliability. Recording anomalies and details of damaged items at the time of delivery makes a significant difference. It prevents surprises and disputes later on and allows the organisation to bill customers for missing items when necessary. Furthermore, the repair process is more effective, as Container Centralen know exactly what actions are required as soon as a delivery is processed.

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Container Centralen are now working on their next innovation: a system that automatically monitors whether organisations return packaging in good condition. They are also exploring the development of a simplified scanner app for customers. There are even tentative plans to build a next-generation logistics information system using OutSystems. All of this is aimed at further increasing Container Centralen's performance and sustainability.