Apex Steel, one of Australia’s largest privately owned steel manufacturers, has digitised its warehouse and shop floor operations with Zebra Technologies’ mobile computing, barcode scanning and printing solutions.
Operating for more than 30 years now, Apex Steel provides a wide range of steel products to various industries through its national network of more than a dozen sites
Facing challenges from a legacy paper-based system that led to inaccurate stock counts and fulfilment delays, Apex Steel turned to Zebra to protect customer experience.
To modernise its operations, Apex Steel deployed a solution, which involved the upgrade of Apex Steel’s warehouse management system (WMS) was upgraded to Produmex WMS. This connects seamlessly to the company’s existing SAP Business One (B1) system.
“In the steel industry, differentiation comes from service, not the product. We needed to deliver on our promises with absolute certainty,” said Nick Lachimea, chief corporate officer at Apex Steel.
“Receiving orders could take up to an hour. With Zebra’s MC9 series mobile computers, it now takes 10 minutes, making our team six times faster,” said Lachimea. “We can tell a customer immediately if we have an item in stock and commit to next-day delivery with 99% confidence.”
This new workflow provides a single source of truth for inventory. On the shop floor, the solution eliminates costly production errors — Zebra’s ultra-rugged barcode scanners validate every steel coil’s colour and gauge before cutting, which prevents material waste and expensive rework.
To complete the process, Zebra’s industrial printers automate the final labelling stage, ensuring every finished pack is correctly identified to prevent shipping errors. The durability of these solutions, proven to last over a decade in a harsh plant environment, has also significantly reduced downtime and maintenance costs, contributing to overall efficiency.
“Across APAC, organizations are accelerating digital investments to build smarter, more agile operations. Apex Steel stands out as a clear example of intelligent operations in action,” said Joelle Booi, country lead for Singapore at Zebra Technologies.
“Through a more connected frontline powered by Zebra’s solutions, they’ve resolved persistent operational pain points while gaining a significant competitive advantage through improved efficiency and customer service,” said Booi.
