CASE STUDY – Gilbarco Veeder-Root transformed its global supply chain by adopting an e-kanban software, integrating warehouses, suppliers, and plants worldwide.

Words: Francesco Dall’Oca and Patricia Okraski

Gilbarco Veeder-Root, a global manufacturer of retail fueling products and convenience store equipment, operates a large and complex production system with facilities around the world. At their Greensboro, North Carolina site, in particular, the organization was facing significant challenges.

One of the main ones involved coordinating material flows between an external warehouse (located a few kilometers from the plant), the central internal warehouse, and multiple production lines. This logistical setup required constant tracking and precise coordination, but the tools in place made it difficult.

At the time, Gilbarco used a legacy kanban system that lacked ERP integration, forcing the team to manually re-enter data into separate systems. This duplicate data entry not only consumed time but also introduced the risk of errors, delays, and inefficiencies across the entire replenishment process. The process of handling kanban cards, checking inventory status, and moving materials across sites became labor-intensive and time-consuming.

Aiming to eliminate this kind of inefficiency, Gilbarco adopted a more advanced e-kanban software, KanbanBOX. [If you don’t know what an e-kanban software is, download the free guide here]. 

With its full ERP integration and end-to-end digitalization, the software allowed Gilbarco to streamline and standardize this complex network of internal and external movements, drastically reducing wasted time and effort.

STANDARDIZING INTERNAL FLOWS WITH SMART KANBAN MANAGEMENT

With the introduction of the new e-kanban software, Gilbarco was able to bring structure and standardization to its logistics processes, starting with the movement of materials from the external warehouse to the central internal warehouse.

A key upgrade came from the software’s automatic kanban sizing algorithm, which dynamically calculates the optimal number of cards needed based on real consumption data, lead times, and replenishment patterns. This feature, which was absent in their previous e-kanban solution, allowed Gilbarco to right-size its inventory buffers and adapt to changing production needs with ease.

What once required time-consuming manual calculations or static parameters has now become an easy-to-regulate, responsive flow, increasing both efficiency and confidence in the system’s performance.

INTEGRATING THE EXTERNAL WAREHOUSE AS IF IT WAS IN-HOUSE

The software also allowed Gilbarco to treat its external warehouse just like an internal one. The platform managed material flows between all locations seamlessly. Internal tug routes were created to deliver materials efficiently, while the software tracked inventory across facilities. Additionally, warehouse and production managers can access the software’s digital board at any time, with a clear, up-to-date view of all kanban cards in circulation. They always know what has been consumed, what’s in transit, and what’s ready for use, making the e-kanban software the single source of critical information for stock levels and material flow visibility, keeping ERP aligned.

BRINGING EXTERNAL SUPPLIERS INSIDE THE MATERIAL REPLENISHMENT SYSTEM

After successfully integrating the external warehouse into its internal flow, Gilbarco took the next step by connecting its external suppliers to its digital material replenishment system. Suppliers were invited to the platform through a free software license specifically designed for supplier collaboration.

Once connected, each supplier gained access to a dedicated digital dashboard, showing only the kanban cards relevant to their deliveries. With this board, they can clearly see which cards need to be replenished, which are in accumulation, and what’s in progress. This full visibility and real-time communication (with the comment section of each card) allows suppliers to act with precision and autonomy, effectively integrating them into Gilbarco’s internal material management system.

The result is a tighter, faster, and more transparent supply chain, fully aligned with lean principles.

GLOBAL ROLLOUT AND INTRA-GROUP INTEGRATION

As the final step in its journey to fully digitize and integrate its supply chain, aiming to create an integrated digital system across its global network, Gilbarco expanded the use of the software to other plants worldwide. This included the integration of other companies within the Fortive Group – some of which act as suppliers, others as customers – located in other continents as well, such as the São Paulo plant in Brazil and the Salzkotten site in Germany.

By connecting these plants to the system, Gilbarco enabled seamless coordination, standardized kanban processes, and shared visibility throughout the group.

One enabler of this intra-group collaboration has been the use of the Technical Drawings module. This feature allows Gilbarco and its partner plants to share updated component drawings associated to kanban cards in real time, avoiding errors due to outdated documentation and ensuring that everyone works with the same specifications.

OVERALL BENEFITS

By consolidating production, logistics, ERPs, suppliers, warehouses, and even design documents into a single integrated platform, Gilbarco significantly improved visibility, communication, and process control across the board. They reduced inefficiencies, ensured smoother collaboration, and gained real-time insights, all through a centralized system.

The impact of this journey is clear, even just considering the time saved in order entry. By eliminating manual order processing, reducing data duplication, and streamlining communication across warehouses, suppliers, and group companies, the company kanban order setup time dropped from 44 seconds to just 2 seconds. With around 1,700 orders weekly, this means Gilbarco saved up to 43 days per year.

Such savings must be combined with all the other optimizations, from real-time inventory visibility to automated replenishment and process standardization. This is the company’s move to the KanbanBOX software didn’t just improve isolated workflows and standardize process: it transformed the way Gilbarco manages its entire supply chain.

This story demonstrates how companies can transcend physical and organizational boundaries with the right tool. By integrating external warehouses, suppliers, and group entities into a unified digital kanban system, they can unlock real lean operational power.

Companies looking to unlock the full operational power of Lean through smart digital tools are invited to visit the KanbanBOX website and discover how to take their processes to the next level.

_THE AUTHORS