Peter de Henau has been Managing Director Benelux Savoye since 1 February 2020, having made a name for himself in (intra)logistics for over 25 years. He will strengthen and expand the organisation in line with the new strategy of the French logistics system integrator and publisher of supply chain software.
Peter de Henau initially studied Industrial Engineering and Management and later business administration and business development. However, his career was characterised by material handling and logistics right from the start. For example, his degree thesis focussed on internal transport systems. During his studies, he worked in the operation and technical support of distribution centres.
Fascinated by his degree subject, he began his professional career in a small company in the field of conveyor technology and then moved to a specialist for packaging machines and logistics projects. In both companies, he covered various technical and commercial positions and quickly developed into a real „all-rounder“.
In the year 2000, Peter moved to a Global Player in the area of Logistics automation. There he developed his passion for designing and developing automated, complex warehouses and enjoyed the challenge of creating a warehouse solution that really helped his customers achieve their goals. In this company he held various positions; from business development, sales, project realisation and service for key accounts to Managing Director of Benelux, where he was responsible for the entire organisation. This wide-ranging background has led to a broad understanding of the logistics profession and Peter de Henau now understands every process from the shop floor to management level.
Savoye: international and yet local
The recent evolution of Savoye's strategy is one of the main reasons that convinced Peter de Henau to join the French developer, manufacturer and integrator of automated logistics systems and software (WMS, WCS, TMS, OMS, EDI). Savoye not only announced that the company wanted to expand globally with a single brand, but also to be a company with a strong local presence. Good examples are the recently founded Subsidiaries Savoye North America Inc. and Savoye China. This is fully in line with Peter's ambitions.
„Savoye is already represented in the Benelux, but the time has come to significantly expand this presence. With my knowledge and experience, I want to build a strong Benelux organisation that includes not only sales, but also engineering, project management and service activities,“ explains Peter de Henau.
Of course, Peter can count on the support and expertise of the French organisation during this process, which will move to a new production site with a new head office in two years' time.
Scalability is the key
He not only liked the strategic orientation of his new employer. He was certainly also impressed by SAVOYE's broad experience and systems, which he sees as an innovator in the „light loads“ and order picking segment.
„ The most impressive thing about the company is its ability to grow with its customers. Scalability, for example, is a strength, and I mean scalability in terms of volume, performance and systems. In the beginning, companies usually mechanise a small part of their warehouse activities. Later, as they grow, they expand with other systems,“ Peter continues.
The challenges of the Benelux countries
The Benelux market offers the French company a enormous potential, but is also one of the most competitive. Every supplier of material handling systems wants to be present here.
Peter prefers to look at the potential. „There are still many warehouses with manual activities or with only a low level of automation. Sometimes this is due to short-term thinking and perhaps fear of the investment and complexity, but often it is also due to not knowing the possibilities of scalability, both in terms of the solution and the investment and the implementation of these systems. Savoye can help with standardised, proven solutions that grow with the customer. Our consulting and project management services are available to support you right from the feasibility analysis stage. In addition, we have our own really easily scalable systems such as the Plug & Play conveyor and our ergonomically designed fast-picking workstations. An even better example is the X-PTS shuttle system; it is not only suitable for large companies, but certainly also for ambitious medium-sized companies that want to optimise their logistics.“
According to Peter, this system can easily be supplemented with aisles, shuttles and/or work stations as required, so that the system can be adapted precisely to the growing requirements for storage and goods flows. Peter estimates that the X-PTS system is unique on the market in terms of performance.
In addition, the software is the connecting element in every logistics operation. Savoye's software suite has built a strong reputation with WMS, OMS, TMS, WCS and EDI. Peter also uses the keywords growth and scalability when describing these solutions, as Savoye software can be used in both manual and automated distribution centres and warehouses.
In the Benelux countries, article picking is becoming increasingly important in every business area. Peter believes that there are opportunities here, including for the Jivaro packaging machines, which automatically adjust the carton height to the contents. This is not only efficient when loading a lorry, but also has a major benefit for the environment. After all, this adjustment means that fewer lorries have to be on the road, which reduces the CO2 footprint of logistics.
Source: Savoye
