Vending solution helps cut costs

Flowplant contacted Brammer after reading its whitepaper on industrial vending which highlighted the potential savings of between 25 and 40% on consumables.

Brammer’s Invend allowed Flowplant to benefit from an industrial vending machine service without the upfront cost of having to purchase the machine. Brammer installed the Invend machine into Flowplant’s factory, giving site managers a complete oversight of what is being used, by whom and how often.

Invend is a vending machine which can dispense a wide range of industrial consumables, ranging from abrasives and cutting tools to hand tools, and from PPE to lubricants and greases. It can be used on a 24/7 basis, providing the user with the right industrial consumables at the time they need them. Additionally, the equipment is maintained by Brammer, as well as the re-ordering system, which automatically notifies Brammer of the need to restock when inventory runs low. 

Mark Bastable, MD of Flowplant, said: "We have been delighted with the introduction of Invend in our manufacturing facility. We have received fantastic feedback from our operators, who find the ease of use a considerable benefit, as well as the availability of equipment to them during all times of the day. 

"We’re able to track who is using the products, providing high visibility, as well as giving our operators the freedom to simply select the products they require knowing they will be in stock with Brammer’s automatic reordering service. The system fits with our lean philosophy and provides improvements with our reporting, at a cost which is significantly lower than it used to be.”

Invend is available with three dispense mechanisms – coil, locker and carousel – and the only cost to the customer is a £60 monthly fee for software usage. The machines have an internet connection direct to Brammer register re-stocking needs, as well as providing real time management information on usage by individual and cost centre.