A major milestone of the project is the significantly improved sustainability of the supply chain. Reductions in transportation and storage costs, as well as more direct distribution, have resulted in savings of 150,000 kilograms of CO₂ in one year.
SPHERE is an example of how strategic optimization can generate economic benefits while also making an active contribution to climate protection.
Efficient supply chain management is crucial for smooth logistics and customer satisfaction. HARTMANN’s supply chain network includes production sites, central warehouses and distribution centers. The latter are the central hubs that ensure on-time delivery to customers. The company also works with partners to ensure continuous product availability.
HARTMANN's largest logistics center, the Logistics Center South (LCS) in Herbrechtingen, also functions as a global central warehouse and distribution center, consolidating multi-level supply chains. This means that locally produced goods are combined with imports from overseas and then distributed to other markets.
One of the challenges of project SPHERE was to supply smaller markets more efficiently. Since direct deliveries carry a higher supply risk due to uncertain demand forecasts and longer procurement times, goods were previously bundled centrally. This reduced supply risks but led to higher handling costs and longer transport routes. Project SPHERE therefore implemented measures to improve logistics processes and reduce the number of touchpoints.
The measures implemented as part of SPHERE not only increase efficiency, but also actively contribute to sustainability (see the case study below for specific figures):
