Who is TVH?
TVH (Thermote & Vanhalst) is a Belgian family-owned company that has been active since 1969. Today, the company operates worldwide and holds a leading market position in spare parts and accessories for material handling, construction, and agricultural machinery. TVH employs more than 5,000 people, has 90 locations, and manages a stock of over 1 million parts. This enables them to supply customers on nearly every continent within 24 to 48 hours.
How does their logistics process with ID totes work?
To process orders efficiently, TVH uses a separate ID tote for each order line — a reusable bin with a unique code. This approach is the foundation of their speed and accuracy.
First, the system determines which parts are needed. It then automatically directs the correct totes to specific pick zones. There, employees or robots add the requested parts. Afterwards, the totes move to an automated sorting system that consolidates all order lines per customer.
This is followed by the packaging process. Smart machines scan each tote, select a suitable box, print the shipping label, and check the contents using cameras. In this way, TVH ensures that every order is shipped correctly and completely.
Thanks to this streamlined approach, the company processes up to 20,000 order lines per day. In addition, they ship 95% of orders the very same day, with an error rate of less than 0.2%.
Conclusion
In short, TVH combines smart ID totes with advanced automation to process orders quickly, accurately, and worldwide. This combination forms the backbone of their fulfilment process. As a result, the company can uphold its promise — “TVH keeps you going” – telkens opnieuw waarmaken.
