Holcim France automates cement silo replenishment with SiloConnect

Industry

Cement

Challenge

Between theoretical inventories and approximate manual readings, the lack of storage visibility forced the teams at Holcim France to manage orders concentrated in the early morning for the majority of their clients. This situation led to daily delivery peaks, making proactive and optimized management of logistical operations impossible.

Results

Thanks to SiloConnect, Holcim's customers gain clear visibility over their storage levels and consumption. Automated ordering helps them reduce the risk of stockouts, saving time and allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks. This solution optimizes delivery distribution, even enabling the addition of a truck at the end of the day, which not only improves customer service but also generates significant savings by maximizing the profitability of delivery routes.

Key Product

SiloConnect®

www.holcim.com

700

connected silos currently being deployed

countries equipped and operational

20%

Time savings for the logistics team

« We are proud of our investment in innovation with Nanolike. SiloConnect enhances our operational efficiency, strengthens our customer relationships, and supports our commitment to reducing our environmental impact. »

Christophe Bouf

Director of Logistics Strategy at Holcim France

« Since we started using SiloConnect, we no longer worry about placing orders. The system automatically alerts us and schedules deliveries as soon as space becomes available. This has simplified our daily operations, improved our efficiency, and provided us with great convenience and peace of mind. »

Logistics Manager

at Chausson Matériaux, a Holcim France client

About Holcim France

As a subsidiary of the Holcim Group, the global leader in innovative and sustainable construction solutions, Holcim France is committed to ecological transition and circular economy. With a workforce of 4,200 and over 470 sites across France, the company delivers expertise in cement, aggregates, ready-mix concrete, and specialized products. Holcim France consistently enhances its processes to ensure exceptional customer satisfaction while advancing sustainability.

Automated Replenishment

By adopting the VMI (Vendor Managed Inventory) model, Holcim France has transformed its customer supply chain. This proactive approach optimizes cement supplies and minimizes the risk of stockouts. Freed from time-consuming emergencies, logistics operators can now focus on high-value tasks such as delivery route optimization, personalized customer follow-ups, and improving internal processes. Enhanced flexibility enables deliveries to be spread throughout the day, with the option to add a truck at the end of the day for optimal responsiveness. On the commercial side, this model strengthens customer loyalty through differentiated service and opens new sales opportunities by optimizing inventory management.

Progressive Automation: A Controlled Transition

At Holcim France, the transition to automated ordering was implemented in phases, allowing teams to adapt gradually. Initially, a semi-automated system was introduced, generating alerts when enough space became available in a silo to deliver a cement tanker. Leveraging artificial intelligence, SiloConnect continuously analyzes data to identify optimal replenishment moments, leaving order validation to operators or clients, depending on the organization of equipped sites. Automation was then progressively extended from a single silo to multiple ones, eventually covering all locations. This phased approach optimized operations while ensuring a smooth transition for Holcim France’s teams.

Behind the Transformation

Implementing this automation required cloud-to-cloud integration and meticulous change management. This project, conducted through close collaboration between IT, logistics, and commercial teams, ensured a seamless adoption of the solution. Today, Holcim France benefits from simplified supply chain management and enhanced operational performance across all its facilities. This deployment is part of a broader international initiative, with 12 strategic countries already leveraging SiloConnect to improve logistics efficiency and customer service.

Edelio Bermejo, Global R&D Director of the Holcim Group, captures this ambition:

« At Holcim, we are accelerating the development of new technologies and solutions across our value chain to enable more efficient and sustainable operations. Nanolike has successfully demonstrated its ability to deliver innovative logistics solutions to the construction sector. »