Modernising Cuypers Vorkliften’ Operations With A Future-Proof Digital Architectur

01 — CHALLENGE

Modernising Operations While Maintaining The Reliable And Flexible Customer Service

Cuypers Vorkliften is a family-owned rental company, located in the Port of Antwerp-Bruges. Their +1000 machines include a wide range from small electric forklifts to container stackers, terminal tractors and hydraulic cranes.

Operating in one of the biggest logistical nodes of Europe, with strict time schedules, complex supply-chain processes and a dynamic market context, it’s essential for Cuypers Vorkliften to be efficient, trustworthy and flexible.

While growing their offering in machines and gaining more technical knowledge regarding forklifts, their digital ecosystem stagnated. Their 80-person workforce, operating in rotating shifts to maintain 24/7 availability, relies heavily on manual systems.

Everything from planning, work orders, interventions, maintenance was managed using paper, logbooks and chalkboards.

Their promise of 24/7 availability required Cuypers Vorkliften to be organised in shifts.Therefore, the hand-over from one shift to the next is a crucial moment in their operations. It would take one hour to make sure the next shift is briefed thoroughly of all changes, customer requests, open tasks, etc.

General machine information is logged in an in-house developed system, but the company outgrew its functionalities. As a result there was no digital solution available to help centralise information of their machines or customers in real-time. Only at the end of each shift, the final status is transferred manually from paper to the database.

02 — SOLUTION

An IT Architecture Overhaul To Digitise Operations And Improve Information Flow

Together with the Cuypers Vorkliften team, our strategic experts, we helped shaped a new view of their target digital architecture, identifying the components that will optimise their operations. With this IT architecture we aim to raise the bar of their digital standards, ensuring higher-quality information and processes, faster data availability and more informed decision-making.

This digital transformation will enable Cuypers Vorkliften to:

• Transform their transport planning for greater efficiency and time optimisation
• Enhance service interventions with comprehensive information, allowing technicians to work more effectively and with greater focus
• Monitor stock management, claims, and machine status more efficiently through improved tracking systems.

03 — APPROACH

Co-Create A Plan To Set Cuypers Vorklifen Up For Future Success

Given the company’s size and structure, we opted for a streamlined, focused project approach.

First, we mapped out Cuypers Vorkliften’ operational workflow to understand how dispatch, technicians, sales and finance teams collaborate and interact.

Stakeholder interviews allowed us to assess how their shifts and handovers work exactly, which information technicians need in order to successfully repair issues, how new customers are onboarded, etc.

Next, we analysed their existing IT landscape, mapping out its systems, users, and data flows. This analysis revealed the historical decision-making behind their current solutions and highlighted operational gaps and bottlenecks that needed addressing.

This analysis resulted in four key recommendations and focus points that our solutions needed to address:

• Evolve from manual paper work to intuitive digital user interfacesSupport face-to-face communication and decentralise, digital information sharing
• Minimise custom applications while building a future-proof IT foundation
• Enable data-driven decision-making

These recommendations formed the foundation for a series of co-creation workshops, where we developed targeted solutions for each challenge.
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04 — OUTCOME

Enterprise Architecture Vision

Over a three-month period, we developed a comprehensive vision for Cuypers Vorkliften's future digital landscape. The proposed Enterprise Architecture identifies essential operational components, including fleet management, field service, inventory control, financial operations, and customer relationship management. The framework clearly defines system interactions, user roles, and data flows, providing a solid foundation for their digital transformation journey.

The proposed architecture maintains flexibility, allowing components to be combined or separated based on available market solutions. We then developed a strategic implementation roadmap that prioritises quick wins while minimising operational disruption, enabling Cuypers Vorkliften to realise benefits rapidly.

With this collaboration, Cuypers Vorkliften kicked-off on the journey of digital transformation.

Modernising their IT architecture will not happen in a vacuum.

Our roadmap integrates critical success factors beyond technical implementation, including:

• Understanding and addressing employee needs
• Analysing and optimising business processes and data structures
• Providing comprehensive change management and training
• Ensuring all decisions align with quality standards

This holistic approach ensures that Cuypers Vorkliften’s digital transformation will deliver lasting value across the organisation.

Today, we’re still advising and supporting Cuypers Vorkliften on their digital journey, as they begin implementing the first component of their new architecture: a comprehensive fleet management system.