Collaborating with ASML: when current boundaries present new challenges
One of the biggest drivers of technological progress is located in Brabant: ASML (from: VPRO documentary ‘Tegenlicht’). This innovative company manufactures the world’s most advanced lithography machine, a machine used to produce computer chips. Due to the high demand for chips, chip manufacturers are expanding rapidly, causing ASML to naturally scale up at the same pace. At the same time, ASML wants to optimize its logistics chain in one central location, close to production. Reason enough to opt for a nearly fully automated warehouse (90%) in 2021. Director Logistics Operations Mark Bergkotte* and his team are responsible for this, and CQM helped build this ‘Smart Warehouse’. In this project, the partnership between ASML and CQM is therefore entirely focused on regional collaboration, connecting talents, and acquiring and utilizing expertise.
“ASML employs engineers who think ahead. My colleagues include some of the most creative minds in physics, electrical engineering, mathematics, chemistry, mechatronics, optics, mechanical engineering, computer science and software engineering. Because ASML spends more than €3 billion per year on R&D, our teams have the freedom, support and resources to experiment, test and push the boundaries of technology. They work in close-knit, multidisciplinary teams and listen to and learn from each other.”
Multidisciplinair team
“That is also exactly the reason why I wanted to work with a multidisciplinary team on the construction of our centralized, virtually fully automated warehouse. When I started in this role as Director Logistics Operations, we were still in the process of finishing and setting up the warehouse flows. Despite the creative minds we employ, I wanted to conduct an independent validation by an external party. Why? To see if the idea behind the flows and the automation was sound, and to validate how many people and resources we needed per department to carry out the work. From a fresh perspective, not from the viewpoint of a butcher inspecting his own meat. Additionally, I had been tasked with creating a single organization within the warehouse and assigning people to parts of that organization. In that case, it is useful to know how many people you need in that setup, but also what bottlenecks you might encounter. That is when I quite easily ended up at CQM, because this party is already known within ASML, with the question of whether we could create a simulation model to predict those kinds of issues.”
Mark Bergkotte | ASML (left) and Emy Hermens | CQM (right) in ASML's newest Smart Warehouse.
Simulate a situation that does not yet exist
“The fact that the people at CQM are also forward-thinking engineers makes starting such a project very pleasant. Collaboration is therefore central to this ‘Smart Warehousing’ project. And the collaboration triggered a lot of discussion at a detailed level. Helpful discussions, mind you. It was an iterative process, and it helped me and my team enormously to get a better grip on the entire situation. After all, we were simulating a situation that did not yet exist: that of a new warehouse. There is no data available for that; everything is done based on estimates. Estimates based on distance, time, manpower, and so on. It takes courage to dare to make choices. That is certainly the case on both sides. The simulation model forms the basis of the improvements within the warehouse. We will implement all the expansion possibilities calculated based on that over the coming years.”
Smart Warehousing
“CQM really challenges me on the questions we ask from ASML. It is a party that also dares to say that some things can be done better. On the other hand, I find flexibility very important. If CQM said the simulation would take 5 months and I said I needed it within 6 weeks, we always met somewhere in the middle. By reviewing the scope together and adjusting where possible. Together, we have always kept the long-term goal in mind: how can we generate the most relevant insights as quickly as possible and optimize our warehouse? Process thinking instead of product thinking and… Pushing boundaries.”
Internal knowledge & external expertise
“Apart from the simulation model that was successfully delivered and enables us to make data-driven decisions, it is fantastic to see how two companies of different sizes and cultures can blend beautifully into a fruitful partnership. Through the partnership with CQM, we have actually hired our own full-time employee, specialized in simulations and Robotic Process Automation. This allows us to make choices ourselves instead of constantly having to turn to CQM for simulations or scenario planning. The new warehouse delivers the performance our internal customers expect; from now on, we can adjust the ‘what ifs’ and thereby generate the best solution for the future. The collaboration will therefore certainly be maintained; internal knowledge and external expertise make a multidisciplinary team complete.”
We also learned a great deal from this collaboration with ASML. The unique aspect of this project is that we truly started something new together. Usually, you simulate an existing situation and look at alternatives. With this Digital Twin, we started from scratch, and so many logistical processes had to be linked together: inbound, outbound, cleanrooms, order picking, the use of forklifts, you name it. We certainly had good discussions, and fortunately, ASML is not afraid to make assumptions. As a result, the solution provided could fortunately truly be ‘next level’. Internally, there is a lot of domain knowledge and talent; without those two, we could never translate a solution to the business. It is also good that an internal specialist has now been appointed to pick up the thread. That is CQM’s way of working: transferring knowledge to create internal support so that the client can move forward independently. Of course, we remain connected and are always looking for new opportunities. In short: I think it is super cool to be able to contribute to the most advanced, almost fully automated warehouse of the moment.
Emy HermensSenior Consultant
Do you also want to validate complex logistical choices in advance?
Emy is happy to help you and will work with you to see how you can make your warehouse smart.
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Emy Hermens Senior Consultant
