Digitization of order scheduling through a partner portal

The Brüning Group supplies thermal power stations with energy-supplying raw materials and delivers bulk goods.
In order to make order processing by freight forwarders more efficient, communication and processing were to be digitalized. To this end, a partner portal for suppliers and customers and a digital shipment tracking system were to be implemented first. In a second project phase, an EUDR compliance solution was to be implemented.

Orders are currently processed almost entirely manually by the individual freight forwarders, which involves a great deal of effort and inefficiency. Communication in particular is a key hurdle, as coordination between partners is currently still carried out via email and telephone, which is not only time-consuming but also prone to errors. In addition, the follow-up of deliveries is often delayed by several weeks. By developing a partner portal, these manual processes are to be gradually digitalized.

Initial situation in 2022

In 2022, order processing was still largely manual:

• 99.9% of all order information was processed or sent manually.
• High communication load: coordination before delivery took place via email and telephone - with a high workload and susceptibility to errors in all process steps
• Delayed follow-up: Post-delivery processing used to take between 1 and 4 weeks.

Strategic goals

To overcome these challenges, the partner portal is focusing on the gradual digitalization and automation of processes:

• Ensure partner integration: Freight forwarders and customers must be gradually integrated into the new system.
• Increase interactivity: The partner portal is to be further developed in several stages to actively involve partners in digital processes.
• Create a digital ecosystem: The software must function as a central interface to create transparency and minimize administrative effort.

These measures are intended to turn the partner portal into a central digital hub that optimizes collaboration, accelerates workflows and replaces manual processes as far as possible.

Digital shipment tracking

Shipment tracking offers an efficient solution for digital document transmission by enabling the upload of loading and delivery documents as well as weighing notes directly via smartphone. No additional app is required - the entire application runs conveniently in the browser. The process is very simple: once the collection or delivery has been completed, the carriers scan a QR code at the respective loading or unloading point. They can then photograph and upload the relevant documents directly in the application. This innovative solution ensures seamless, fast and secure transmission of all important documents.

Partner portal

The partner portal serves as a central interface to forwarding and logistics partners. The aim is to make internal workflows more transparent, open them up to partners and actively involve them in processes. Closer collaboration and digital processes are intended to increase efficiency and reduce administrative costs.

The partner portal for freight forwarders was developed according to the MACH approach (microservices, API-first, cloud-native, headless) and offers a powerful, flexible and future-proof solution for digital order management. The intuitive dashboard provides users with a weekly overview of all current and completed orders, ensuring full transparency at all times. In addition to the overall overview, the portal allows detailed insight into individual orders, making all relevant information quickly and easily accessible. Another key feature is the seamless transfer of documents directly to the respective orders. Thanks to the MACH architecture, the system is particularly adaptable and scalable, so we can currently add new features and adapt old ones quickly and easily.

Digital EUDR compliance solution

From December 2026, the European Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR) will require companies that place products or raw materials made from wood on the market in the European Union to check, document and submit a due diligence declaration on deforestation-free supply chains. The regulation also affects livestock, palm oil, coffee, cocoa, soy and rubber as well as related downstream products. In order to meet the requirements of the EUDR, we have developed a digital compliance solution together with Brüning and integrated it into the partner portal.

The new digital solution covers the entire life cycle of a due diligence check in accordance with the EUDR:

• Guided Investment Workflow:
  A multi-step form guides users* intuitively through the complex data collection process so that no mandatory information is forgotten.
  
  

• Geodata management:
  Users can store polygons on a digital map. This is the core of the EUDR, as the exact geolocation of the production area based on longitude and latitude is mandatory.
  
  

• Tree species specification:
  The selection of specific tree species ensures that the botanical requirements of the regulation are met.
  
  

• Document upload:
  Enables proofs, certificates or official approvals to be uploaded directly to the relevant measure.
  
  

• Flexible reference system:
  Without reference: Ideal for initial entry to prepare all data cleanly.
  With existing reference: Take over existing EU reference numbers and pass them on.
  
  

• Interactive linking:
  The highlight is the linking of measures with orders. This closes the product chain - from the forest section to the specific customer order.
  
  

• Dashboard overview:
  Centralized management of all created measures ensures transparency and audit compliance.

Thanks to this digital solution, Brüning is ideally prepared for the introduction of the EUDR and gains legal certainty and audit readiness with regard to the strict EU regulations and any audits by authorities.
In addition, the company can flexibly apply the new solution to other verification documentation. At the same time, the new digital process is significantly more efficient, both for Brüning and for partner companies.

The project with Brüning is characterized by an excellent and cooperative partnership. The technical solutions developed, which were linked together and implemented in an agile manner based on the MACH approach, make this project a role model for digital transformation in the B2B and logistics sector. In our view, the result is very convincing.
We look forward to working with Brüning in the future and continuing to support the project.

As the market leader in Germany, the Brüning Group specializes in trading with energy-supplying bulk goods. Thanks to its dense, far-reaching network, the company is able to react quickly and efficiently to market changes both nationally and internationally and offers its customers and business partners a reliable supply and disposal service as well as logistics from a single source.