GEBHARDT Logistic Solutions GmbH is known for its efficient and customized logistics solutions. With its innovative developments, it offers its customers ideal conditions for meeting the challenges resulting from logistical changes, modified production processes or new products quickly and reliably at all times. What was missing was a solution with which the extensive range of products requiring explanation could be presented in a clear and uncomplicated manner.

The challenge: creating digital processes

GEBHARDT knows that the future is digital, which is why the specialist for innovative load carriers with added value wanted to establish paperless sales and use the digital advantages for optimal customer advice and support. For this reason, GEBHARDT turned to Vuframe® to realize the use of the mobile 3D sales solution developed by the Regensburg-based company: with the app construction kit of the Vuframe® platform, a separate sales app for tablets and smartphones was set up with just a few clicks and has since been maintained by GEBHARDT employees themselves - all without any programming knowledge.

As part of the implementation, the sales department was fully equipped with tablets. The intuitive handling of the app made it easy for users to use and the entire team was immediately impressed. The app not only contains 3D demos of GEBHARDT products, but also a media library with all traditional sales documents. This creates a “single source of truth” for the sales staff, with which customer meetings can be accompanied in a modern way using the tablet.

The new app solution raises the presentation options at GEBHARDT to a new level, as it enables sales staff to present the entire product range to customers clearly and vividly - whether in a face-to-face meeting or digitally. In addition, there is significantly greater flexibility because, unlike printed brochures, the 3D app can be updated quickly and easily at any time.

Practical test at the LogiMAT trade fair

The app had an ideal opportunity to prove its suitability in practice “under full load” at LogiMAT. Until shortly before the start of the leading logistics trade fair, there was uncertainty in the company as to whether and in what form a trade fair appearance would be possible. The originally planned and expensively implemented trade fair stand had been in storage for two years, which resulted in additional costs.

The LogiMAT version of the application was realized within just eight weeks, including all 3D demos of Vuframe®. The app was available in a German and an English version in time for the start of the trade fair and provided the trade fair team with valuable services in countless discussions when presenting the GEBHARDT product range.

The ideal sample thanks to a digital twin

In addition to optimized processes in sales, GEBHARDT was also aiming for a new technical approach to creating samples with the AR app. The models are as cost-intensive as they are unavoidable for the company, as almost every customer requests such a sample sooner or later as part of the planning process. However, before the final suitable solution is found, several correction runs are usually necessary, which requires new samples each time. Due to this and the individual production, prototyping is costly and can run into the four to five-digit euro range, depending on the project.

As an efficient alternative, GEBHARDT now offers the creation of a digital sample twin using the smart 3D demos in the 3D app. This has the major advantage of minimizing the time and costs involved in creating samples. All the GEBHARDT employees need is the customer's planning and environmental data. From this, they can bring the prototype to life in its later real environment and transmit it digitally to the customer so that they can convince themselves of the feasibility of the solution.

Conclusion: More data security and sustainability with the app

In addition to the digital form of presentation and more efficient sample creation processes, GEBHARDT also focused on data security. Previously, sending sensitive 3D and CAD data online was not only difficult due to the size of the data, it was also not considered secure. As a result, data was only released to certain customers.

With the Vuframe® no-code platform, however, these problems are a thing of the past. According to Anna Igl, the unique non-reverse engineering technology was a decisive factor in choosing the solution developed by Vuframe®.

At the same time, the Vuframe® AR app leads to significant improvements in terms of sustainability. As a company from the logistics sector, GEBHARDT is fully aware of its responsibility in this area. That is why the company places great emphasis on ecological responsibility as well as economic responsibility.

The digital solution meets this requirement perfectly, because in addition to paperless sales and the reduced CO2 footprint for the production and transportation of customer samples thanks to the virtual sample twins, the 3D sales app reduces the effort and energy consumption for all forms of product presentation.

The realistic presentation of the GEBHARDT product range and AR-controlled 3D demos of the associated processes in the company save the sales force many trips to on-site presentations. The company's national and international teams also save many physical meetings thanks to improved internal communication. This helps GEBHARDT to make its contribution to environmental and climate protection by using the AR app and thus fulfill its sustainability promise.