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Automatic distributor enables SAINT-GOBAIN AUTOVER to save 25% on safety gloves

The Saint-Gobain Autover logistics centre in Bastogne houses the largest range of glazing for cars, HGVs and coaches in Europe. If your glazing needs replacing, there is a strong chance that your replacement will come from there. 80% of the workforce of around 100 employees works in the warehouse. Saint-Gobain handles 2400 orders a day and the factory also invests heavily in personal protection equipment (PPE), including safety gloves.

Distributor in the warehouse: more reliable, more efficient...

"We met Vandeputte Safety International to look at how to reduce the budget spent on safety gloves without compromising on safety," says Olivier Camozzi, warehouse manager at Saint-Gobain Autover. "We also needed to improve the glove distribution process. Vandeputte suggested we use a distributor, which seemed to be the ideal solution."

"Previously, the team leader distributed the gloves in a room on the first floor somewhere in the warehouse," recalls Yoann Warlomont, health and safety manager at Saint-Gobain Autover. "The staff had to keep going to and fro, pass through the permanently busy warehouse and go upstairs. They also had to rely on the team leader to be there to issue equipment. Now the distributor is located centrally in the warehouse on the ground floor. Staff no longer need to go as far, they save time and can use it at any time: the distributor is always available." ▶

... and more economical

Vandeputte installed a rotary distributor, which is ideal for distributing smaller PPE such as gloves, safety glasses or small masks. Of course, a combination is possible too. At Saint-Gobain Autover, the distributor currently issues six different gloves: two different types depending on the work done by the operator, each in three sizes.

Olivier Camozzi: "Our French branch is already equipped with one of these, but at present we are the only ones in the Benelux. In the future it is possible that we might also install distributors for safety shoes and even other equipment for operators, such as hammers. A distributor also has a positive impact on equipment consumption: for example, an employee currently removes an average of six pairs of gloves from the distributor, leading to a reduction of 25% over two years or EUR 40,000 of savings compared with 2012!"

Gloves are taken from the distributor using the staff badge. This was one of the company’s explicit requirements: not to have a separate card because there are already enough cards in our wallets. "This was no problem at all for Vandeputte, which adapted its system to our badges," says Olivier Camozzi. "Yet it wasn’t something we could take for granted because there really are a lot of different types on the market. Another benefit is that I can add a new employee myself using the software. I simply create a connection between the database and the profile of the new employee and his or her badge. It’s done in just a few clicks!"

Distributor issues an e-mail alert when it needs to be refilled

Saint-Gobain Autover refills the distributor itself, but Vandeputte could easily have done so. Since the distributor is connected to the IT system via the Internet, the company can retrieve all sorts of information and statistics in the form of reports: monthly consumption, a comparison with the previous month, the status by work area, an insight by type of glove, etc. The software makes it easy for the manager to be alerted when the stock has almost run out. This option is not yet operational at Saint-Gobain Autover but it is always possible. The company sends its orders directly to Vandeputte.

"Vandeputte has an excellent website with a comprehensive catalogue and lots of additional information about the products. A connection has been set up to our Agora ordering system, which contains all our suppliers. This connection is particularly interesting for accounts, procurement and stock management," confirms Yoann Warlomont.

Long-term relationship

"We have been working with Vandeputte for several decades already," says Olivier Camozzi. "They have excellent products and services and they know our staff and our activities inside out. Nevertheless, we compared several suppliers before ordering this distributor. But it was Vandeputte that gave the best presentation and submitted the most competitive bid. Their contacts, the speed of their response to our questions and the efficiency with which they follow things up make them an excellent business partner. Their pricing is also very reasonable."

"We thought long and hard before installing this distributor but it works really well. To begin with the staff found it a bit strange, but now they think it is revolutionary. Our goal was to reduce costs and improve safety and we have certainly achieved that," concludes Olivier Camozzi.


Saint-Gobain Autover is the European number 1 in the independent automotive replacement glazing market. The company has 104 warehouses in 26 countries and employs a total of 950 people. The European logistics centre is located in Bastogne.

  • With 30,000 m² of floor area, Saint-Gobain Autover in Bastogne is the group’s largest logistics centre in Europe.
  • 2400 orders are handled every day, which corresponds to 8500 glazing items and 5000 accessories.
  • Saint-Gobain Autover in Bastogne has 100 employees.
  • The average monthly consumption of safety gloves per employee is around 6.

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