Kangaroo BV sparks a quiet revolution on the shop floor with smart to-bin solutions, RFID and less supplier hassle.
“The biggest complainer? Make them responsible.” It's one of the most honest statements from Martijn Zuidmeer, director of Kangaroo BV. His company makes sure technicians never run out of parts again, that purchasers have 80% less work, and that CO₂ emissions can be cut significantly. How? With a to-bin system that's smarter than you'd think – and that turns the entire supply chain on its head.
C-parts: small components, big chaos
Kangaroo specialises in managing so-called C-parts – small, inexpensive components that are often forgotten, but are still essential in every production process. “Those are the ones people run out of most often,” says Zuidmeer. “And they eat up a ridiculous amount of time.”
According to him, industry is still often stuck in outdated warehouse structures, with dozens of suppliers, manual purchase orders and technicians who have to walk across the entire building for a simple part. “We take out that chaos and instead put the stock right at the workplace. Fully replenished automatically.”
How exactly does it work?
With Kangaroo's smart RFID-to-bin system, inventory management is almost fully automated. Two bins per component: as soon as the front one is empty, the rear one moves forward, and the empty one is dropped into a supply box where it gets scanned. No human intervention required. The system knows exactly when and where something runs out – and replenishes it automatically.
What makes Kangaroo unique? They're not an extension of a single supplier, but bundle up to 150 suppliers into one streamlined service. One invoice, one delivery, zero stress.
Less walking, fewer orders, lower emissions
The benefits pile up:
- Up to 30 purchase orders reduced to just one.
- Not 30 invoices per month, but one.
- No more expensive technician hunting for a little nut.
- Fewer transport movements, less CO₂.
- Full insight via a customer portal.
“You're fully unburdened, but fully in control,” says Zuidmeer. In the customer portal, companies can easily adjust quantities, pass on seasonal fluctuations or view reports. Soon, the current inventory value will be added too – for even more grip.
And what if your technicians aren't keen on change?
Zuidmeer laughs: “Then we set up a trial installation. Let the biggest complainer give feedback – often they become our greatest ambassadors.”
Kangaroo brings the whole organisation along in the process, from technician to financial director. “You have to build trust, because without buy-in it won't work.”
AI & predictable inventory management
While Kangaroo still uses traditional formulas for consumption forecasts, AI is on its way. Zuidmeer: “We're now testing AI for determining safety stock levels and consumption models. There's a lot of opportunity there.”
From industry to healthcare: applicable everywhere
The Kangaroo solution isn't just for factories. “We're also active in healthcare,” Zuidmeer explains. “Anywhere repeat orders take place, we can add value.”
The ambition? To fulfil a central platform role between customer, supplier and service provider. “We really want to become the go-to to-bin partner of the Netherlands.”
Trust, honesty and… one less bin of waste
Sustainability also plays a role. Kangaroo delivers in reusable bins and already removes all outer packaging. “Customers no longer have to worry about it. And if they hand over their own waste in our empty trucks: we'd love that.”
The future is now – and the manufacturing industry has to come along
The biggest lesson Zuidmeer learned? “Trust is everything. And being scalable starts with being honest.” His call to industry is therefore clear:
“Stop doing things the way you always did them. Go back to basics. Why are you here? And what do you really need to move forward?”
Want to know more about Kangaroo or how your factory can handle inventory management more intelligently?
Visit kangaroo.nl or get in touch via LinkedIn.