Bunkerstation Heijmen Plans to Upgrade from Dynamics NAV to Business Central

A household name in the Dutch inland waterway shipping industry since 1953 as a supplier of marine fuels and shipping supplies. A true family business where Frank and Robert Heijmen have been at the helm—both literally and figuratively—since 2007. Since 2014, the company has also had a branch in Rotterdam, and since 2017, one in Nijmegen.

Dynamics NAV

“When I joined Bunkerstation Heijmen in Millingen in 2005, they had just switched to Dynamics NAV (formerly Navision). Before that, they had been using several different software solutions, but those didn’t provide the information we were looking for. Data had to be entered into multiple systems to meet our information needs. Our old software didn’t have the capability to retrieve all the information from a single software solution. Through a partner company, Bunkerstation Papendrecht, we came into contact with Alistar. They had extensive experience with Microsoft Dynamics NAV and FuelVision 365 in the oil industry and the associated administrative processes. After an extensive demo and the assurance that our requirements could be met, we began implementing Microsoft Dynamics NAV in mid-2005.”

Fully operational in a few months

“The consultants at Alistar know what they’re talking about. The system was fully operational within a few months. The customizations we wanted in the software were implemented without any issues. The Rotterdam branch (SBH Heijmen Rotterdam) and the Nijmegen branch (Neptun Heijmen Nijmegen) also use Dynamics NAV. In Nijmegen, we started with an existing solution where the specific existing external discount structures could be incorporated into the standard Microsoft Dynamics NAV solution.”

“All of our bunker vessels are equipped with workstations that are directly connected to our central server via a 4G connection. This gives us immediate access to all the necessary information. In addition to Microsoft Dynamics NAV and FuelVision, we also use an Exsion module to further analyze the data from our records. Heijmen Bunkering Station operates 24 hours a day. We are available to our customers 7 days a week and 365 days a year. The continuity and reliability of our hardware and software are very important to us. And should a problem ever arise, the help desk staff and consultants will quickly get you back on track. Heijmen Bunkerstations, together with Alistar, are ready for the future.”

April 2022 Update –

In March 2022, we’ll be speaking with Gerben again. Is Heijmen Bunker Station still satisfied with Logic Vision and Microsoft Dynamics NAV, and what IT developments are currently underway?

Benefits of a Microsoft ERP System

“You can approach information in various ways; that’s a major advantage.
Suppose you’re in the vendor card; from there, you can go directly to open items. From the open items, you can then drill down to orders or invoices, and from there, drill down further to materials, revenue, and cost of goods sold. Many systems, such as Exact, operate through a menu structure, but Dynamics NAV offers much greater flexibility. 

“Another major advantage of Microsoft Dynamics is that the interface feels familiar to new users, allowing them to quickly get the hang of the system. Because you can keep zooming in, new users are quickly able to make sense of all the data. That said, the learning curve can be a bit steep at first because you’re hit with a lot of information right away, but once you get the hang of it, you’ll navigate it effortlessly. Integration with Office applications is also a plus: the combination with Excel and Excion, in particular, works really well and is easy for the end user.”

Upgrade

Bunkerstation Heijmen is currently still using Dynamics NAV but will soon be upgrading to the latest version: Microsoft Dynamics 365 Business Central.
While custom development is still widely used for industry-specific functionalities, these will be incorporated into our FuelVision 365 extension during the upgrade. Examples include:  

• Prices based on the Index and national suggested retail prices
• Excise and Customs Functionality
• Clients, Aldermen, and Their Associates
• Daily Fuel Prices and Inventory Valuation
• Extended units (L, L15, etc.)
• Back-to-back deliveries
• Contracts

“You can tell that the software is getting older and, as a result, isn’t as user-friendly as the latest version. We also regularly receive requests from within the organization to streamline administrative processes, for example by using barcode scanners. I therefore expect that integration with third-party solutions will be easier after the upgrade. In addition, Business Central includes new features that we want to use, and it will be easier for us to upgrade in the future.”

About the Heijmen Bunker Station

The company is characterized by an approach in which quality and personalized attention to its customers are key pillars of its success. From three delivery points and six bunker boats, they supply customers in the Millingen aan de Rijn, Nijmegen, and Rotterdam regions. Through their extensive bunkerpartners They can also deliver via their network throughout Europe. Their new inland waterway tanker, the ‘Independent,’ entered service at the end of 2018. This enables them to supply high-quality, clean fuel from the refinery all the way to delivery on board their customers’ vessels.