C. J. Wigger : Future-Proofed Storage Power for the ERP System

Background

In C. J. Wigger's specialist tiling dealership and hardware stores, professionals and private customers can find everything they need related to handicrafts, products for the home and hobbies. The medium-sized company from Schleswig-Holstein is a franchisee of the Hagebau trading company and also rents out and repairs forestry and gardening equipment. Since its foundation in 1881, the traditional company has grown continuously and now has around 160 employees.

Challenge

The digitalization of processes has also led C. J. Wigger to experience constant data growth. To meet the IT needs of its branches, the company maintains its own large server room in Neumünster, including a backup solution in a separate building. The aging hardware was increasingly reaching its limits, in particular due to the ERP system with its increasing database workflow, which requires short access time. C. J. Wigger had to search for a storage solution that was more powerful and future-proof, while at the same time being more sustainable.

Solution

Thanks to the recommendations of the professionals, the family-run enterprise found what it was looking for. The connection presented itself: The system vendor had already been an early IT partner of C. J. Wigger, and is a certified IT field service partner of Hagebau DACH, including for cash register systems, mobile data collection, security, networks, and clients. MARX recommended the Huawei OceanStor Dorado storage solution. This all-flash system is specially designed for high performance, extremely low latencies, optimal reliability, full redundancy, and guaranteed availability. The new installation was successfully completed within two days. C. J. Wigger used the hardware exchange to perform a thorough cleanup of its database; only the inventory control system was migrated.

Advantages

Huawei's Dorado storage solution resulted in greatly improved access time to the ERP databases for employees of C. J. Wigger. The overall speed of the system increased four to five times. For example, the monthly processing of price updates used to take 12 hours, but it can now be done in less than three hours. The new storage system also contributed to data minimization: Thanks to features such as compression and data deduplication, the Dorado solution occupies only one-sixth of the total data volume. To date, the utilization of the entire system has been less than 50%, but if it increases, then C. J. Wigger does not have to buy any new SSD hard drives – it just needs to extend its license.

Another aspect of sustainability: More performance is spread across fewer devices; overall energy consumption fell significantly. The support offered is also impressive. For example, the manufacturer informs the IT supervisors immediately when a new firmware update is available for the storage systems. Huawei also gives a delivery guarantee for selected hardware. For example, new storage components reach the customer within 14 days after the order is placed.

About C. J. Wigger

Founded in 1881, the Neumünster-based C. J. Wigger KG in Schleswig-Holstein operates hardware stores for professional craftspeople and private customers, specialist stores for garden technology and a specialist tiling dealership. As a franchisee, the family company is one of 350 shareholders of the Hagebau trading group. Its range of services includes laying tiles, searching for tradespeople, project support in the field, and repair and installation of motorized garden devices. C. J. Wigger employed around 160 people in 2022.

For more information, please visit: https://www.cjwigger.de/

"No other system on the market offers this level of performance. With the new storage solution, we've positioned ourselves for the future, and we're ready for further growth."

Markus Ossenbrüggen

IT system administration, C. J. Wigger