Heliox - Charged for Delivery

Heliox, a developer and manufacturer of charging systems for electric buses and trucks, was already working with itsme when production still took place in the Netherlands. Today, production has shifted to Slovakia, Portugal, and Moldova, and is also happening in the US. itsme remains the “irreplaceable” partner for the supply of electrical components and cable harnesses.

Headquartered in Veldhoven with 300 employees, Heliox has been developing charging systems for electric buses, trucks, and industrial vehicles since 2009. These come in various forms: mobile chargers, fast chargers, and flexible high-power systems for overnight charging at depots. The power ranges from 40 to 360 kW. The innovative company has already executed major charging infrastructure projects in Eindhoven, Glasgow (Scotland), and Schiphol Airport. Their charging stations can now be found in over 150 cities across Europe and the Americas. In 2023, Heliox was acquired by Siemens, which is also active in the e-mobility market. Integration of activities is currently underway.

From Lean to MRP

Initially, Heliox produced its systems in the Netherlands, allowing close collaboration between development and production teams and enabling a lean, just-in-time production setup. This allowed quick response to design changes and small, irregular orders. Electrical components were supplied by itsme in close triangular cooperation with Heliox and its production partner.

“The low-volume approach was not scalable to the high volumes we handle today.”

That has drastically changed, says Maria Malagon, EU Production Planning and Purchasing Manager at Heliox, speaking from Moldova during an online interview. “This low-volume approach was not scalable to the current volumes. We had no grip on our inventory anymore. So we changed the way we work. We now create a 16-week production plan using MRP (Material Resource Planning), which takes into account planning parameters, minimum order quantities, lead times, etc., to ensure everything is delivered on time and in the right quantity. We run this MRP weekly, generating purchase orders which itsme’s supplier team receives. They then have 13 weeks to prepare shipments. I believe this approach fits us well and will continue to improve. One thing that has already improved significantly is our technical documentation, which used to be outdated.”

Transparency

This new way of working enabled itsme to scale up operations for Heliox without increasing its workforce. Sven van der Heijden, OEM Supply Chain Manager at itsme, explains: “We now supply larger volumes thanks to the MRP; this would not have been possible with project-based orders. Four years ago, we created a dedicated team for Heliox, with eight employees in warehousing, logistics, communication, etc.

This has made things easier, along with the dedicated stock we hold for Heliox in a warehouse in Raamsdonksveer, near our headquarters. We store bulky parts there, such as converters, busbar sets, cabinets, etc., for distribution to Heliox’s production sites in Europe and the US. All goods that go into the chargers are shipped from Eindhoven, while Heliox’s logistics partner manages the local Kanban 2BIN system.”

“When you see how Sven’s team and mine work together, it feels like family.”

Of course, there have been challenges—such as component shortages during the COVID-19 pandemic. Van der Heijden: “We checked lead times twice a week against Heliox’s forecasts and quickly adapted to changes.” Malagon adds: “I think itsme has done a great job every time we had shortages. Even though they follow a structured plan, they understand our need for flexibility, such as last-minute changes. There's always transparency, and we value that enormously. When you see how Sven’s team and mine work together, it feels like family.”

So, for now, itsme is an “irreplaceable” partner, concludes Malagon. The big question on the horizon is how the integration with Siemens will unfold. “Being acquired by Siemens gave us access to markets we weren’t previously active in, like high-power charging. Siemens is now helping us further structure and standardize our processes. That’s necessary, because we’ve grown rapidly. On the other hand, that rapid growth was due to our flexibility in a dynamic market. I think we must learn from both worlds.”

Emphasizing Added Value

And the integration continues. Heliox is currently setting up production in a new Siemens plant in the US. In the future, Siemens is expected to partially take over Heliox’s industrial supply chain, says Malagon. “The acquisition is changing our supply chain. Essentially, we’re moving from subcontractors to our own factories.” What does this mean for itsme? “Change is coming, though we don’t yet know what form it will take. Right now, they are irreplaceable—a key partner in this transitional phase.

As always, our communication is transparent, and they’re more than a supplier—they’re a partner. They deserve to be kept informed of any changes in time. Just as we will be transparent with Siemens by emphasizing itsme’s added value in our supply chain. I think Siemens is increasingly understanding this.”

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