Distrisel digitizes its delivery tracking with PTV Axylog

For its transport subsidiary Sotrasel, Distrisel, a specialist in the distribution of salt for water treatment and a subsidiary of the Salins Group, chose the PTV Axylog real-time transport visibility solution, published by PTV Logistics. Thanks to this digital transformation, the company has gained operational efficiency and secured its regional deliveries, made directly to the water softeners.

“Salt is life. It’s everywhere, even in our bodies!” jokes Alexandre Mosson, sales director of Distrisel. Almost 50 years ago, to the day, Distrisel, the French specialist in salt distribution for water treatment, was founded. This entrepreneurial success was built on a solid customer promise: delivering bags of salt manufactured by its parent company, Groupe Salins, directly to its customers’ water softeners—a service that covers more than half of all heating and water treatment professionals.

With nearly 30,000 tons of salt distributed annually, over 25,000 delivery points, and a fleet operated by its subsidiary Sotrasel (20 heavy goods vehicles, 4 light vehicles, and a furniture lift), Distrisel has established itself as a key player in the sector in France. Every day, between 15 and 20 delivery routes are organized and carried out from the network's eight depots. Until 2024, the entire process relied on paper forms given to drivers: an organization prone to unforeseen events and poorly suited to deliveries often made without anyone on-site to assist. "We managed everything manually. The slightest printer malfunction could halt a route. And without digital proof, it was difficult to document deliveries in environments where no one receives our bags. Drivers very often work alone on-site," recalls Alexandre Mosson.

A structuring project

Since July 2025, Distrisel and Sotrasel have undergone a paradigm shift. The two sister companies now rely on the PTV Axylog digital solution to ensure delivery tracking and traceability. Depots now monitor the progress of delivery routes in real time. Drivers receive their routes directly on their work smartphones from the headquarters in Aubervilliers, including the quantities to be loaded, the route plan, and digital delivery notes associated with each customer. Once on-site, the PTV Logistics application provides digital proof of delivery through geolocation, photo capture, and electronic signature. It also allows for the immediate reporting of any issues, such as closed sites, punctured bags, or other incidents observed during delivery. The tool also simplifies the management of Euro pallets, a significant cost item: drivers can now indicate in real time which pallets have been left at or picked up from each customer's location.

Downstream, PTV Axylog finally accelerates the invoicing process, which can be launched the very next day, thus securing Distrisel's cash flow. Started in May 2025, the project was operationally deployed in just two months, a particularly short timeframe for a transformation affecting all depots and drivers. " Beyond the financial gains , PTV Axylog provides us with real operational efficiency: the end of paper management, increased responsiveness, immediate information reliability, and streamlined communication with both drivers and customers ," says Vincent Lardon , Deputy Director of Distrisel and Sotrasel.

A winning model, replicable internationally

Thanks to the operational implementation of PTV Axylog, Distrisel estimates it has eliminated 75,000 sheets of paper per year. “We wanted to modernize our way of working with a simple, robust tool adapted to our high-quality service delivery model . PTV Axylog perfectly met our expectations, with a positive impact both operationally and commercially,” continues the managing director. This satisfaction is also shared by the drivers, who immediately adopted the tool, as well as by the Salins Group. The latter plans to extend the service delivery model of its subsidiary Distrisel to other European countries and to rely on PTV Logistics' software for this purpose.