The challenge: Blair is one of the largest direct marketers in the U.S. Since 1995, the company has radically expanded its assortment of clothing and domestic textiles, increased the number of articles and complexity of shipments, and concentrated on catalog business and e-commerce.
The company had two main requirements for a partner to reengineer its intralogistics. The partner had to be able to implement a comprehensive, end-to-end solution that integrated existing hardware and software, and it had to be able to manage projects on this scale within the agreed time frame and budget.
Our solution: During rebuilding of the packing and shipping area, Dematic supported the customer extensively with software, mechatronics and engineering expertise. The project included, for instance, the complex integration of the existing WMS into the new Warehouse Control System (WCS).
Thanks to the integrated process flow, the company benefits fully from the strengths of the mechatronic solution based on the Crossbelt Sorter – namely quick unloading from storage and precise assembly of multiple orders. At the same time, the WCS ensures that orders are prioritized correctly at times of peak demand and that customers receive the best possible service.
Benefits for Blair:
- Improvement in orders dispatched in one day from 24% to 48%
- Boost in daily capacity from 60,000 orders in 3-shift operation to 182,000 orders in 2-shift operation
- Increase in shipments handled per working hour by 10%
