French children’s fashion retailer ïdgroup has invested four million euros in an automated warehouse solution from Savoye for its 15,000 sq m distribution site in Leers, northern France.
The Savoye system includes sorting, order fulfilment and packaging functions, and IT management of the automated part of the warehouse.
The site, which is set to open in 2010, will dispatch products to the 630 Okaïdi and Obaïbi brands globally, and will also service the group’s online ordering capacity.
Previously the retailer’s order fulfilment processes were carried out manually, with grouped collections using trolleys and a warehouse control system.
Savoye has created customised automation programmes for ïdgroup’s logistics processes, except of the storage area, which will remain manual.
The first phase is set to go live in January 2010, and a second sorting system will be added in 2011.
A pick-to-light system will also be installed in a zone dedicated to order fulfilment. All the automated systems will be controlled by Savoye’s warehouse control system and interfaced to operate with ïdgroup’s own WMS.
The plan is to have the facility’s two sorting solutions fully operational by 2012.
The Leers site will store more than 14,000 active product references, with some 12,000 boxes to be prepared daily, and 500,000 items distributed.
The company is looking into commissioning a second building nearby, which will be fitted with an identical installation.
