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Online retailer Firebox has appointed arvato to handle fulfilment as it pushes ahead with plans to expand internationally.
The five-year deal starts in July. arvato will store and despatch a range of 1,500 unique items from Bluetooth-enabled gloves to Firebox’s most popular product ever, the VW Camper Van Tent.
arvato will handle order-management, reverse logistics and added value services such as Firebox’s ‘CrapWrap’ service which promises to deliver presents wrapped in a slapdash fashion.
Under the deal, Firebox will relocate its South London warehouse and fulfilment operations to arvato’s distribution centre in Milton Keynes which uses pick by voice and stock profiling software.
This will enable it to manage warehouse space and stock levels flexibly in line with peak periods, lowering its fixed costs.
“As Firebox moves to its next phase of growth we realised we needed a like-minded partner to help us take on the world,” said Kristian Bromley, managing director of Firebox.
arvato was selected for its e-commerce fulfilment expertise and experience in supply chain transitions, along with its international reach.
“Firebox is such a fun brand and one of the UK’s real home-grown e-commerce success stories,” said Markus Schmücker, managing director, supply chain solutions, arvato UK & Ireland.
“We’re really excited about the opportunity to help Firebox achieve a more sophisticated e-commerce fulfilment strategy, allowing the business to focus on its international growth plans and what it does best – selecting and selling truly unique products.”
arvato’s 16,500 sq m Milton Keynes facility also houses its e-commerce and supply chain partnerships with Sony Music and Universal Music UK, as well as its e-commerce fulfilment offering for start-ups and small to medium sized businesses, Cloud Fulfilment.
