How can intralogistics be optimized to boost the competitiveness of companies in the fashion and luxury goods sector?
The textile sector, profoundly transformed by e-commerce, multichannel and new consumer expectations, is facing increased competition and ever-higher demands for quality, speed and personalization. To remain competitive, players in the fashion industry are focusing on supply chain optimization to rationalize flows, reduce operating costs and be more environmentally friendly.
Transitic’s teams are experts in intralogistics solutions and have been working with leading fashion and luxury brands for several decades. In this article, we analyze :
- Sector challenges
- Solutions for a wide range of products
- Key systems for order picking
- Connectivity at the heart of systems
- Intralogistics for sustainable fashion
01. Challenges facing the fashion and luxury sector
The fashion and luxury goods sector is facing unprecedented logistical challenges that require innovative and appropriate intralogistical solutions:
Heterogeneity of products
A multitude of references to handle, from garments to accessories, combined with a diversity of formats (folded, hung, individually wrapped).
Order customization
Popular with consumers, it nevertheless complicates logistics operations and requires flexible information and processing systems.
High inventory turnover
Faced with uncertain sales forecasts, brands have to continuously adjust their production to meet peak demand while avoiding overstocking.
Reverse logistics
It's a costly and dreaded process, particularly for online fashion, a sector with high return rates and a growing commitment to the circular economy.
More demanding customers
Today's shoppers are looking for a seamless, transparent and personalized shopping experience, which requires an effective omnichannel strategy.
Short delivery times
Brands are under constant pressure to meet urgent customer demands (24-hour or same-day delivery).
Environmental issues
Aware of its ecological footprint, the fashion industry must optimize the management of its resources by reducing packaging and adopting more sustainable solutions.
02. Solutions for a wide range of products
The fashion industry demands flexible, scalable intralogistics solutions. Environmental and social issues, as well as fluctuations in demand, are making the supply chain even more complex. Systems must be able to handle highly variable volumes, a multitude of part numbers, and adapt to different distribution channels:
- Storage of garments on hangers: The modularity of today’s systems means that a wide range of part numbers can be stored and easily reconfigured as required, whether for garments on hangers or cartons. Racks equipped with hangers can easily be transformed into carton shelving, and combined with an overhead conveyor to prepare stored items.
- Transporting garments on hangers: Overhead conveyors are an efficient solution for transporting garments on hangers. Manual systems enable flexible supply of workstations and storage areas. Automated systems, on the other hand, come in a variety of forms: ratchet, pin or box. They can handle transport, accumulation or sorting, all at high speed and with the utmost respect for the garment.
- Carton transport: Roller or belt conveyors offer a reliable, high-performance solution for managing peaks in activity while reducing costs. They can be used to receive and sort supplier parcels for storage, to prepare orders using station systems, to connect different warehouse zones and systems, and to simplify packing and sorting operations by conveyor.
03. Key systems for order picking
Order picking requires the synergy and coordination of different systems, both manual and automated, to guarantee the continuity of logistics processes, from picking to dispatch. The latest technologies on the market offer all-in-one solutions combining storage, transport and order picking. They guarantee maximum productivity and drastically reduced operating costs:
Solutions to help you prepare
Pick-to-Light solutions are reliable, easy to deploy and cost-effective. They reduce picking errors by simplifying the location, identification and tracking of items by operators. They can also be used to sort bulk web orders.
Tray sorting machines
They offer high processing speeds, up to several thousand items per hour. They are ideal for B2B sorting by point of sale, but are also increasingly used to sort web orders. A flexible approach that meets both B2B and B2C requirements.
The Pocket Sorter is the ultimate ally for web order processing. Pieces from different orders are picked in waves, sequenced and sorted by order, and sent directly to the packing stations. Capable of handling up to 8,000 items per hour, this system is equally suited to accessories, packaged garments or footwear, and can even be combined with garments on hangers.
Goods-to-man systems
AS/RS (Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems) are used to store and retrieve goods automatically. They are particularly suitable for small items and accessories, but require more specific adaptation for large parts and high volumes.
All these systems can be integrated into a single global solution and can be complemented by robotization, including :
- AGVs and AMRs. These are automatically guided vehicles that improve the efficiency, safety and fluidity of goods movements. By limiting human intervention, they help to reduce operating costs.
- Robots such as picking arms or palletizing robots. They can be used for picking, integration into automated systems or automatic palletization of orders.
04. Connectivity at the heart of systems
To meet fluctuating demand, the fashion industry needs to digitize its supply chain. Optimum integration between a WMS (Warehouse Management System) and a WCS (Warehouse Control System) will ultimately enable :
- Productivity gains with a significant reduction in set-up times thanks to automation and intelligent prioritization.
- Cost optimization through optimum use of human and material resources.
- Greater flexibility with better management of seasonal collections and peaks in activity.
- Fewer errors and better inventory management.
- Improved customer satisfaction thanks to fast delivery and efficient returns processing.
05. Intralogistics for sustainable fashion
Intralogistics is in the midst of a transition to a more environmentally-friendly approach. Fashion and luxury brands can reap valuable benefits in terms of CSR policy and image, as well as substantial savings in the medium and long term.
Retrofitting, for example, by modernizing existing equipment, extends its lifespan and reduces the ecological footprint. What’s more, by adapting operations to demand in real time, new technologies contribute to a better use of resources and a significant reduction in CO2 emissions.
As an integrator, Transitic is your single point of contact for all your intralogistics projects. With over 30 years' experience working with emblematic brands (Ba&sh, Promod, Dior, Sergent Major...), we offer innovative solutions perfectly adapted to the requirements of the fashion and luxury sectors.
New technologies are constantly emerging, opening up unprecedented perspectives. Artificial intelligence, virtual reality and blockchain are just a few examples of technologies likely to further transform the warehouses of tomorrow.
#connectedintralogistics
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