The new facility aims to support the brand's growth plans through a more streamlined supply chain
Logistics automation company Dematic is helping outdoor travel and adventure brand Kathmandu develop a new distribution centre (DC) in Melbourne’s Truganina.
The new facility, which is scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2016, will be equipped to allow Kathmandu to sort individual items at high volume, directly to store and online orders.
The 25,000 square metre DC has been designed to ensure a “responsive and cost effective supply chain” to support Kathmandu’s growth plans.
The facility will service the retailer’s network of 115 stores in Australia and its growing domestic and international online business.
The new system includes Dematic’s sortation and e-Commerce technologies that are coordinated through its iQ solution.
Orders will be processed through a ‘batch pick and sort’ technology that batches orders to increase pick-up efficiency and then sorts them downstream across individual store and online customer orders using Dematic’s crossbelt sorter and RapidPUT put wall.
Dematic’s solutions manager for integrated systems Darren Rawlinson says the new system will support easy restocking of products through efficient processing.
“Dematic’s solution for Kathmandu utilises the cross belt sorter and iQ software to align the product mix in cartons to a particular area of the store making it easy for retail staff to restock shelves and ensuring customers always have access to the widest selection of products” Rawlinson says.
Kathmandu group supply chain GM Caleb Nicolson says the brand is “working with Dematic to develop an innovative, efficient new DC that will get our products to customers quicker than ever before”.