Multi Storage Equipment Project For Multi-Channel Clothing Retailer

A prominent retailer acquired a new 90,000 sq ft warehouse to support an ambitious growth plan. The company already operate a number of websites in various different languages, shipping to over 90 countries.

They have over 140 stores across the UK, 12 in the Middle East. The business operates from a UK head office in Peterborough.

The new 90,000 ft warehouse houses the customer service department and all other head office divisions operate under one roof. The logistics operation is to service the requirements of the stores and the growing demand from the Internet.

Avanta were invited in to discuss equipping the warehouse with storage equipment to not only satisfy today's demand but to future proof the warehouse. The solution included; -

*Fire Rated Mezzanine Floor

*Dismantle & Relocate existing longspan shelving and provide 2300 new mesh decks to store BDC Boxes

*Supply & build New Longspan shelving and integrate existing shelving. Supply of timber decks

*Supply and build of 300 bays of "Returns shelving" giving circa 25,000 locations for packets.

This rolled edge shelving system with multi drop in dividers creates the compartments for the returned packet. Many Internet clothing retailers expect return rates of between 20 and 40%.

Over recent years Avanta UK have worked closely with many retailers in the design, supply and installation of 'returns shelving systems'.  The idea is to provide a separate returns facility with numerous locations to house returned goods rather than the goods having to go back into the general palletised or bulk stock.  Each pick face within the shelving system has a barcode location that is scanned when the item has been returned.  This links into the warehouse management system and the retailer knows that it has the item back in stock and exactly where the item is located.  The next time the item is ordered the picker will pick it from the returned stock in the shelving system rather than the bulk location etc.