LPP introduces an automatic sorting system at the Slovak Fulfillment Center
The Polish clothing company LPP is investing in technologies aimed at streamlining logistics processes at its Fulfillment Center in Slovakia. The state-of-the-art pocket sorter installed in the warehouse along with the conveyor system and posisorter support the order picking process and optimise the use of space of the facility. Warehouse automation also significantly speeds up the handling of e-commerce shipments and supports “next business day” deliveries.
The implementation by LPP of further solutions aimed at increasing the efficiency of logistics processes, this time at the warehouse in Slovakia, was dictated by the dynamic increase in the volume of online orders in the Central European region. The facility plays a key role in the distribution network of the Polish company, providing services to online shoppers not only in Slovakia, but also in Germany, the Czech Republic, Croatia, Hungary, and Slovenia.
– Taking into account our scale of operations and the growth prospects of LPP on foreign markets, the implementation of advanced warehouse automation was a necessity. It allows us to increase the efficiency of the facility and optimize the process of delivering ordered goods to our customers, which in the face of the ever increasing pressure to shorten the wait time for shipments, significantly increases the competitiveness of our offer on Central European markets – comments Sebastian Sołtys, Logistics Director, LPP.
In order to improve the work of the Slovak Fulfillment Center, a multi-level pocket sorter and conveyor system was installed at the facility, which, combined, support the process of picking online orders. The whole is complemented by the so-called posisorter, i.e. a shipping sorter which automatically assigns completed packages to the appropriate exit ramp according to their characteristics, country of destination and the courier company that is to receive them. The new system significantly speeds up the handling of e-commerce shipments. It also supports next business day deliveries which the company offers to its customers in the Central European region.
– The warehouse, operating in a two shifts mode, 7 days a week, will significantly increase its productivity, which is necessary in view of such a dynamic sales growth in this area. The introduction of an automatic sorting system, with an hourly capacity of up to 8000 pieces of clothing, greatly facilitates our work. Not only does it increase the efficiency of the Fulfillment Center, but it also supports decision-making processes and eliminates errors resulting from manual sorting of goods. What is equally important – the installed equipment is easy to service and maintain – explains Michał Moteka, Business Process Optimisation Manager, LPP.
The entire multi-level installation is as much as 3 kilometres long. It consists of, among others, workstations where warehouse employees place products in the pocket sorter partitions. The machine separates the assortment according to individual orders and the sorted goods are directed via a system of conveyors to the packing tables. Then, properly secured for dispatch, the finished packages are delivered to the dispatch sorter, which, using the Warehouse Management System (WMS), automatically allocates them to dedicated points for collection by shipping companies. Thanks to the automation used, the Slovak Fulfillment Center is able to prepare over 4000 parcels per hour for customers.
The pocket sorter also offers significant benefits when handling returned goods, which can be automatically and quickly transferred to re-dispatch or storage. Up to 25,000 items of clothing can be stored in this way, further optimising the use of storage space at the facility.
The LPP Fulfillment Center in Slovakia, which has been operating since July last year, covers an area of 32,000 m2. The warehouse also operates in the cross-docking model, which combines operations typical of online sales with the supply of the chain of stationary stores in Central Europe.
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LPP is a Polish family business and one of the fastest growing clothing companies in the region of Central and Eastern Europe. For 30 years it has been successfully operating in Poland and abroad, offering its collections on 26 stationary markets, including in such prestigious capitals as London, Helsinki, Tel Aviv or Moscow. The online offer is available on 31 markets. LPP SA manages five fashion brands: Reserved, Cropp, House, Mohito, and Sinsay. The company has a chain of over 2000 stores with the total area of over 1.6 million sq.m. On the basis of a global supply chain, the Polish clothing producer distributes over 259 million pieces of clothing to three continents. LPP plays another important role as it employs nearly 22 thousand people in its offices and sales structures in Poland, Europe, Asia, and Africa. The company is listed on the Warsaw Stock Exchange in the WIG20 index and belongs to the prestigious MSCI Poland index.