Fashion retailer updates WMS for CDC supplying 3,000 stores

Supply chain management software provider Manhattan Associates has signed up Jeanswest, one of Australia and New Zealand’s leading denim fashion brands, for the Manhattan SCALE package to operate the retailer’s new distribution centre (DC) in Melbourne.

First established in Perth, Western Australia in 1972, today Jeanswest operates 3,000 stores across Australia, New Zealand, South East Asia and the Middle East.

“As a company that has enjoyed unprecedented growth throughout Australia and New Zealand and more recently in the Middle East and China, we recognised an inherent need to review our entire supply chain operations and replace our in-house warehouse management system (WMS), which was simply too antiquated to support our requirements, both in terms of our physical store locations and our online operations in particular, which have expanded exponentially in recent months,” said Andrew Grant, general manager IT & Logistics at Jeanswest Corporation.

Jeanswest chose Manhattan SCALE following a broad review of the company’s supply chain strategy from factory to store. As part of the company’s decision to consolidate its warehouse operations through the opening of a new centralised DC in Melbourne, the company wanted to replace its legacy in-house WMS.

Jeanswest wanted a WMS that could facilitate better inventory management and stock accuracy, improve space utilisation within the DC, support new business processes, and provide greater efficiency through streamlined operational processes and greater control of resources.

“We have been extremely satisfied with what the solution offers and the type of improvements it can deliver from a supply chain optimisation perspective. What we have also been particularly impressed with isManhattan’s project management approach, both in terms of implementation and execution, which has been simply outstanding. The strategy they put in place from the pre-sales stage was extremely structured and theManhattanteam involved have been nothing but reliable and professional throughout our engagement with them. They have set the bar very high,” Mr Grant said.

Manhattan SCALE can also facilitate data exchange with suppliers from overseas. Jeanswest has not only seen impressive improvements in its receiving and put-away procedures when processing stock sourced from outside Australia, it has also found the ability to fully integrate with the systems of its domestic freight and online delivery partners a significant value-add from a productivity stand point.