Outsourcer deploys Provia supply chain execution solution to manage its warehousing and distribution processes
Grand Rapids, MI — February 17, 2004 — Wireless Retail Inc. (WRI), one of the nation's top five retailers of service-based consumer electronics products, has gone live with a supply chain execution solution from Provia as part of an initiative to transform its supply chain business processes and position the company to take advantage of changes in its industry.
With more than 2,500 distribution points, Scottsdale, Ariz.-based Wireless Retail Inc. (WRI) is the nation's largest provider of outsourced retail sales solutions for service-based consumer electronics (CE) products. The company, founded in 1994, has experienced tremendous growth in revenue, doubling annual revenues each of its first five years of operation, and continues to rapidly grow.
WRI now has deployed Provia's ViaWare warehouse management system (WMS) and ViaView event management and decision support software products at the company's new 175,000 square foot National Distribution Center (NDC), located in Southaven, Miss. The NDC provides WRI's national direct-to-store and direct-to-consumer fulfillment, as well as fulfillment of non-inventory components to the company's locations nationwide.
Provia's ViaWare WMS manages WRI's national inventory tracking as well as the traditional warehouse functions (receiving, picking, packing and shipping). The end-to-end serial number tracking functionality of ViaWare is integrated with WRI's existing systems, so serial-number-level tracking is available throughout the sales and product supply cycle.
In order to maximize operations, the NDC has a value-added services (VAS) build-to-order area enabling WRI to customize outbound products, which is a benefit to WRI's retail partners and customers.
According to Paul Elliott, WRI chief operating officer, the company selected Provia because of the solution provider's experience in helping companies in the high-tech industry better manage inventories and improve customer satisfaction. "We see our services positioned for capitalizing on our industry's changes in 2004 through 2006, and Provia was the best choice for WRI to help us manage our growth and supply chain complexities," said Elliott.
Wireless Retail worked with St. Onge Co., a consulting and engineering firm specializing in the development, design and implementation of lean manufacturing facilities and high performance distribution centers, to assist in the selection process. St. Onge also assisted Wireless Retail on reengineering and the implementation of WRI's distribution and inventory systems.
"In the high-tech consumer electronics industry, it is imperative that a company such as WRI have warehouse management capabilities that it can mold to what it truly needed," said Alan Reigart, principal, St. Onge. "Due to the nature of this project, and the continual growth pattern of WRI, it was important to go with a highly configurable solution that could handle the complex, expanding needs of WRI."
