Says solutions address unique supply chain challenges of furniture manufacturers, distributors and retailers
Waukesha, WI — October 14, 2005 — Supply chain execution specialist RedPrairie this week touted its wins in the retail furniture industry, pointing to seven new furniture retailers that have signed up to use the enabler's solutions.
The additional customers include Finger Furniture, Haynes Furniture, Ivan Smith Furniture and Appliance, Jordan's Furniture, Roomful Express Furniture, Steinhafels and Wickes Furniture.
Furniture manufacturers, distributors and retailers face unique supply chain challenges including managing large volumes of sizeable inventory with minimal movements, high return rates due to the nature of the product, varying human resource requirements, and long lead times obtaining product from overseas manufacturers. RedPrairie said its solution addresses these needs through its best-of-breed functionality and expertise in the retail furniture industry.
Steinhafels, the largest furniture retailer in Wisconsin, has more than tripled its revenues in the last ten years and needed a new distribution center to keep up with demand. The company implemented RedPrairie DLx Warehouse in August of 2002 and then transferred the software to its new 420,000-square-foot distribution center in Waukesha, Wis. The state-of-the art facility ships directly to customers and to the company's stores throughout Wisconsin.
Ellen Steinhafel-Lappe, chief financial officer at Steinhafels Furniture, said that the company's existing warehouse software provider was not able to offer the warehouse functionality the company needed to improve its business. "With the expected increase in inventory volume, a best-of-breed WMS was needed to take us to the next level," Steinhafel-Lappe said. "It is virtually impossible to pull the wrong product because DLx Warehouse has built-in processes that ensure accuracy every time a product is touched in the warehouse."
Chris York, vice president for process improvement for Wickes Furniture Company, said that his company completed an exhaustive search process for a new WMS as part of a much larger systems overhaul christened "Project Ignite."
"The RedPrairie functionality in general is comparable with tier-one providers, but they have really focused their development around the furniture industry needs," York said. Wickes Furniture is implementing SAP Retail and RedPrairie DLx Warehouse/Dispatcher in order to provide the infrastructure required for intense growth.
"Our goal is to have the best customer experience in the industry, and Dispatcher will allow us to deliver product the day after the customer is in the store with minimal effort and 100 percent accuracy," York said.
Additional Articles of Interest
— Think your distribution operations have been put to the test? A closer look at the U.S. Army's multi-million-square-foot distribution center that was established in Kuwait two years ago to support Operation Iraqi Freedom provides some insight for companies looking improve distribution operations under harsh conditions. Read more in "Lessons from the Operation Iraqi Freedom Theater Distribution Center to Improve Your Supply Chain Operations," an SDCExec.com exclusive.
— How can you beat the trends and lower your less-than-truckload costs, even in a seller's market? For a guide to help you get started, read the SDCExec.com article "LTL Sourcing: Success for Buyers in A Seller's Market."
— Freight capacity and transportation budget pressures continue to hound transportation managers. But savvy companies have discovered how to fight back. Read more in The Analyst Corner column in the August/September 2005 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
Waukesha, WI — October 14, 2005 — Supply chain execution specialist RedPrairie this week touted its wins in the retail furniture industry, pointing to seven new furniture retailers that have signed up to use the enabler's solutions.
The additional customers include Finger Furniture, Haynes Furniture, Ivan Smith Furniture and Appliance, Jordan's Furniture, Roomful Express Furniture, Steinhafels and Wickes Furniture.
Furniture manufacturers, distributors and retailers face unique supply chain challenges including managing large volumes of sizeable inventory with minimal movements, high return rates due to the nature of the product, varying human resource requirements, and long lead times obtaining product from overseas manufacturers. RedPrairie said its solution addresses these needs through its best-of-breed functionality and expertise in the retail furniture industry.
Steinhafels, the largest furniture retailer in Wisconsin, has more than tripled its revenues in the last ten years and needed a new distribution center to keep up with demand. The company implemented RedPrairie DLx Warehouse in August of 2002 and then transferred the software to its new 420,000-square-foot distribution center in Waukesha, Wis. The state-of-the art facility ships directly to customers and to the company's stores throughout Wisconsin.
Ellen Steinhafel-Lappe, chief financial officer at Steinhafels Furniture, said that the company's existing warehouse software provider was not able to offer the warehouse functionality the company needed to improve its business. "With the expected increase in inventory volume, a best-of-breed WMS was needed to take us to the next level," Steinhafel-Lappe said. "It is virtually impossible to pull the wrong product because DLx Warehouse has built-in processes that ensure accuracy every time a product is touched in the warehouse."
Chris York, vice president for process improvement for Wickes Furniture Company, said that his company completed an exhaustive search process for a new WMS as part of a much larger systems overhaul christened "Project Ignite."
"The RedPrairie functionality in general is comparable with tier-one providers, but they have really focused their development around the furniture industry needs," York said. Wickes Furniture is implementing SAP Retail and RedPrairie DLx Warehouse/Dispatcher in order to provide the infrastructure required for intense growth.
"Our goal is to have the best customer experience in the industry, and Dispatcher will allow us to deliver product the day after the customer is in the store with minimal effort and 100 percent accuracy," York said.
Additional Articles of Interest
— Think your distribution operations have been put to the test? A closer look at the U.S. Army's multi-million-square-foot distribution center that was established in Kuwait two years ago to support Operation Iraqi Freedom provides some insight for companies looking improve distribution operations under harsh conditions. Read more in "Lessons from the Operation Iraqi Freedom Theater Distribution Center to Improve Your Supply Chain Operations," an SDCExec.com exclusive.
— How can you beat the trends and lower your less-than-truckload costs, even in a seller's market? For a guide to help you get started, read the SDCExec.com article "LTL Sourcing: Success for Buyers in A Seller's Market."
— Freight capacity and transportation budget pressures continue to hound transportation managers. But savvy companies have discovered how to fight back. Read more in The Analyst Corner column in the August/September 2005 issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive.
- More articles about RedPrairie.
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