ATLANTA December 7, 2001 Looks like Brookstone was running out of warehouse space for all those massage chair and humidifiers. According to a recent press release, as demand for Brookstone's products continued to grow, the company was quickly running out of capacity in its distribution center and needed to better utilize its existing space. With a legacy system in place that could support only one distribution center and that was limited in its capability to manage orders of multiple sizes -- for example, it was pallet-based as opposed to carton-based -- the need to move to a full-featured supply chain execution system became critical.
That's when Brookstone made a deal with Manhattan Associates, a provider of extended supply chain execution solutions, to implement its advanced supply chain execution system, PkMS(R), at Brookstone Company's distribution facilities in Mexico, Mo. With Manhattan Associates' PkMS, Brookstone has enhanced its ability to support orders from multiple channels including catalog, Internet and retail and has positioned itself well for future growth.
"We mail three catalogs with a total circulation of 40-45 million annually. We also support 245 stores in 39 states, the District of Columbia and Puerto Rico, as well as Internet sales," said Ranny Welton, operational vice president, distribution at Brookstone. "We needed a system that could be implemented with minimal modification and disruption and enable us to adhere to the July 1, 2001 implementation time -- a deadline that was vital for Brookstone in gearing up for the 2001 holiday season. PkMS afforded us the multi-channel capacity and scalability we required, and through the partnering of our team with the Manhattan Associates' team, the implementation was conducted both on-time and under budget."
With PkMS, Brookstone can utilize wave management functionality for more efficient picking; accurate replenishment of active pick sites; and advanced functionality like directed put away and task interleaving, all of which will increase throughput and productivity. Additionally, PkMS' ability to link in real time with other systems ensured easy installation and longevity.
"Shipping to stores and fulfilling catalog and on-line orders are three very different operational challenges. PkMS allows Brookstone to successfully manage the unique requirements of these three channels within one software package," said Bruce Eicher, vice president, customers for Manhattan Associates.
"We have not yet scratched the tip of the iceberg on PkMS' functionality," said Welton. "We are looking forward to the continuation of our learning process and then utilizing the full power of PkMS, as we grow our business."
