Apparel
After nine months and almost 3000 hours of planning, preparing and implementing, JONSSON WORKWEAR went live on DATASCOPE WMS on the 1st of July 2013.
This Greenfield site is a showcase for both JONSSON WORKWEAR and DATASCOPE . Much time was spent investigating the various options for the warehouse design to ensure that the final result is particularly focused on giving JONSSON WORKWEAR specific strategic business benefits.
The new warehouse has allowed for strong business growth. Over 17000 VNA bulk locations are in place and over 25 000 pick face locations have been allocated. All orders are induced into the warehouse using our new carton cubing module. This module automatically drives separate picking processes for full carton orders and for mixed SKU orders. Many orders are picked at a wearer level meaning that the entire customer sales order is split down to named wearers and DATASCOPE WMS then induces a picking carton for each wearer. The net effect is that JONSSON WORKWEAR customers are now receiving a specialized carton packed for each individual.
To limit risk on this massive project, it was agreed to phase in the go-live. We started with one of Jonsson Workwear’s biggest Corporate Workwear Solutions customers; moving all their garments and running the system for a week, picking only their orders. We then followed with a further 35 customers over the next three weeks. By mid-August 2013 we had most of the Corporate Workwear Solutions customers operating the warehouse. In September started bringing across the garments that fall under the Workwear Sales Channel.
This was the first implementation of Voice picking within the DATASCOPE solution. The result was been surprisingly good. Efficiency is up to some 35% or more on traditional scanner-based picking. Voice offers an “eyes-free, hands-free” environment which allows for a picker to be a lot more efficient. Also, the very nature of voice means that pickers are already in a conversation and therefore tend to focus on their work and very little discussion happens between pickers in the aisles.
Harold Fortmann, a key leader in the development and role of the new DC, had the following to say about DATASCOPE :
“We have been very impressed with the speed and accuracy of this highly automated warehouse system. DATASCOPE has been a huge help in the guiding and planning of this project. We are especially thankful and impressed with their commitment and dedication which has ensured that we have gone live with the minimum interruption to customer deliveries.”
DATASCOPE has again built a great working relationship with a blue-chip SYSPRO client.
In 2018 Jonsson will be expanding this warehouse as the business is growing well. The expansion will include the construction of a mezzanine floor above the current pick face. The new mezzanine will also be fitted with a conveyor system much like the current pick face. This new phase will focus on high volume product picking and a large section on branded products. Jonsson will offer their clients the ability to purchase standard products and have them branded with company logos before being delivered. DATASCOPE WMS will be enhanced to also voice pick job card materials. These will be directed to the embroidery and screen printing area. After the logos have been applied the software will direct the sales order picking and release to the client.
Jonsson DC is a highly complex warehousing environment and a world-class environment.
