Distribution Centers have evolved
Distribution Centers (DCs) have evolved from mere cross-docking platforms. Now, they are facilities that handle the reworking of pallet loads, as well as one-item orders that must be picked, packed and shipped to different consignees. A host of stock-keeping units (SKUs) can remain still for an undetermined period of time, from the day that they are bought from the supplier up until they hit the shelf. To keep up with the competition and optimize costs and speed-to-market, these large amounts of inventory in blocked working capital can now hit the shelves just-in-time through a DC bypass at the destination and then proceeding through milk runs to the store immediately upon arrival.
Direct-to-Store logistics solutions for improved speed-to-market
GEODIS uses direct-to-store solutions to deal with multiple vendors, SKUs and sites. Our origin consolidation centers receive, sort and prepare your goods, and can conduct quality control. We also provide a wide array of on-site value-added services such as vendor meets, repacking, labelling and kitting. Finally, we ship the goods in store-ready boxes: either flat packs or garment-on-hangar. The loading manifests clearly define color-coded sequences per store.
We also help you optimize assets through reduced DC costs, improved speed-to-market and order forecasting.
Multi-country consolidation to save time and cost
The majority of Retail products are sourced in Asia, and most of the buying territories are based in Europe and the Americas. We recommend ship windows to assist in small order consolidations from multiple vendors, locations and countries into one regional HUB for pure full container or ULD load outs to destinations by Air or Sea.
This also helps create a single consolidated bill of entry for customs clearance and unique transport to DC at destination. This offers a great deal of potential to save both time and costs throughout the supply chain from our consolidation hubs in Hong Kong, Singapore and Colombo, which act as Asian multinational gateways.
Our origin and destination management solutions are based on optimized flows and inventory flexibility which – aside from keeping you ahead of the competition – can also bring increased revenue and operating margins.
