As reported by Transport and Logistics News the Toll Group is working with Dematic to develop a market-leading distribution centre (DC) in Sydney. The DC will be one of the first in Australia designed to cater for the growing e-commerce/fashion market.
The 32,000 square metre state-of-the-art DC with advanced automation technology will enable fast and efficient delivery for Australian retailers to stores and customers.
The new DC will include a number of Dematic automation systems, including 24 RapidPICK Goods-to-Person (GTP) Pick Stations and 24 aisles of Dematic Multishuttle storing 150,000 totes, which will increase Toll’s eCommerce and omni-channel capabilities. The system will also include 32,000 pallet positions of ColbyRack selective and narrow-aisle pallet and carton storage.
The facility will increase Toll’s e-commerce speed to market. Same day shipping will be supported by the capacity for 30 online processing stations, automated bagging and bag take-away machines, as well as ergonomic e-commerce processing stations.
“We are very excited to be offering Australian retailers a new DC specifically designed to meet their e-commerce and omnichannel needs,” said Mark Cowley, executive general manager, customised solutions of Toll’s Global Logistics Division. “We are particularly proud that our new facility will be an Australian first in automation for e-commerce processing and distribution.
“We look forward to working with Dematic to enable a fast, efficient and cost-effective supply chain for Australian retailers and their customers.”
Toll’s first customer at the new facility is Specialty Fashion Group, whose brands include Millers, Katies, Autograph, Crossroads, City Chic and Rivers Australia. The new DC will meet the demands of the retailer’s strong growth and support its continual focus on improving omnichannel delivery, including online and ‘click and collect’ ordering. Apparel distribution innovations that will benefit Specialty Fashion Group include freight-efficient order finishing, where dispatch order cartons will be cut down to fill height with no air shipped in the cartons, Garment on Hanger (GOH) storage and picking, and the ability to batch-pick full cases for loading into the dispatch sorter.
“With this new facility, Toll will lead the way in offering Australian apparel retailers a logistics option that is specifically geared towards delivering orders placed online,” said Pas Tomasiello, Dematic’s director of Integrated Systems. “Dematic’s system for Toll utilises innovative, high-level automation that is perfectly suited to retailers striving to meet the increasing omnichannel demands.”
The DC, which will be located in Prestons Logistics Estate in Sydney, has been designed to be flexible so it can be scaled up based on seasonality, business growth and new customers, and is also capable of 24/7 operations if necessary. Toll’s DC is scheduled to go live in October 2017.
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