Levis a flash pick

The denim brand is consolidating its fulfillment processes at one central location. With go-live scheduled for November 2023, TGW is supplying the highly automated fulfillment solution for omni-channel operations. 

The goal is to respond to market requirements with greater speed and efficiency, shorten delivery times and accelerate growth over all sales channels. The new location helps Levi Strauss & Co. increase sustainability, flexibility and digitalisation of the global supply chain.

“We are pleased to have had the opportunity to collaborate with warehouse automation specialist TGW Logistics Group in setting up our MHE systems,” says Torsten Mueller. Mueller is responsible for Levi Strauss & Co.’s distribution and logistics processes and owner of the project.

At the core of the solution is TGW’s highly automated goods-to-person order fulfilment system FlashPick. FlashPick flexibly handles unpredictable and fluctuating order structures. In case of shifting distribution channels (stores, online and wholesale) or order structures, the system efficiently adapts to the new requirements and supports the denim brand’s growth.

On peak days, up to 350,000 units are being shipped. The average lead time from order income to packaging being ready for shipment is just ten minutes. The project is split into two phases: In the first phase – scheduled to go live by 2023 – an annual throughput of up to 33 million units per year will be reached. In the second phases of the project, the number will grow up to 55 million due to an increase in storage capacity and additional picking workstations.

The solution is based on an automatic mini-load warehouse and a five-aisles shuttle system with a total of 830,000 storage locations. The shuttle system replenishes ten PickCenter One workstations. Their design is based on a ‘One Source. One Target’ approach, which allows for fast and accurate order picking.  All modules are connected via a 3,300 feet-long energy-efficient KingDrive conveyor network.

The TGW Warehouse Software helps Levi Strauss & Co. make the stringent requirements of omni-channel operation manageable and is an integral part of the solution. It is responsible for planning, monitoring and optimising all fulfillment processes. 

In order to use resources efficiently, up to 70% of incoming cartons will be reused for dispatch. An innovative robotic system by TGW automatically repacks the cartons into totes. In addition, Levi Strauss & Co. avoids using plastic polybags by picking directly into cartons or paper bags instead.

For more information, visit www.tgw-group.com