Flexible approach

Handling & Storage Solutions: What is the key to successful garment handling?

Winnie Ahrens: Fashion is a fast business and demands are changing with regards to the ratio of flat and hanging garments; as well as seasonality and volumes handled in the system. The key is to keep the material handling equipment such as conveying and sorting systems as flexible as possible.

HSS: What technology do you deploy to get the job done?

WA: SDI Group have a wide product range for both flat and hanging garments. The chosen technology highly depends on the customer’s individual requirements and the processes they want to achieve within the warehouse. Currently we see a trend towards a single unit handling and controls are definitely taking a larger role in the jobs.

HSS: Garment handling is a bulky method of storage, is there anything you can do optimise space?

WA: This is actually true for hanging garments. We see retailers trying to deliver and store garments in flat condition rather than in hanging because of the costs.

At the same time, as fashion becomes more casual, that allows retailers to reduce the percentage of hanging garments in there warehouse.

There is not too much you can do to optimise space in GOH storage if you are not willing to reduce your efficiency during put away and picking.

HSS: How important is offering a 'turnkey offering'?

WA: Offering a turnkey solution is key to being successful nowadays. Customers do not want to deal with various different suppliers when equipping their warehouses.  

Integrating mezzanine constructions, racking, lighting, sprinkler systems and all sorts of different material handling equipment has become a standard; which is a strength of SDI Group.

HSS: What impact has the growth of eCommerce had on garment handling?

WA: The growth of eCommerce for fashion has become a major driver of our latest developments. The next generation of automation especially for DTC operations is our "MonaLisa” adapter and pouch sortation system.

It enables the handling of both flat and hanging garments in one overhead sortation and buffering system. At the same time it makes returns available for immediate re-sell to the next customer from an automatic buffer without having to put the items away again into a static storage. These systems make a huge difference for any eCommerce fashion retailer in terms of efficiency.