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Revamp a DC During Holiday Season? Child's Play for Gymboree

5/2006

(Inbound Logistics)

Like many retailers, Gymboree's recent growth spurt can be tied largely to its direct-to-consumer business which experienced a six-fold increase over five years. Dan Allison, Gymboree's vice president of logistics, said, "We began to question whether or not we could manage our business from the existing facility."

Enter Sedlak. Jeff Mueller, Sedlak vice president, said, "We focused on developing a cost model for the DC." The team considered Gymboree's SKU base, future plans, and the DC size and location, among other factors. Using the data, they created a model to test various scenarios. The final recommendation was to stay put and implement a EuroSort ESF sorter. By installing a dual split-tray and innovative chute design, instead of expanding the facility, Gymboree saved some 10,000 square feet of space.

So while the holiday season wasn't an ideal time to bring the sorter on line, Gymboree can't imagine operating without it. "It was a risky move," Allison admits, "but we knew the method we were using before wasn't cutting it."

Ask Jeff about other creative ways to save space.