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Walbusch transforms logistics with Infios for further omnichannel growth
The fashion retailer Walbusch, founded in 1934 and headquartered in Solingen, employs around 900 people in Germany, Austria, and Switzerland. The company includes the brands Walbusch, Avena, and Mey & Edlich. In addition to 50 stores, the corporate group operates its own online shops and wholesale spaces.
Walbusch consolidates its logistical activities in WB Logistik GmbH at the Ravenna Park location. There, around 110 employees manage the entire logistics process chain on an area of about 76,000 square meters. This includes goods receipt, order processing, shipping, returns processing, quality assurance, and goods preparation.
Originally, the location was primarily designed for handling large-volume orders from business customers. However, with the increasing importance of the end customer business, the demands on the flexibility of logistics processes have risen. In addition, there are different fulfillment models for multiple brands and increasing complexity of the automated systems.
Uniform System Architecture with Tenant Separation
The Warehouse Management System from Infios has been in use at the Ravenna Park location since 2015. In 2021, Walbusch and the software provider intensified their collaboration in order to gradually develop the existing system landscape into an integrated and scalable logistics platform.
The system maps the different requirements of business and end-customer logistics within a common architecture. Multiple brands and business models can be controlled via a single platform, while individual tenants remain separated from one another.
According to Infios, the architecture allows logistics processes to adapt to changing business requirements without having to overhaul the entire system landscape. The implementation was carried out incrementally during ongoing logistics operations.
Central Control of Warehouse Automation
An essential component of development is the integration of automation technology into the warehouse management system. According to company information, all automation components at the location are integrated into the central control.
The technical equipment includes triple-depth shuttle systems, conveyor technology, the "Ecopocket" order picking system, a matrix sorter, and a horizontal tilt-tray sorter. The various components are coordinated within the shared system architecture.
This allows for the processing of different order structures and types of goods. The range extends from store delivery with larger volumes of goods to individual order processing in online retail. The system supports handling both hanging and flat goods.
Capacity of up to 25,000 shipments daily
The expanded logistics architecture is designed to handle up to 25,000 shipments per day. Annually, the intended capacity amounts to up to 6.5 million packages. The technical infrastructure additionally forms the basis for fully automated material flows with a capacity of up to 250,000 storage locations.
For the identification and localization of individual items, Walbusch relies on RFID technology. The radio-based capture allows for inventory management at the item level and increases transparency over the movement of goods within the logistics processes.
According to Infios, the technology contributes to an inventory accuracy of 99.99 percent. The company states that punctuality is at 97 percent.
The modernization of the logistics platform took place over several years. Walbusch and Infios utilized the existing technical systems and gradually expanded their functions.
Translated automatically from German.
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