Forever Faster. Successful Go-live of Puma's Omni-Channel Distribution Center | TGW

(Geiselwind, Germany, 6 April 2021) On April 6, 2021, the central European distribution center of the sports company PUMA SE begins its operations in Geiselwind, Germany. The successful go-live of the highly automated omni-channel distribution center is one more milestone in the collaboration between PUMA and TGW.

PUMA SE has implemented a highly automated end-to-end solution that centralizes all fulfillment processes in one facility. The new omni-channel distribution center serves all channels (retail/wholesale, direct) and fulfills orders from throughout Europe, making it one of the most powerful fulfillment centers for fashion & apparel in the world.

The 680,000 ft2 large distribution center is able to handle retail/wholesale and e-commerce orders out of one facility. The innovative solution is one more milestone in PUMA's FOREVER FASTER strategy. It is their strong backbone for a higher service level, and allows for fast and accurate shipment of goods to customers all over Europe.

SHORT LEAD TIMES, HIGH PERFORMANCE
After the ground-breaking ceremony in 2019 (Press release), an innovative fulfillment center with focus on speed and maximum performance has taken shape. Thanks to the close collaborative partnership between the companies involved in the project, it was possible to adhere to the challenging schedule – despite the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

FOREVER FASTER - EFFICIENT ORDER FULFILLMENT
The powerhouse and centerpiece of the end-to-end solution is TGW’s order fulfillment system ‘FlashPick®’. It is the perfect choice for omni-channel fulfillment as it is independent of the order structure, and can handle multiple distribution channels out of one warehouse. The shuttle warehouse – as large as nine soccer fields – has more than 700,000 storage locations for shoes, apparel and fashion accessories. Five hundred shuttles automatically retrieve cartons from their storage locations and replenish highly ergonomic PickCenter One workstations. More than 13 miles of energy-efficient KingDrive® conveyors make sure the goods arrive safely and on time at the right place.

‘Fast and sustainable logistics – that's what Geiselwind is about. TGW as a general contractor for intralogistics, has played an important role here. We are thankful for the excellent collaboration as partners,’ says Maximilian Molkenthin, Senior Head of Logistics PUMA SE.

74 MILLION ITEMS PER YEAR
Order processing takes on average, only ten minutes. As a result, Puma is able to process up to 74 million items per year and ship them to retail stores and direct consumers. Thanks to short lead times and maximum performance, orders can be shipped quickly, efficiently, reliably – and consequently FOREVER FASTER.

‘We are very happy to be the intralogistics partner in this beacon project and to contribute our expertise and decades of experience as a systems integrator,’ says Johann Steinkellner, CEO Central Europe of TGW Logistics Group. ‘The intelligent and high-performing TGW FlashPick® system guarantees maximum performance in deliveries and increases efficiency in order fulfillment significantly. With this solution, PUMA is perfectly prepared for the future.’

FOCUS ON GREEN LOGISTICS
All in all approximately 240 million US dollars has been invested in this CO2-neutral fulfillment hub, which is certified in accordance with the U.S. LEED Gold standard. Special emphasis was put on sustainability, energy efficiency and environmental compatibility. Features include an optimally insulated building envelope, a photovoltaic system of several thousand square feet, the use of certified green electricity, and particularly energy-efficient material handling equipment such as TGW KingDrive® conveyors, which help to reduce energy consumption by up to 30 percent compared to systems with conventional conveyor equipment.