Since November, BLG LOGISTICS has been the new logistics partner of the HALLHUBER fashion label. The logistics service provider headquartered in Bremen has entered into a long-term contract, which also includes value-added services, with the Munich fashion label HALLHUBER who is known for their outerwear, shoes, and accessories. BLG Sports & Fashion Logistics provides all services in its multi-user logistics center in the town of Hörsel, Germany.
Goods from HALLHUBER's almost 100 European and Asian suppliers are delivered to the distribution center, which encompasses a space of more than 150,000 square meters. Incoming goods run through a quality inspection and are initially stored. As a next step, the BLG Group fashion specialists pick and pack garments, as specified by HALLHUBER, from the logistics center which spans a total of five floors. Deliveries go from here to almost 200 stores in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxemburg, and Italy. The warehouse for online orders is also supplied from this location.
BLG plans to process more than 3.3 million units per year in this facility, which is specifically designed for multichannel business. The services offered by BLG include services of professional garment finishing companies like taking arrived goods out of the cartons, quality inspection, putting certain garments on hangers, tunnel-finish outerwear or finish garments using steam mannequins or steam irons. Attaching security devices is also part of the program. If necessary, the BLG team also re-packs garments or applies labels to shipments. The fashion experts receive seasonal returns from the stores. They sort and quality check these goods. Items that pass the quality inspection are taken into storage on hangers or flat packed. The remaining goods are optionally reconditioned for sale.
„We chose BLG Group as our logistics partner because it meets the conditions for stable and fast processes. And, just like HALLHUBER, the company is highly committed to innovation and sustainability,“ said Maximilian Simon, Head of Logistics at HALLHUBER. BLG has also adopted the OSCA SCM software from Setlog used by HALLHUBER. „Digitalization of the information flow along the entire supply chain and data transfer in real time in OSCA means we can reduce delivery times, costs, and emissions,“ added Simon.
As part of its sustainability goal, the BLG Group aims by 2030 to cut emissions in absolute terms by 30 percent within the company and 15 percent externally. BLG’s goal to reduce greenhouse gas emissions has been recognized by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This makes BLG LOGISTICS the first German logistics service provider with a scientifically recognized climate protection goal.
The company's strategy focuses not only on sustainability, but also on innovation and IT. Dirk Ewers, one of the two managing directors of BLG Sports & Fashion Logistics, said: „At BLG, we can't influence the travel times of ships from Asia. But we have created the conditions for a stable outbound process with our automation and our IT infrastructure. That ensures a transparent supply chain and same-day processing of even short-term customer orders. This is how we ensure reliable supply for the stores as well as the online business.“
The OSCA SCM software provides transparency in the supply chain. As soon as HALLHUBER transfers a production order from the ERP system to the suppliers' factories using the OSCA tool, all communication runs via the SCM solution. From order confirmation and delivery planning to transport booking and inquiries, the suppliers enter all activities into the system, where they are confirmed by HALLHUBER. The program can monitor not only costs, but also factors such as freight volumes, lead times, transport times, carton packing lists, and delivery dates.
All value-added services, such as processing of flat-packed goods, are also stored in OSCA. This means the logistics service provider can plan personnel capacities ahead of time. The latest outbound date for goods to the shops is also specified in OSCA. „To manage daily peaks and seasonal fluctuations, a powerful IT system and innovative automation are essential. The same applies to handling last-minute orders from the seasonal orders business,“ said Ewers.
