Case Studies Swizzels Matlow Optimises Supply Chain Performance

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	Swizzels Matlow Optimises Supply Chain Performance

Swizzels Matlow Optimises Supply Chain Performance

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)
Applicable Industries	Food & Beverage
Applicable Functions	Warehouse & Inventory Management Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases	Inventory Management Warehouse Automation Supply Chain Visibility
Services	System Integration Training
Challenge	Swizzels Matlow faced significant challenges with their existing paper-based warehouse management system. The manual system required staff to re-enter information into a computer, leading to mistakes and duplication of effort. The growing business, driven by increased customer demand, needed a more efficient and reliable system to manage stock location and improve operational efficiency. The lack of real-time visibility and the potential for errors in re-keying information were major concerns, impacting customer service levels and overall business performance. Read More
About Customer	Swizzels Matlow, a family-owned business, has a rich history dating back to 1928 when Alfred and Maurice Matlow started Matlow Bros. Ltd. The company, known for its popular sweets like Love Hearts, Drumstick, and New Refreshers, employs over 500 people. Its distribution center in Adlington, Cheshire, processes over 1,000 pallets of stock per week. The company has grown significantly over the years, driven by increasing customer demand. However, the existing paper-based system for managing stock location within the distribution center was becoming a bottleneck, necessitating an upgrade to a more advanced warehouse management system. Read More
Solution	Swizzels Matlow selected Manhattan SCALE™ as their new warehouse management system after a thorough review of the market. The Manhattan solution was chosen for its flexibility, reliability, and strong market reputation. The implementation included an expansion of the distribution center, increasing capacity by almost 10%, and the integration of radio frequency picking technology supplied by Zetes. The company involved staff from the beginning, with a Manhattan consultant on-site for three months before the go-live. Training was provided to three 'super-users' who then trained an additional 20 staff members. The transition to the new system was smooth, with the company back to full capacity within two days of going live. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

Applicable Industries

Food & Beverage

Applicable Functions

Warehouse & Inventory Management

Logistics & Transportation

Use Cases

Inventory Management

Warehouse Automation

Supply Chain Visibility

Services

System Integration

Training

Challenge

Swizzels Matlow faced significant challenges with their existing paper-based warehouse management system. The manual system required staff to re-enter information into a computer, leading to mistakes and duplication of effort. The growing business, driven by increased customer demand, needed a more efficient and reliable system to manage stock location and improve operational efficiency. The lack of real-time visibility and the potential for errors in re-keying information were major concerns, impacting customer service levels and overall business performance.

About Customer

Swizzels Matlow, a family-owned business, has a rich history dating back to 1928 when Alfred and Maurice Matlow started Matlow Bros. Ltd. The company, known for its popular sweets like Love Hearts, Drumstick, and New Refreshers, employs over 500 people. Its distribution center in Adlington, Cheshire, processes over 1,000 pallets of stock per week. The company has grown significantly over the years, driven by increasing customer demand. However, the existing paper-based system for managing stock location within the distribution center was becoming a bottleneck, necessitating an upgrade to a more advanced warehouse management system.

Solution

Swizzels Matlow selected Manhattan SCALE™ as their new warehouse management system after a thorough review of the market. The Manhattan solution was chosen for its flexibility, reliability, and strong market reputation. The implementation included an expansion of the distribution center, increasing capacity by almost 10%, and the integration of radio frequency picking technology supplied by Zetes. The company involved staff from the beginning, with a Manhattan consultant on-site for three months before the go-live. Training was provided to three 'super-users' who then trained an additional 20 staff members. The transition to the new system was smooth, with the company back to full capacity within two days of going live.

Impact #1	Swizzels Matlow achieved tighter stock control and increased inventory accuracy with the Manhattan SCALE™ system.
Impact #2	The new system allowed for more efficient task management, enabling operatives to perform picking and put-away tasks simultaneously, saving travel time within the warehouse.
Impact #3	Operational efficiencies were significantly improved, reducing the time required to complete tasks and allowing for better resource deployment.

Impact #1

Swizzels Matlow achieved tighter stock control and increased inventory accuracy with the Manhattan SCALE™ system.

Impact #2

The new system allowed for more efficient task management, enabling operatives to perform picking and put-away tasks simultaneously, saving travel time within the warehouse.

Impact #3

Operational efficiencies were significantly improved, reducing the time required to complete tasks and allowing for better resource deployment.

Benefit #1	Distribution center capacity increased by almost 10%.
Benefit #2	The company was back to full capacity within just two days of the system going live.

Benefit #1

Distribution center capacity increased by almost 10%.

Benefit #2

The company was back to full capacity within just two days of the system going live.

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Overview

Swizzels Matlow Optimises Supply Chain Performance

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit