Tailor-made solution designed for handling premium goods

Traditional logistics warehouses are designed to accommodate pallets and boxes. Racks, shelving systems, forklifts, and conveyor belts – all these solutions work perfectly for standard goods. Handling premium clothing, however, requires a completely different approach.

A customer from the fashion industry who approached us expected their logistics partner to handle the entrusted products with due care and attention. Every crease on goods leaving the warehouse represents a real cost. Of course, it is theoretically possible to iron the garments in-store, but this takes up valuable staff time that should be spent on other priorities, such as delivering a superior customer experience to boutique visitors. - points out Michał Hawrasz, Project Manager at DSV - Global Transport and Logistics.

In most cases, clothes are stored flat. However, this is not an option for elegant shirts, coats, or jackets. The customer expected DSV to introduce a solution that would ensure the items were handled exclusively on hangers - from unloading and storage, through picking and order fulfilment, to shipment from the warehouse.

A system longer than… a runway at the biggest Polish airport

In accordance with the guidelines and in consultation with the client, DSV’s team of specialists designed a semi-automatic hanger storage system. It is based on a rack structure with a total length of 8 kilometres, which allows products to be moved along it. The solution consists of:

• 3,2 kilometres of components used as communication lines for moving goods around the warehouse,
• 4,8 kilometres of appropriate elements on which clothes are sorted.

For comparison, the longest runway at Warsaw Chopin Airport – the largest and busiest in Poland – is just over 3.5 kilometres long. In total, it is estimated that the facility built by DSV can store around 180,000 items of clothing at a time.

It is worth noting that the hanger system required the existing structure to be remodelled. All related activities, including the installation of the system, took us a little over seven months - from the start of work and employee training to the launch of full-scale operations. - says Krzysztof Bieńko, Facility and Maintenance Manager at DSV - The system has been partially automated. It includes, among other things, mechanical conveyors that transport goods from the ground floor to the appropriate level of the three-storey mezzanine.

Tailor-made precision

All warehouse employees use mobile digital terminals that help them locate the right colour, style, and size of clothing. The devices operate similarly to GPS navigation, guiding operators quickly to their destinations and speeding up the picking process. Each product is also scanned, enabling the system to provide customers with real-time information on current stock levels.

We all know the feeling — when we’re rushing through the morning and, as we take a shirt from the wardrobe, realize that it’s creased. The same situation may occur in the hanger system. That’s why we decided to include a special line with ironing and foiling functions in the installation. - says Michał Hawrasz, Project Manager at DSV - It consists of three stations. The first is an ironing chamber, where clothes are pressed using steam generated by 50 kW boilers. The garments are then sent to a drying chamber equipped with special blowers. Once completely dry, they undergo a foiling process to ensure that delicate textiles are protected during transport. In accordance with the customer’s guidelines, DSV has also created dedicated stations where products made from organic cotton and other environmentally friendly materials are stored.

Fashion warehouse in figures

• Facility area: 23 000 square meters.
• Hanging system area: 7000 square meters.
• Capacity of the hanging system: approx. 180 000 garments, with the possibility of expansion.
• Six levels of clothing storage within dedicated three-storey mezzanine.
• A line with ironing and foiling functions capable of handling 100 items of clothing per hour.
• Distribution channels supported for the customer: B2B retail outlets.
• Threefold reduction in the distances travelled by operators and significant acceleration of goods un- and loading operations.

The story of the hanger system implementation perfectly illustrates DSV’s approach to challenges. Logistics ought to support customers in achieving their business and quality goals. Just as every company is unique, each warehouse solution must be designed with a unique storage logic that meets the partner’s needs.