TXT e-solutions gives HR Group a perfect fit for international supply chain
HR Group (Hamm Reno), one of the largest shoe distributors in Europe with approximately 2,700 points of sale in 20 countries, is implementing TXTChain, TXT’s supplier relationship management (SRM) software, in order to collaborate more effectively with hundreds of suppliers around the world. The TXTChain solution is a collaborative web platform to manage orders, co-ordinate and track deliveries with global suppliers and third party logistics providers. This leads to more timely replenishment of warehouses which in turn ensures that stores can carry the right sizes and styles at the right time and location. TXTChain will be used at HR Group by a team of 60 buyers, logistics and procurement staff for sourcing and planning daily deliveries up to six months in advance.
The €650m retailer employs approximately 6,000 people and sells around 40 million pairs of shoes a year, with leading brands including Adidas and Dockers, as well as a range of own-label apparel and accessories. Currently, HR Group manages about 100 deliveries every week. With TXTChain, Hamm Reno Group will handle all communications between the various departments involved in the procurement process. Moreover, the web-based platform will allow the integration of over 200 suppliers and all global logistics providers to work in a shared real-time environment.
Based from its headquarters in Germany, HR Group operates two central warehouses for distribution to its network of stores throughout Europe. The need to keep high levels of product availability, while minimising stock across a fast growing retail network, meant that the company needed software to help it streamline all supplies upstream in the process. Before, it relied too heavily on a complex mix of spreadsheets, emails and phone calls to keep track of what was going on with numerous suppliers - sometimes as far afield as China, with long lead times compounding the problem.
“We needed to automate order management, more accurately plan our global deliveries and gain more visibility into delivery progress and any potential delays to keep us in synch with our international retail business,” says Felix Finger, Executive Director, HR Group.
Finger says that the company will use the TXT software for transmitting orders from its ERP system to suppliers, confirming orders, planning delivery dates, as well as detecting possible delays and responding appropriately.
“TXTChain helps ensure all parties are on the same page. Monitoring progress is constantly overseen by way of notifications and KPIs that can be defined in a flexible way,” he adds.
Thanks to improved communication with suppliers and greater transparency on orders and deliveries, the company expects to reduce stock levels at all nodes in the chain, with a positive impact on inventory capital.
About HR Group
Judging by the number of sales outlets, the HR Group is one of the largest shoe distributors in Europe and an important player in the international footwear market. The company was founded in 2005 through a merger of the Hamm Group and the RENO group of companies. The HR Group can look back on over 120 years of tradition in the footwear industry. Modern software and an automated high rack warehouse are testament to its high standards today. The strength of the HR Group lies in the diversity of its business divisions. It’s active in some 20 countries in the areas of wholesale, specialist and retail trade in various market segments.
About TXT
TXT e-solutions is a leading provider of integrated and collaborative planning solutions for the Retail, Fashion and Consumer driven sectors. The product suite combines planning and intelligence supporting all strategic business processes, including Integrated Retail Planning, Product Lifecycle Management (PLM), Sales & Operations Planning and Supplier Collaboration.
The company is listed on the Italian Stock Exchange (TXT.MI) and has over 500 employees and more than 450 customers worldwide. These represent many of the leading global retailers and consumer-driven organizations, including: Aeropostale, Arcadia, Auchan, Columbia, Desigual, Findus, Galderma, Geox, Guess, Levi Strauss & Co., Louis Vuitton Malletier, Steve Madden and Tesco. For more information, visit www.txtgroup.com.
SOURCE: HR Group
