Rawlins Paints Case Study
Read about how we worked with a UK-based distributor of specialist paints and coatings, to scale their operations without increasing costs and complexity.
Rawlins Paints, a UK-based distributor of specialist paints and coatings, has a strong presence in the eCommerce market. As their business grew, they faced the challenge of scaling their operations without increasing costs and complexity. The company was keen to enhance its warehouse operations to meet rising demand while maintaining efficient, cost-effective processes.
The Challenge
Rawlins Paints were relying on a manually driven warehouse fulfilment process that could no longer keep pace with the company’s growth. Their paper-based system was inefficient, slow, and prone to picking errors, leading to delays and customer dissatisfaction. The need for automation became clear, but the company wanted to achieve this transformation using their existing workforce.
Key challenges included:
Manual Processes:
The manual picking and fulfilment processes were not scalable and introduced significant room for error.
Inefficiency and Delays:
Paper-based systems were slowing down operations and causing delays in order fulfilment.
Error-Prone Operations:
Picking errors were frequent, leading to incorrect orders and returns, which negatively impacted customer satisfaction.
Lack of Automation:
Without automation, scaling the business to meet increased demand was proving to be difficult.
The Solution
To address these challenges, Rawlins Paints partnered with THINK Inventory Solutions to implement a comprehensive Warehouse Management System (WMS) designed to streamline and automate their warehouse operations. The solution was threefold:
Integration of eCommerce Platform with WMS:
THINK Inventory Solutions seamlessly integrated Rawlins Paints’ eCommerce platform with their new WMS using API tools. This integration ensured that customer orders placed online were immediately communicated to the warehouse, triggering the picking process without any manual intervention.
Implementation of a Structured Item Master:
A structured, formal item master was introduced to support efficient, bar-coded stock control. This system significantly reduced errors and ensured that stock levels were accurately tracked in real-time, enabling faster and more accurate order fulfilment.
Cloud-Based WMS Implementation:
THINK Inventory Solutions implemented a cloud-based WMS that revolutionised key warehouse processes. With this system, eCommerce customer orders automatically generated picks within the WMS, which were then sent directly to handheld scanners used by warehouse staff. This automation not only improved accuracy but also sped up the picking process, allowing the existing staff to handle increased order volumes without additional resources.
Results
The implementation of THINK Inventory Solutions’ WMS brought about significant improvements in Rawlins Paints’ warehouse operations:
Increased Efficiency:
The automation of picking processes reduced the time required to fulfil orders, enabling the warehouse to handle a higher volume of orders with the same workforce.
Reduced Errors:
The introduction of bar-coded stock control and automated picking processes dramatically decreased picking errors, leading to improved order accuracy and customer satisfaction.
Scalability:
With the new WMS, Rawlins Paints can now scale their operations to meet growing demand without the need for additional staff, thus controlling costs.
Future Plans:
Following the success of the initial implementation, Rawlins Paints is now planning to further automate their dispatch process and carrier label generation, which will further streamline their operations and enhance customer service.
The partnership with THINK Inventory Solutions allowed Rawlins Paints to transform their warehouse operations, enabling them to scale their business efficiently while maintaining high standards of accuracy and customer satisfaction. By integrating their eCommerce platform with a cloud-based WMS, they have positioned themselves for future growth without the need for significant additional resources.
If your business faces similar challenges, discover how THINK Inventory Solutions can help you optimise your warehouse operations and drive growth.
The team at THINK have worked tirelessly alongside us to produce a bespoke system that meets each requirement we asked of them. Launch of the first phase was seamless and we look forward to developing and launching phases 2 and 3 as soon as possible to further utilise the new system. Since going live, not only have our customers benefitted from significantly improved service but internally we have found the system provide benefits too. We have only scratched the surface of what this WMS can do and look forward to taking advantage of the processes and data we now have at our disposal to improve our business even further.
It was a pleasure working with the Rawlins Paints team on this project. They had a clear vision of how a WMS would improve business processes and more importantly customer service. Fast turnover of customer orders is key in many eCommerce businesses and integration of systems can prove a worthwhile investment. To see the benefits of a well-planned WMS implementation within a few days of ‘go-live’ was very satisfying. This will provide a solid foundation for future process improvements.
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Are you worried that a warehouse management solution will be too expensive, or that you will be trapped in a long contract? To arrange a demo or discuss your requirements, give THINK a call on 0330 350 0715, email enquiries@tkinv.com or complete the Quick Quote form below. We can work with your business to help save you money and drive down costs.