For over 20 years, we have been entrusted by some of the UK’s biggest brand names to help them maximise the potential of multi-channel retailing through our supply chain and retail logistics services.
We have continued to invest significantly in our software and operational capability as the demands of modern commerce have grown. Today we support some of the UK’s biggest brands in finding solutions to their increasingly complex supply chain management problems.
Our belief is that modern commerce will remain dynamic. Online and digital are so important to consumers today that every brand needs to find a winning formula.
That’s exactly why our experience, our proprietary technology and our responsiveness remain as critical today as they did in the pioneering days of online retail. Whether it is the fundamentals of fulfilment, the growth in returns or the constant battle to deliver more convenience in delivery and collection, iForce is an experienced team of multi-disciplinary experts whose focus is purely on maintaining the UK’s most authoritative approach to modern commerce.
E-commerce
Contract awarded 2007
Location: iForce site in Stafford
Brief: iForce Revive software is deployed to help operational staff to process, grade and segregate items returned from Screwfix branches and online customers.
iForce services deployed: Revive, Marketzone
Results: During the course of our longstanding relationship the level of items recouped using the Revive software has increased by 62%
Refurbishment is also carried out on selected power tools and non-recoverable power tools are stripped into their individual componentry either to maximise scrap value or to minimise environmental impact.
Following a competitive tender iForce was appointed in 2012. The deployment of iForce Gateway software and operating processes allowed the storage density in the warehouse to be increased by 40% by allowing orders for stores and e-commerce to be picked from a common stockholding. As well as allowing the continued growth of the business by extending the life of the warehouse this also helped in reducing operating costs by almost 20%. The quality of the work delivered by iForce in conjunction with the Cath Kidston team was recognised by a nomination for Team of the Year in the Retail Week Supply Chain Awards in 2013.
Additional developments: The iForce Gateway software was able to support the development of a store Click and Collect service without additional system investment. More recently iForce, in conjunction with Cath Kidston, have developed the Gateway software to provide Customs warehousing capability within the UK warehouse. This has provided Cath Kidston with the ability to delay the payment of duties until products are despatched from the UK warehouse, consequently improving company cash flow.
Need similar support, please get in touch with
Neil Weightman, nweightman@iforcegroup.com
E-commerce
Contract awarded 2012
Location: Cath Kidston site in St Neots
Brief: The growth in UK sales arising from an increased number of stores allied with the expansion of the brand globally through store franchises and e-commerce sales resulted in significant concern within Cath Kidston that the existing warehouse infrastructure and warehouse management software would be compromised at a time of substantial growth. This could have led to delay in the company growth cycle as well as increased capital expenditure, diverting focus and funds away from the development of sales.
iForce services deployed: Gateway, Revive, Pathfinder
Results: Following a competitive tender iForce was appointed in 2012. The deployment of iForce Gateway software and operating processes allowed the storage density in the warehouse to be increased by 40% by allowing orders for stores and ecommerce to be picked from a common stockholding. As well as allowing the continued growth of the business by extending the life of the warehouse this also helped in reducing operating costs by almost 20%. The quality of the work delivered by iForce in conjunction with the Cath Kidston team was recognised by a nomination for Team of the Year in the Retail Week Supply Chain Awards in 2013.
Additional developments: The iForce Gateway software was able to support the development of a store Click and Collect service without additional system investment. More recently iForce, in conjunction with Cath Kidston, have developed the Gateway software to provide Customs warehousing capability within the UK warehouse. This has provided Cath Kidston with the ability to delay the payment of duties until products are despatched from the UK warehouse, consequently improving company cash flow.
Need similar support, please get in touch with
Neil Weightman, nweightman@iforcegroup.com
E-commerce
Contract awarded 2012
Location: Fortnum & Mason site in Sutton near Ely
Brief: Following well-reported supply chain challenges in 2011, Fortnum and Mason decided to replace their warehouse software and to outsource their operation to iForce.
iForce services deployed: Gateway, Revive, Pathfinder
Results: As well as picking and packing products for Fortnum and Mason stores in Piccadilly, St Pancras and Heathrow throughout the year, iForce Gateway is also used to support the packing of over 175K Christmas hampers with over 2 million individual components.
The presentation quality expected within each hamper requires the highest of packing standards, as each hamper is designed to excite the lucky recipient with the surprise of what the hamper contains. Hampers start to be built with their components from August onwards and are then moved to other iForce locations waiting for the peak of orders to land in November and December.
iForce Pathfinder was deployed in 2015 to support the management of carriers and customer service across the globe and to ensure that the highest levels of customer service are maintained all the way through to the point of customer delivery.
Need similar support, please get in touch with
Neil Weightman, nweightman@iforcegroup.com
E-commerce
Contract awarded 2001
Location: Redditch
Scope: Storage, pick and pack for e-commerce orders and orders for click and collect
iForce services deployed: Gateway
Results: iForce Gateway was selected to provide the software and operational capability to support the launch of John Lewis online. Originally operating out of the iForce site in Bromford Gate the online offer was so successful that it outstripped the capability of the site and was moved to a much larger site in Redditch in 2005.
During the peak trading time of Christmas, a usual workforce of approximately 200 people is supplemented by nearly 800 agency workers, a significant challenge to operational scaling both for the software as well as training and management. Over the course of 17 years, working alongside one of Europe’s largest online retailers, the Gateway software has been developed to keep pace with the need to adapt to later customer cut off times and to supporting pioneering initiatives, such as the launch of the click and collect in store service provided in John Lewis & Partners stores.
Need similar support, please get in touch with
Neil Weightman, nweightman@iforcegroup.com
21/11/2018
iForce, an Eddie Stobart company has secured a four-year contract to provide fulfilment services to specialist value retailer, TheWorks.co.uk.
iForce has secured a three-year contract to provide a range of fulfilment services to leading online furniture and homeware retailer
Read more >
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) has invested in a new software platform to efficiently manage the
Read more >
On 27th April 2017 Eddie Stobart acquired e-fulfilment company iForce.
Read more >
Greenwhitestar Acquisitions Limited Trading update Return to profitability – progress on turnaround William Stobart, Executive Chairman of GWSA, commented: “I…
Read more >