6 News & Analysis
K3 Makes a Material Difference
at Fabric Warehouse
Fabric Warehouse, a UK specialist fabric
retailer with 40 stores nationwide, has
purchased IT systems, software and
services from K3 (www.k3btg.com), Apparel RFID Solution automatic goods reception, an RFID-
the UK’s largest provider of Microsoft based sorting system, replenishment
Dynamics, to run its entire business. Centre Opens and store inventory management and
Fabric Warehouse made the move in point of sale analytics and security.
anticipation of the conclusion of its IT ADT, Salpomec and UPM Raflatac have According to Jarkko Kuusisto, CEO of
services agreement with former group announced the opening of a unique Salpomec: “In increasingly global supply
company Rosebys, following the latter’s Apparel Radio Frequency Identification chains, apparel manufacturing often
acquisition by GHCL. Starting from scratch, (RFID) Solution Centre. This new facility takes place on one continent with the
Fabric Warehouse in partnership with K3, is demonstrates how RFID can significantly goods being sold in an entirely different
implementing financial, human resources, enhance supply chain management and location. This increases the demand
payroll, point of sale and merchandising in-store retail operations for garment for up-to-date and accurate information
systems based on Dynamics NAV, part of manufacturers, brand owners, retailers throughout the entire supply chain. RFID
the Microsoft Dynamics suite. and logistics providers. “Optimization can deliver this by offering increased
of the supply chain is a vital competitive levels of information and control.”
Fabric Warehouse’s Finance Director, factor for both apparel manufacturers and
Glenn Aungles, has overall responsibility for retailers alike,” said John Smith, VP of “By hosting customer visits to the
the project, heading a team that reviewed Retail Sales for ADT. “Brand owners want Centre, we can demonstrate that the
solutions from Prologic, Great Plains, BT to prevent counterfeiting, manufacturers most advantageous point in the supply
Expedite, Sage and K3, finally choosing want to save time and money by chain to attach an RFID tag to a garment
K3 because the company was able to offer streamlining their processes, while is the manufacturing stage,” explained
a complete and integrated solution, which retailers seek to improve their in-store and Samuli Strömberg, VP of Marketing at
could be integrated and fully operational point of sale activities. The whole supply UPM Raflatac. “In this way, it can include
within 5 months. Aungles said: “Our chain has to be transparent and effectively information for the whole supply chain
expectation is that the new systems will managed to truly help reduce out-of-stock right from the beginning, bringing value
give us important central reporting benefits, situations and increase sales.” to all participants in the chain. In addition
enabling us to optimize merchandising, to tracking and tracing capabilities, RFID
planning, allocation and replenishment. The Apparel RFID Solution Centre, based offers a means of brand protection and
This is a highly functional system that gives in Lahti in Finland, is the first facility of enhanced marketing opportunities.” The
us industry best practice.” The K3 team is its kind anywhere in the world. It is a Apparel RFID Solution Centre opened to
headed up by Paul Makin, Sales Director, joint venture between ADT, Salpomec visitors at the beginning of May. In its first
who commented: “This is a very exciting and UPM Raflatac, three world-class year of operation, it is expected to host
project for K3 which will call upon our companies that have been pioneering visits by up to 100 garment manufacturers,
considerable experience and expertise. RFID implementation with early adopters brand owners, retailers and logistics
We are fully committed to working with in a number of countries. The Centre providers. Visits can be arranged by
Fabric Warehouse to ensure that the brings together all the elements of an contacting rfidsolutioncentre@tycoint.
solution is delivered in good time for the RFID enabled apparel supply chain to com, salpomec@salpomec.fi or mikko.
end of their arrangements with Rosebys.” demonstrate a complete end-to-end immonen@upmraflatac.com.
solution. This includes source tagging,
Supply Chain Europe June 2007
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