Castorama deploys Reflex WMS to manage its nine logistics sites

The project at a glance

Castorama has replaced four separate tools by deploying Reflex WMS to its nine logistics sites. Catering to all its needs (storage, cross-docking and e-commerce), the new solution has harmonized and optimized the whole supply chain. With a single tool, managed on Hardis Group’s private Cloud, direct IT costs immediately fell by two-thirds.

Context and objectives

Created in 1960, Castorama sells its products through a network of over 100 stores and an e-commerce site (over 50,000 items, 10,500 of which can be purchased online). Since 2002 it has been part of the Kingfisher group, European leader and ranked 3rd in the world in the DIY and home improvement sector.

Until 2008, Castorama used four separate solutions to manage operations on nine sites supplying stores and shipping e-commerce orders. In addition to processes differing from one site to another and not having an overview of logistics flows, having multiple tools was costly: multiple licenses, IT infrastructure management, functional upgrades to implement on each system, etc.

In 2008, the retailer’s logistics teams decided to equip all the sites with the same software regardless of their different activities: storage, cross-docking and e-commerce.

The solution

Of the five software vendors who submitted a bid, Hardis Group quickly moved to the top of the list due to its ability to meet all the requirements: hosted software solution, reworking of existing system, integration with other information system components, facilities management and finally, specific adaptations Castorama needed concerning cross-docking. This was all included in a fixed-price package.

In June 2008, Castorama confirmed its choice of Reflex WMS. The solution was deployed to the Châtres platform (south-west of Paris) in January 2009 then to Castorama’s eight other logistics sites (three cross-docking sites and five storage sites) between March 2010 and October 2011.