3P Logistics

Introduction

3P Logistics is a multi-award-winning supply chain management company based in Wigan. The company was formed in 2006 and now operates from multiple sites in the UK to provide a complete range of outsourced warehousing and logistics services to B2B and B2C customers; these include household names such as Argos, Amazon and Tesco plus many small online retailers who are looking to expand their businesses.

The Scenario

Right from the start the company recognised the need for an efficient warehouse management system and chose MACSwms as it offered the functionality for the long term and yet it was easy to use with a low implementation cost. Initially 3PL’s business was primarily B2B with approximately 15 high-profile clients. Then in 2012 the company decided to meet the needs of an increasing demand for e-fulfilment services from large numbers of comparatively smaller online retail organisations. For this application, the ability to handle efficiently large numbers of small orders using multi-channel software was critical.

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"“Since choosing MACS in 2006 we have always found that, if we have a problem, MACS has the skill and ability to integrate with the specialist software we need to solve that problem. This flexibility and willingness to work with us as our business changes, has been invaluable to us.” - Wayne Dullaghan, Depot Manager, 3P Logistics

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The Solution

3PL had been using MACSwms for six years and was happy with its performance. To meet the new demand, MACS Software provided 3PL with interfaces between its warehouse management software and both Linnworks order management software and the MetaPack distribution software that is integrated with 300 carriers. This partnership between MACSwms, Linnworks and MetaPack offered 3PL’s customers absolute flexibility in their choice of order processing and distribution system while maintaining the ultimate efficiency of stock through the warehouse.

The Benefits

• Allowed 3PL to diversify efficiently into e-fulfilment and expand its range of clients
• Number of customers served multiplied three-fold
• Orders drawn down from multiple online platforms
• Picking accuracy of over 99.5%
• Expanded the range of services offered to include: returns processing, returns credits, product photography, product listings, etc.
• Allowed the development of an online portal providing direct access for all 3PL customers