-- Manhattan software chosen for revamped distribution network to supportretailer’s multi-channel strategy --
LONDON and ATLANTA, November 18, 2009 – Halfords, the UK’s leading retailer for car parts, car enhancement, cycles and travel solutions, has chosen global supply chainoptimisation provider, Manhattan Associates, Inc. (NASDAQ: MANH), as its technologypartner to support its future distribution network. Today’s announcement will see Halfordsdeploy a range of solution components from Manhattan’s Distribution Management suite,including Warehouse Management, Labour Management and Slotting Optimisation as wellas its Supply Chain Intelligence solution, as the retailer seeks to build an optimisedfulfilment capability to extend the success of its multi-channel retail operations.
Halfords has already launched phase one of its strategy to consolidate and reconfigure itslogistics infrastructure, which will result in the opening of a new national distribution centre(NDC) in 2010. The restructured network, which will comprise the NDC and an existing DCat Redditch, will serve Halfords’ network of almost 500 stores in the UK, Republic ofIreland and Central Europe, as well as handling customer orders received through itsonline store. Manhattan’s Distribution Management solutions will manage both distributioncentres.
“Our optimised distribution infrastructure will improve service levels to our customers whileproviding transportation efficiencies and increasing productivity,” said Tony Smollett, Headof Systems at Halfords. “This revised distribution network needs to accommodate ourgrowth ambitions across the business. We therefore needed a scalable supply chaintechnology backbone that would reliably serve the new DC network and meet our crosschannelfulfilment requirements and allow us to introduce various flow-through techniquesincluding cross-docking. We selected Manhattan based on our experience of working withthem previously, the ease of integration of their systems with our existing SAP enterpriseresource planning platform and the flexibility of their solutions.”
“Halfords is a company that has fully embraced the notion of a multi-channel strategy,serving customers both in-store or online with great success,” said Allen Scott, UKmanaging director for Manhattan Associates. “As the business continues to grow, it isessential that it can keep up with customer demand in the most efficient way possible atthe same time as maximising service levels. We are delighted to be supporting Halfords inthis key supply chain enhancement programme.
”Manhattan provided the original warehouse management solution to manage Halfords’distribution centres in 2004.
Receive up-to-date product, customer and partner news directly from ManhattanAssociates on twitter and Facebook. Just visit www.twitter.com/ManhAssocNews to follow our latest news and join the Manhattan Associates Facebook group at http://www.facebook.com/ManhattanAssociates.
About Halfords Group plc
The Group employs approximately 10,000 staff and sells over 10,000 different productlines, ranging from car parts and cycles through to the latest in-car technology, child seats,roof boxes and outdoor leisure and camping equipment. Halfords' own brands includeRipspeed, for car enhancement and Bikehut, for cycles and cycling accessories, includingthe Apollo and Carrera brands. Two further premium brands were added during 2008;Boardman cycles and accessories, where Halfords has exclusive UK distribution rights,and URBAN Escape for camping equipment. Operating from 466 stores, includinginternationally, 22 stores in Republic of Ireland, five stores in the Czech Republic and onein Poland, and 29 smaller format, compact stores Halfords offers a "wefit" service for carparts, child seats, satellite navigation and in-car entertainment systems, and a “werepair”service for cycles. For more information, please visit www.halfords.co.uk.
About Manhattan Associates, Inc.
Manhattan Associates® continues to deliver on its 19-year heritage of providing globalsupply chain excellence to more than 1,200 customers worldwide that consider supplychain optimisation core to their strategic market leadership. The company's supply chaininnovations include: Manhattan SCOPE® a portfolio of software solutions and technologythat leverages a Supply Chain Process Platform to help organisations optimise theirsupply chains from planning through execution; Manhattan ILS™, a portfolio of distributionmanagement and transportation management solutions built on Microsoft. NETtechnology; and Manhattan Carrier™, a suite of supply chain solutions specificallyaddressing the needs of the motor carrier industry. For more information, please visit www.manh.com.
John Bird
Director, International Communications Strategy
Manhattan Associates
Tel: +44 (0) 1344 318071
[email protected]
Xanthe Vaughan-Williams
Kirsty Sewter
Fourth Day Public Relations
Tel: +44 (0) 20 7403 4411
[email protected]