The goods from Hallhuber's almost 100 European and Asian suppliers are delivered to the distribution center, which covers more than 150,000 square meters, where they are stored after incoming goods and quality control. The BLG Group's fashion specialists pick the garments for the almost 200 stores in Germany, Austria, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Luxembourg and Italy in the five-storey facility according to Hallhuber's specifications. The warehouse for online orders is also supplied from Hörsel.

In total, more than 3.3 million items per year are to be processed in the facility, which is designed for multi-channel business. In addition to incoming goods and quality control, the services provided by BLG include unpacking the deliveries, hanging up the hanging garments, processing the outerwear (using steam dolls, in the tunnel finisher and also by hand with a steam iron) and attaching product protectors. If necessary, the BLG team also has to repackage items of clothing or apply a label to the deliveries. The fashion experts also receive the so-called seasonal returns from the stores, sort the goods and check the quality. Items that have passed quality control are stored hanging or lying flat. The remaining goods are optionally reconditioned for sale.

"We chose the BLG Group as our logistics partner because it has laid the foundations for stable and fast processes. At the same time, the company, just like Hallhuber, attaches great importance to innovation and sustainability," emphasizes Maximilian Simon, Head of Logistics at Hallhuber. BLG's connection to the SCM software OSCA from the provider Setlog, which is used by Hallhuber, also contributes to this. "As part of the digitalization of the information flow along the entire supply chain and the sharing of data in real time in OSCA, delivery times, costs and emissions can be reduced," Simon continues.

One of the BLG Group's sustainability targets is to reduce emissions within the company by 30 percent in absolute terms and outside the company by 15 percent by 2030. The project to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in absolute terms has also been recognized by the Science Based Targets initiative (SBTi). This makes BLG Logistics the first German logistics service provider with a scientifically recognized climate protection target.

Not only sustainability is at the top of the logistics company's agenda, but also the topics of innovation and IT. Dirk Ewers, one of two Managing Directors of BLG Sports & Fashion Logistics, says: "As BLG, we cannot influence the transit times of the ships from Asia. But we have created the conditions for a stable outbound process in terms of automation and, above all, IT infrastructure. This means that even short-term customer requests can be processed on the same day thanks to a transparent supply chain. This allows us to ensure a reliable supply to our stores and online business."

The SCM software OSCA ensures transparency in the supply chain. As soon as Hallhuber transmits an order from the ERP system to the suppliers' factories via the tool, all communication takes place via the SCM solution. From order confirmation and delivery planning to transport bookings and inquiries, all activities are entered into the system by the suppliers and confirmed by Hallhuber. In addition to costs, volumes, throughput times, transport times, carton packing lists and delivery dates can also be monitored.

As planned value-added services, such as the preparation of flat goods, are also stored in OSCA, the logistics service provider can plan personnel capacities at an early stage. The latest delivery date is also defined in OSCA. "Only with an efficient IT system and innovative automation can daily peaks and seasonal fluctuations be mastered. The same applies to urgent orders from the so-called reorder business," says Ewers.