This strategic move is part of FitFlop's plan to bolster its operations, enhance customer satisfaction, and streamline expansion efforts within the European Union (EU).
Under the terms of a five-year agreement, FitFlop will leverage Bleckmann's well-established pan-European transportation networks to optimise its omnichannel logistics services for customers in the UK and the EU.
The collaboration is expected to deliver several key advantages, including faster order fulfilment and increased supply chain resilience.
FitFlop global logistics director Sal Billington comments: "Bleckmann’s warehouses operate seven days a week until midnight, so we can now offer UK mainland customers next-day delivery for orders placed on our website before 9 pm. This promises to be a huge competitive advantage."
To facilitate this expansion, FitFlop's new logistics operations will be based at Bleckmann's advanced distribution centre located in Magna Park, Lutterworth, which is described as a strategic position within the UK's 'Golden Logistics Triangle.' The centre’s proximity to major freight routes will enable next-day deliveries for UK customers and more efficient fulfilment for the EU market.
As FitFlop anticipates its sales to more than double during the five-year contract, improving logistics operations is a key element of the brand's growth strategy. Bleckmann has implemented a state-of-the-art warehousing solution to support FitFlop's projected growth, featuring 2,600sqm of 'very narrow aisle' (VNA) pallet racking and 6,700sqm square meters of active floor space.
This setup is designed to cater to FitFlop's omnichannel business model, efficiently distributing over 6,500 different Stock Keeping Units (SKUs) to both end-consumers and business-to-business (B2B) customers.
The logistics facility incorporates 20 multi-functional packing stations for various stages of the logistics process, including outbound and returns management. Bleckmann's strategically located European sites may also open doors to cost-optimisation solutions such as bonded warehousing and returns consolidation.
Billington adds: “Thanks to their (Bleckmann’s) short lines of communication and regular check-ins with our sales, operations and management teams, we were able to make a smooth transition that did not affect the excellent levels of service our customers have come to expect.”
Looking ahead, the partnership's next milestone will be the critical Black Friday sales period in November with Gordon Knox, chief operating officer at FitFlop highlighting: “We expect that Bleckmann will be fundamental to the success of this and future peak sales periods.”
