- New integration with STAHLS’ Fulfill Engine promises enhanced production automation
- Increased ease of access to S&S’ proprietary ZeroTouch solutions will allow apparel decorators to operate that much more profitably
S&S Activewear, a leading technology-enabled distributor of apparel and accessories in North America, has launched a new integration leveraging the power of its proprietary ZeroTouch production automation technology in combination with STAHLS’ award-winning Fulfill Engine service, a leading production management and fulfillment platform.
Already a key pillar of S&S Business Solutions, the company’s growing suite of tools and services designed to help customers operate more efficiently, the integration extends ZeroTouch automation to a host of eligible S&S products for decorators using Fulfill Engine, eliminating manual receiving, sorting and routing processes, thereby reducing receiving labor by up to 60 percent.
“At S&S Activewear, our vision is simple: empower our customers and partners to bring their ideas to life, because when they win, we all win,” S&S Activewear CEO Frank Myers said. “S&S Business Solutions is about helping customers grow without adding operational complexity. We’ve spent years investing in the infrastructure, automation, and technology so our customers don’t have to.”
Scanned orders routed directly to designated machines or production zones
According to S&S Activewear, ZeroTouch eliminates many of the manual steps currently slowing down all too many shops’ production processes by using API order integration, as well as box-level and garment-level QR codes applied by the company’s distribution centers. Upon arrival at a customer’s decorating shop, these orders are then scanned and routed directly to a designated machine or production zone. As the boxes are opened, garments are scanned as well and decoration is executed.
“Results demonstrate receiving labor reductions of 40 percent to 60 percent, while improving production speed, accuracy and consistency,” the company said, adding: “Today, ZeroTouch is already being used by some of the industry’s largest and most trusted decorators, and the new Fulfill Engine integration will enable additional decorator accessibility and adoption.”
“Fulfill Engine helps decorators create production-ready jobs with garment-level identification, but there is still manual work required when blanks are received, including applying stickers before garments move into production,” said Jayson Tompkins, founder and chief digital officer for Stahls’ Fulfill Engine. “That step can take time, add labor and create an opportunity for error. Making ZeroTouch available through Fulfill Engine helps reduce those manual touch points by allowing eligible orders to arrive with scanning identification already in place, so garments can be scanned into the system and routed more efficiently.”
ZeroTouch builds on a growing suite of technology solutions from S&S Activewear
According to S&S Activewear, “ZeroTouch builds on a growing suite of technology solutions from S&S Activewear designed to help customers operate more efficiently and scale their businesses. S&S Business Solutions also includes Customer Integrations, its API infrastructure that allows customers to connect directly, in real time, to S&S systems and inventory, and FAST, a white-label software fulfillment solution designed to provide customers with flexibility and capacity to accept more orders.
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois, S&S Activewear has long been a leading technology-enabled, customer centric distributor of apparel and accessories in the United States, Canada and Puerto Rico. S&S leverages over 6 million square feet of automated warehouse space to offer customers over 100,000 SKUs from more than 80 brands, including basic garments to fashion-forward styles, with over 6 million square feet of warehouse space across North America.
S&S services a diversified range of customer partners, including retail brands, e-commerce companies, garment decorators, promotional product distributors, entertainment merchandisers, lifestyle brands and web-based platforms for apparel customization. For more information on ZeroTouch, visit ssactivewear.com/about/business-solutions/zero-touch.
