Increasing warehouse space to keep a larger stock of materials that vary according to trends and seasons, speeding up order preparation, and ensuring maximum punctuality in order fulfillment all this is essential in a market such as fashion, where collections must be continually updated and made available for sale within specific time frames.
Captex, a company located in the industrial district of Nola in the province of Naples (Italy), for over 30 years has been specializing in the wholesale trade of fabrics for both the Italian and international markets. They managed to double their storage capacity, as well as speeding up and refineing their order fulfillment operations by optimizing their logistics processes. To do so, they relied on STILL, ICAM’s Solution Partner.
Discover HERE more about Captex’s story
How Captex revolutionized its logistics processes
As part of a complex project to overhaul its logistics processes that began in 2020 and was completed in 2023, Captex decided to move to a new facility capable of housing its steadily growing inventory. The new facility was strategically chosen for its strategic proximity to the Campanian Interport and was equipped with automated systems to improve warehouse flow management, reducing waste and inefficiencies.
These benefits proved essential in the aftermath of the pandemic crisis, with the fashion market (in both ready-to-wear and planned segments) experiencing a significant acceleration, which for Captex translated into an expansion of the market served and, therefore, the number of references manage.
Today, Captex commercializes fabrics by importing them mainly from China and Turkey, but also from Greece, Portugal, and more recently from Spain, France, Bulgaria and Poland. Its clients have evolved from an almost exclusively national context manufacturing companies located mainly in northern Italy, to a broader and more complex international profile, including major fashion brands.
A more efficient fabric warehouse
A new facility with centralized storage, logistics flow optimization, and digitized processes through warehouse automation.
Supported by STILL, Captex chose the semi-automatic Mobile Racking Storage Systems COMPATTA to optimize the management of the new storage space.
ICAM’s COMPATTA Mobile Racking Storage Systems are designed to store more than 100,000 rolls of fabric, most of which are placed in metal baskets, while the remainder is stored on customized surfaces or pallets. Today the company handles around 50 orders daily, each containing an average of 30/ to 40 rolls, for a total of 2000 to 3000 meters of fabric. Given these numbers, speed and precision of operations have proven to be strategic levers.
Features of COMPATTA Mobile Racking Storage Systems
COMPATTA Mobile Racking Storage Systems allow for up to an 80% increase in storage capacity with the same occupied surface area, while providing access to load units at any time. Operations are therefore more efficient and precise.
For Captex, four COMPATTA systems were installed, each with 14 to 16 bases, spanning four levels for a total height of about 10 meters, nearly reaching the ceiling. COMPATTA Mobile Racking Storage Systems are mounted on mobile bases, controlled via a portable remote and/or a touchscreen terminal that allows aisle openings for access to the racking systems as needed for storage and retrieval. All this takes place in a matter of minutes and with the utmost precision, while also ensuring total safety thanks to photoelectric barriers positioned at the entrance and within the service corridors.
Optional features of COMPATTA for Captex
COMPATTA Mobile Racking Storage Systems installed in Captex’s storage space were equipped with optional features that further enhance their performance. Notably, the mobile base system is enhanced with LUX, an application that allows for energy savings by automatically turning on lights only in the aisle being used. Additionally, the PICKING option allows for the simultaneous opening of multiple aisles, thus reducing retrieval times.
A Smart Warehouse
The integration of ICAM’s ICON warehouse software with the company’s WMS allows Captex to maintain a detailed mapping of the storage space and available material, setting movements based on the exact location of goods to maximize efficiency when opening each aisle.
Goods are not only always available but also easily visible to operators. In fact, the material is allocated according to color and material rotation logics. Specifically, two of the four Mobile Racking Storage Systems are dedicated to storing summer fabrics, while the remaining store winter fabrics, with a subdivision of compartments by base color and dye lots, further distinguishing between basic and seasonal colors. Additionally, for maximum efficiency, the first two levels of each system store high-turnover fabric rolls, while the upper levels hold lower-turnover or bulkier references.
Mobile Racking Storage Systems: bringing efficiency to the warehouse
The decision to adopt Mobile Racking Storage Systems in Captex’s warehouse has brought significant advantages in terms of space, efficiency, and operational speed. Thanks to ICAM’s COMPATTA system, Captex has doubled its storage capacity and improved inventory management, adapting to the dynamics of a constantly evolving market like the fashion industry. The integration of advanced technologies and customized solutions has optimized logistics flows, reduced retrieval times, and increased the accuracy of operations, ensuring a consistently punctual and high-quality service for customers.