Variable Information Case Study - Yakka Pty Ltd
Background
Yakka is an iconic Australian brand, supplying quality work wear through a range of brands for over 70 years (see www.yakka.com.au). Yakka source product from several countries, including Fiji, Australia, Hong Kong, China and Indonesia.
Under Yakka's previous supply chain, manufacturers provided apparel products to a central warehousing operation in Somerton, Victoria, Australia. Yakka Warehousing operated an 'in-house' print bureau, within which merchandising information was printed onto branded tags, which were then attached to the garments on receipt from manufacturers, prior to distribution to retail.
This process entailed the use of high cost labour resources, and created an extra step in the supply chain that delayed the product time to market.
The Brief
Yakka's desired supply chain process involved each product item being tagged at source (i.e. point of production); with garments arriving at Yakka's Somerton distribution centre fully retail compliant.
The Challenge
Yakka's variable information requirements are complex. There are twelve different tag 'formats', all containing colour printed brand identification. On each tag, Yakka require information to be printed that is variable throughout the total batch of tags supplied in each run. Common examples are the product description, style, colour, size, lot number and barcode.
The Solution
Image Label Systems worked with Yakka to develop a solution to meet Yakka's supply chain objectives. Variable Information is extracted from the groups management information systems, and electronically uploaded to Image Label Systems e-business solution, LabelNet, from where the data is interrogated and distributed to the appropriate ILS print facility, based on Yakka's nominated point of production. Labels/Tags are then printed directly from these variable information files, and distributed to the correct point of production; this entire process is managed in a 2-5 day window, depending upon point of production.
This program has achieved the following benefits for Yakka:
- Variable merchandising information is managed by Yakka in the domestic retail market, yet...
- Variable merchandising information is applied to tags, and to product, at source (i.e. point of production).
- Yakka achieve cost savings from not printing or applying tags themselves.
- Tags contain iconic brand identification, which ILS protects via quality control procedures to ensure consistency of print colour and overall quality.
- Variable information is secure and protected, and is printed onto tags exactly as extracted from Yakka's management information systems - no manual intervention, no errors.
- Yakka enjoy the benefits of local representation and support (in Australia) combined with their selection of point of production.
