NZ Safety Blackwoods Cuts Annual Cycle Count Time by 50% with Manhattan SCALE™

Written by PR Newswire

SYDNEY, Feb. 7, 2025 /PRNewswire/ -- NZ Safety Blackwoods,^[1] a leading industrial safety, engineering and workplace supplies provider, has successfully implemented Manhattan Associates'^[2] (NASDAQ: MANH) warehouse management solution, Manhattan SCALE ^[3], in two of its New Zealand based distribution centres (DCs). Since implementing Manhattan SCALE, NZ Safety Blackwoods has enhanced its warehouse processes including annual cycle count, which has seen a significant improvement in completion and anticipates completing its annual stock-take well ahead of schedule.

Photo Credit: iStock

With a 70 years heritage providing safety equipment, engineering, workwear, hygiene and packaging in New Zealand, NZ Safety Blackwoods, part of the Wesfarmers Industrial and Safety group, is known for its superior service, accuracy, and fulfillment speed across its national network of 34 trade centres. Operating four DCs across New Zealand and a dedicated warehouse for steel strapping supplies, the company faced pressure to meet growing user and trade centre demand, requiring enhancements to its supply chain and warehouse operations.

The company chose to implement Manhattan SCALE, a robust warehouse management system (WMS) designed to streamline and optimise warehouse operations. Manhattan SCALE provides comprehensive tools to manage inventory, track shipments, and improve order accuracy, all while ensuring real-time visibility into operations to boost efficiency, reduce costs and improve customer satisfaction.

"Manhattan SCALE has delivered significant improvements in real-time visibility, optimising picking routes, stock placement, bin capacities, and warehouse space utilisation," commented Chris Mason, New Zealand Safety Blackwoods, head of operations. "Pickers are no longer required to rely on personal knowledge of stock location to find goods. Since its deployment, we have reported a reduction in picking errors from an average of 3.5% to below 1% - a significant improvement for the high-volume operation."

As New Zealand Safety Blackwoods prepares to consolidate its three Auckland-based DCs into a single, state-of-the-art distribution centre by 2026, Manhattan SCALE will be instrumental in preparing both its new automated infrastructure and the workforce for the transition, ensuring a smoother changeover and readiness for the enhanced workflows expected in the new facility.

"The shift to a consolidated, automated DC will allow us to fulfill customer orders faster and more accurately, with orders potentially arriving in a single shipment instead of multiple deliveries from separate locations. With SCALE, we are building a foundation that will support our strategic growth and ensure that our operations remain agile and efficient," Mason added.

"NZ Safety Blackwoods is a fantastic example of how leveraging advanced warehouse management technology can unlock new levels of operational efficiency and accuracy," said Raghav Sibal, Australia-New Zealand managing director of Manhattan Associates. "We're proud to support its journey as the team modernises operations and prepares for future growth through automation."

ABOUT MANHATTAN ASSOCIATES

Manhattan Associates is a global technology leader in supply chain and omnichannel commerce. We unite information across the enterprise, converging front-end sales with back-end supply chain execution. Our software, platform technology and unmatched experience help drive both top-line growth and bottom-line profitability for our customers.

Manhattan Associates designs, builds, and delivers leading edge cloud and on-premises solutions so that across the store, through your network or from your fulfillment centre, you are ready to reap the rewards of the omnichannel marketplace. For more information, please visit www.manh.com ^[4]

ABOUT NZ SAFETY BLACKWOODS

With over 70 years' experience in New Zealand, nobody has more in-depth knowledge of providing safety equipment, engineering, workwear, hygiene and packaging than NZ Safety Blackwoods. With 30 Trade Centres across New Zealand, a comprehensive digital platform, knowledgeable sales and service reps, an award-winning customer experience team, and a range of over 120,000 products – partnering with NZ Safety Blackwoods allows you to leverage our scale, knowledge and relationships with preferred suppliers to access the best products at the right price.

With our vast product range, long history of servicing all sectors of New Zealand, and extensive portfolio of specialist and technical services, we will work with you to design and implement end-to-end specialist solutions in order to meet your purchasing requirements, providing you with everything you need from a trusted single source supplier. Employing over 500 team members across New Zealand, NZ Safety Blackwoods encourages diversity and a working environment in which employees are treated with equality, fairness and respect.

https://nzsafetyblackwoods.co.nz/en/^[5]