UK supply chain management company iForce has reported a 57.8% increase in growth in the number of items it picked for customers of its retail clients in 2015 by comparison to the year before.
iForce operates online and multichannel fulfilment centres for a number of clients including John Lewis, Cath Kidston, John Lewis, Dunelm, Fortnum and Mason, as well as Waitrose Cellar. It fulfilled 82.2 million items in the last calendar year by comparison to 52 million in 2014.
The peak trading period was very good to the company too. Between 21 November to 2 January 2016, the company picked 13.9 million items (up 24% year on year) and orders were up 4.8% to 1.6 million.
There was a significant increase in spend per order too. iForce recorded a 14.3% growth in the number of total orders it fulfilled by comparison to its growth of 57.8% in items picked.
CEO of iForce Brian Gaunt said, “iForce has been able to enjoy its most successful and profitable year to date, boosted by continued growth with our existing retail clients and new contract wins. During 2016 we will continue to focus on what we do best; offering retailers innovative software led solutions to the ever changing challenges of modern commerce though iForce Gateway (Fulfilment), iForce Revive (Returns Processing) and iForce Pathfinder (Carrier Management).”
iForce also operates returns processing for Tesco, Screwfix and Sainsbury’s. It saw a 13.5% year on year growth in the number of returned items processed.
Gaunt added: “The level of returns springing out of the growth of multi-channel retailing is becoming an increasing concern to retailers as consumers move from trying items out in store to trying them at home and then returning items they don’t want. Processing as many of these returned items efficiently and quickly to allow the retailer to sell at full sale cost is of paramount importance for the online and digital sales channels to become profitable.”