Gildan Activewear

Gildan is a vertically-integrated manufacturer of branded basic apparel.

The company has an ongoing commitment to service its customers with ease and accuracy. Daifuku Intralogistics America’s experienced engineering and software controls team had the ability to support Gildan in achieving their objectives. When Gildan, the leading activewear brand in the screenprint market in the U.S. and Canada, experienced tremendous growth and needed their material handling system to more efficiently support their expansion goals, Daifuku Intralogistics America listened carefully.

‍

Challenge

This global low-cost supplier of quality T-shirts, sport shirts and fleece sought a system for their 1.2 million sq. ft. distribution center in North Carolina.  The main objective was to improve shipment staging and overall organization and also provide more efficient unloading operations for their customers. Gildan wanted a way to sequence orders and tailor shipments to their customer's needs.

‍

Solution

Daifuku Intralogistics America collaborated with Gildan to help them realize their productivity improvement goals, incorporating both complex software controls and state-of-the art conveyor technology. Using a custom-designed Wynsoft system, the complex, numerically sequenced truck-loading was coordinated with the customer's needs. Products are now pushed in waves through the distribution center on Motor Driven Roller conveyor technology that not only provides a desirable and quiet system, but also achieves significant energy savings. The AutoRoll+™ Conveyor was a safe and low-maintenance choice.

Daifuku Intralogistics America also designed and developed a three-stage sequencing sortation system that arranges grouped cartons for pre-organized shipments. Coupled with additional alerts and recovery procedures for error handling, the system helps ensure proper carton sequencing.

‍

Outcome

Now, when pre-organized shipments arrive at Gildan’s customers’ dock, it requires less time and handling to process. The overall cost of goods sold is reduced, which gives Gildan a decisive advantage in the screenprint market segment.

Working directly with a material handling solutions provider, knowledgeable about the importance of post-service support, meant gaining access to Daifuku Intralogistics America’s around-the-clock support center and proactive web-based remote monitoring. Thanks to the engineering and software controls team at Daifuku Intralogistics America, Gildan can now exceed its accuracy goals.