Urban Outfitters and AL Systems Conclude Successful Knowledge Conference on Warehouse Controls

Feb. 14, 2011 - PRLog -- Reno, NV and Rockaway, NJ – Urban Outfitters, one of the fastest growing specialty retailers in the world, and AL Systems, a leading provider of Warehouse Control System (WCS) and Order Fulfillment solutions, just concluded a successful Knowledge Conference titled “Warehouse Control Best Practices for Retail Operations”. The conference was attended by over 40 supply chain and distribution executives who were eager to learn more about adapting Warehouse Controls in their distribution operations and to share experiences and ideas gathered over years of working with the world’s most profitable companies.

Ken McKinney, Executive Director of Logistics, Urban Outfitters, spoke about their global supply chain challenges and discussed specific strategies for Retail, E-Commerce and Logistics optimization. Ken’s presentation was followed by an interactive discussion between the audience and a panel comprised of Ken McKinney, Steve Wolanin, Director of West Coast Distribution, Urban Outfitters, and Mark Kushner, COO, AL Systems.

The Knowledge Conference also included a tour of Urban Outfitters’ new distribution center in Reno, NV, where the audience was able to see their Warehouse Control System and Pack to Light implementation - within a year of going live, this new operation helped Urban Outfitters achieve a 30% reduction in the operating cost per unit and a 40% improvement in turn time.  “I was very impressed with the team from AL Systems and Urban Outfitters,” said Tony Borgerding, Senior DC Manager, Zumiez.  “I most appreciated the openness of the challenges discussed and the welcoming feel during the distribution center tour.”

In closing, Jim Iversen, CEO, AL Systems said “As businesses move from retrenching to retooling, we are grateful that Urban Outfitters could share their knowledge and expertise around Warehouse Control Best Practices”.

About Urban Outfitters, Inc.
Urban Outfitters, Inc. is an innovative specialty retail company which offers a variety of lifestyle merchandise to highly defined customer niches through 175 Urban Outfitters stores in the United States, Canada, and Europe, catalogs and two web sites; 152 Anthropologie stores in the United States, Canada and Europe, catalogs and two websites; Free People wholesale, which sells its product to approximately 1,400 specialty stores and select department stores; 40 Free People stores, catalogs and web site; Leifsdottir wholesale, which sells its product to approximately 65 specialty stores, select department stores and web site, and 1 Terrain garden center and web site as of December 31, 2010.

About AL Systems
For over 30 years, AL Systems has been helping companies optimize their distribution operations by providing solutions that maximize productivity, throughput, and order accuracy in the distribution center. AL Systems’ market leading Warehouse Control System (WCS) and Order Fulfillment solutions, including modules for Order Management, Pick to Light, Pack and Put to Light, Voice and RF Picking, Conveyor and Sortation Systems Control, Print and Apply, and Shipping and Manifesting, require only a single interface to Warehouse Management and/or corporate ERP systems, and offer Real-time Reporting, Load Balancing, and Productivity Management.

AL Systems’ client successes include such prestigious companies as Armani Exchange, Gymboree, Simon & Schuster, REI, Talbot’s, The Men's Wearhouse, and Urban Outfitters, to name a few. For more information about AL Systems, please visit http://www.alsystems.com