Press Release
February 25, 2009
Oxford University Press cuts order fulfillment costs by 27% with RedPrairie’s Workforce Management Solution
Solution enhances existing warehouse management system
Stokenchurch, U.K. – RedPrairie Corporation, a world leading consumer driven optimisation company, has boosted performance and cut operational costs at Oxford University Press (OUP), a major academic publishing house and the world’s largest university press.
OUP collaborated with its workforce to implement RedPrairie’s Workforce Management (WFM) solution in its UK warehouse in order to increase its service capacity. In the first week alone, order throughput rose by 19%, with the result that over one year the cost of fulfilling an order fell by 27%. In addition OUP was also able to save £100,000 from its annual budget for warehouse staff as it was able to handle orders during peak periods using less resource.
Elwyn Roberts, OUP Infrastructure Manager, said, “The key to successfully implementing the system was to fully involve staff in the project. We gave them ownership of their productivity and the chance to contribute ideas so that all the changes made were their own. This proved to be a catalyst to re-energise the team and showed them a wealth of new opportunities, what we call light bulb moments, small things that make a big difference. Given the choice, no one would go back to the old way of working.”
OUP’s 240,000 sq ft UK warehouse handles 24 million books, 40,000 titles and 26,500 pallets a year. It manages 15,000 order lines per day and 3,500 orders are dispatched each day.
The Workforce Management solution integrates with OUP’s existing warehouse management solution (WMS), also supplied by RedPrairie - although the solution can be integrated with any third party WMS.
Martin Hiscox, Vice Chairman of the Board, Managing Director and President International, RedPrairie, said, “Workforce Management software is a powerful tool for change in the warehouse and OUP has effectively shown that dramatic improvements are possible if the workforce is fully consulted and involved.”
About Oxford University Press
OUP is a major academic publishing house, and is the world’s largest University Press. OUP is the oldest company in Britain and was formed in 1478, two years after William Caxton invented the printing press. The Press is a department of the University, is self financing, and has no shareholders. OUP has a presence in more than 50 countries and employs 5000 people across the world. It turns over nearly £500m p.a. and has an operating surplus of £75m p.a.
About RedPrairie Corporation
RedPrairie delivers productivity solutions to help companies around the world in three categories – workforce, inventory and transportation. RedPrairie provides these solutions to manufacturers, distributors and retailers looking to support business strategies that increase revenue, reduce costs and create competitive advantage.
With over 20 global offices and solutions that are installed at more than 34,000 customer sites in over 40 countries, companies trust RedPrairie workforce, inventory and transportation solutions to deliver an increase in productivity – with the flexibility to adapt as business needs change.
At RedPrairie, we understand today’s operational demands and we’re committed to delivering solutions that work. We’re committed to delivering solutions for the real world.
For additional information, call 1.877.733.7724, or visit RedPrairie.com.
RedPrairie is a registered trademark of RedPrairie Corporation.
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© 2009 RedPrairie Corporation. All Rights Reserved.
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RedPrairie Public Relations Contacts:
NORTH AMERICA
Kari Janavitz
+1 262 317 2526
Kari.Janavitz@redprairie.com
UK
Emma Easterbrook
+44 1435 873 080
Emma@FieldworksMarketing.co.uk
NORDICS, MIDDLE EAST, AND AFRICA
Patrick Qureshi
+45 3263 0021
Patrick.Qureshi@RedPrairie.com
MAINLAND EUROPE
Luc Zanders
+31 40 2302532
Luc.Zanders@RedPrairie.com
ASIA PACIFIC
Fauziah Osman
+65 6521 9554
Fauziah.Osman@RedPrairie.com