Spring 2008

Hillarys Blinds, a major UK-based supplier of made-to-measure window blinds, is using the NetDespatch web-based shipping system to send collection and delivery information to its outsourced fulfilment provider, Logistics North East. The NetDespatch shipping and tracking system processes the orders and automatically prints the correct barcode labels ready for collection by the carrier.

Hillarys turns over more than £90 million, and the company processes over 6,000 orders a week, as well as making nearly 30,000 blinds. Logistics North East picks up about 800 blinds a day, delivering them on the next day to both business and residential households via the APC Overnight network. APC is already a major user of the NetDespatch system.

According to Simon Bradley, IT manager at Logistics North East: 'The system has enabled us to integrate Hillarys' SAP system, barcode label printing, traceability from sales order through production, and online booking and shipping.'

He says the system has eliminated human-generated errors because it eradicates the need for re-entering information once it is in the system.