Sydney-based RFID technology and solutions company, RAMP has teamed up with Australian charity, Thread Together.
RAMP is an industry-leading radio frequency identification (RFID) systems company that pioneered Loca.Fi, its own purpose-built, cloud-based RFID solution for retailers. Loca.fi Retail is a proven solution for product categories including apparel, eyewear, cosmetics and beauty products. The technology helps retailers and other businesses manage inventory at the press of a button.
RAMP CEO, Peter Reinke said, “RAMP is extremely honoured and excited to be partnering with Thread Together. As a leading innovator in the RFID space, we are committed to supporting the industry and our community wherever possible through meaningful and live changing initiatives.”
Thread Together partners with Australian fashion brands and retailers, including Calvin Klein, RM Williams, UNIQLO, Under Armour and Lululemon, to donate excess brand-new clothing which is redistributed to vulnerable and marginalised individuals, families and communities across the country.
One of the biggest challenges faced by the charity is the supply-led nature in which they operate compounded by the seasonal lag of product donations. In the middle of summer, Thread Together is receiving unsold winter clothes.
To fulfil requests for clothing in a timely manner, the charity must have accurate knowledge of inventory on hand, size of buffer stock and knowledge where supply exceeds the current and forecast demand profile. In the past, lack of systems often resulted in situations where Thread Together didn’t have enough of what was needed and ended up having too much of what wasn’t in need.
According to Thread Together CEO, Anthony Chesler, the new partnership with RAMP has solved key challenges. “Not only has the solution helped us better track and manage inventory on hand, it has also helped us reduce the time to fulfil requests for clothing by being able to more efficiently and effectively replenish our fulfilment centre,” he said.
“RAMP’s RFID technology enables us to tag items immediately after they have been sorted into categories and sizes. By being able to do this, with ease, we are now able to rapidly determine the amount of inventory on hand and of equal importance to us, understand where the items are located.”
The team at RAMP assisted Thread Together to deploy the solution, sending its team, in a volunteer capacity to lead the implementation and knowledge transfer of the solution.
“We are extremely humbled and inspired by our new partnership with Thread Together and look forward to helping the charity get clothing out to those in need in a more timely manner and avoid stock outages by sorting them to proactively manage inventory,” Reinke explained.