Apparel Company Transforms Warehouse Operations Through LEAN Implementation
Apparel Company Transforms Warehouse Operations Through LEAN Implementation
Fast-moving apparel distribution center boosts performance with team-led standardization and structured process improvement
❝They are my on-the-ground, get their fingers dirty, go-to team.❞
Simon Sterck
Serax
A leading global apparel company faced rising complexity inside its primary warehouse. High volume, seasonal peaks, and manual processes were driving up inventory errors and creating inconsistent workflows. Despite strong leadership, the warehouse team lacked a clear system for identifying and solving operational challenges.
SPARQ360 partnered with the company to deliver a structured LEAN implementation focused on internal capability building, team alignment, and sustainable process improvement.
The Challenge
The warehouse operated at scale, but without a common framework to support continuous improvement. Some work instructions were tribal knowledge. Others varied by team or shift. As order volume increased, the gaps became harder to manage:
- Errors in inventory and picking
- Inconsistent workflows across zones
- Low team morale and high variability in output
- No internal leaders trained in LEAN or structured problem solving
With no internal LEAN function to lead change, the company needed a hands-on partner to help uncover waste and build a replicable approach to improvement.
SPARQ360’s experienced team deploys a boots-on-the-ground approach and mediate operations and customer’s leadership teams allowing us to make unbiased, objective decisions based purely on what is best for our customers. Our team provided hands on guidance to warehouse staff, documented process changes and enabled inter-departmental communication to maximize their 3PL engagement. This was the missing link for this client.
The Strategy
SPARQ360 delivered targeted sustainability support through SPARQ360 performed an initial walkthrough of the facility, interviewed employees across roles, and mapped current processes. From there, the team worked alongside site leaders to build a focused plan that addressed performance barriers in the highest-impact areas.
The engagement included:
- Foundational LEAN training for warehouse associates and leads
- Hands-on walkthroughs and joint Value Stream Mapping (VSM)
- Identification of bottlenecks and areas of waste
- Targeted improvement sprints using structured LEAN tools
- Mentorship of selected team members to serve as LEAN leads going forward
This was not a theoretical exercise. Every activity was tied to real processes on the floor.
Related SPARQ360 service: Supply Chain and Manufacturing Optimization
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The Implementation
The project centered around team participation and on-site application. Associates were not asked to implement someone else’s ideas—they helped build the new system from the inside.
Key activities included:
- On-floor VSM sessions to define the current and future state of major workflows
- Kaizen events focused on receiving, picking, and staging
- Design and rollout of new Standard Work Instructions (SWIs), co-created with staff
- Training select team members to lead future improvements using the same process
- Quick-win improvements tied directly to observed daily frustrations
SPARQ360’s role was not to direct operations but to provide structure, experience, and clarity so the client’s own team could move with purpose.
The Results
Within the first year, the warehouse experienced measurable and visible results:
- Improved picking and packing accuracy across all zones
- Documented standard work now used to train new hires
- More stable daily output, even during high-volume periods
- Team-led Kaizen events now being run independently
- Higher morale from clearer roles, expectations, and shared wins
The project established a repeatable model: team-driven improvements, grounded in practical tools, backed by results. And most importantly, the change now lives inside the organization—not in a playbook on a shelf.
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