Material Bank, the world’s largest material resource library for architects and designers, specializes in distributing materials and samples from various manufacturers to clients worldwide.
The Challenge: Warehouse Operations Couldn’t Keep Up With Accelerated Growth
Operating out of a 370,000 sq. ft. warehouse with 300,000 SKUs (totaling 10 million inventory units) and 250,000 pick locations, the company needed a scalable warehouse solution that could keep pace with its rapid growth.
As a leader in the fast-moving 3PL sector, Material Bank is committed to shipping all sample orders placed by midnight for next-day delivery. However, maintaining this high-speed fulfillment model while expanding proved increasingly difficult due to:
- Inventory Management Challenges – Handling high SKU counts with precision and efficiency
- Complex, Custom Workflows – Supporting a unique business model with specialized order processing
- Operational Scalability – Keeping up with growing order volumes without compromising speed
To continue delivering unmatched service, Material Bank needed a warehouse management system (WMS) that could integrate seamlessly with automation, optimize workflows, and support future growth.
Material Bank Elevates Logistics With Made4net
To address these challenges, Material Bank implemented Made4net’s WarehouseExpert WMS, selecting it for its flexibility, scalability, and seamless integration with existing automation technologies.
Key capabilities that transformed Material Bank’s operations:
- Centralized Control for Warehouse Operations – WarehouseExpert serves as the backbone of warehouse execution, integrating effortlessly with e-commerce platforms and Material Bank’s high-volume order environment.
- Inbound Process Optimization:
- ASN (Advance Shipping Notice) – Speeds up inbound processing with pre-receipt validation.
- Integrated Cuba Scan System – Ensures precise weight and dimension tracking for every item.
- Automated Put-Away Logic – Eliminates inefficient storage (honeycombing) by directing inventory to optimal locations.
- Barcode Printing (200K-300K per month) – Facilitates fast and accurate product labeling.
- Outbound Order Fulfillment Enhancement:
- Wave Picking & RDT (Radio Data Terminal) Picking – Increases picking efficiency for bulk orders.
- Locus Robotics Integration – 120 Locus robots seamlessly work with the WMS to accelerate fulfillment.
- Vertical Lift Module (VLM) Picking – Enhances storage density and retrieval speed.
- Order Consolidation Logic – Reduces packaging waste by combining multiple orders into single shipments.
WarehouseExpert’s customizability was another crucial advantage. The system adapted to Material Bank’s extensive return program for unused samples, ensuring smooth reintegration of materials back into inventory.
“Since we implemented Made4net’s WMS, we’ve been able to meet our customers’ needs and ship out orders for one-day delivery at a high accuracy rate. The platform is easy to use and to train new users on, making it an ideal solution for our fast-paced environment.”
— Torion Todd, Business Operations Manager, Material Bank
Benefits of Implementing Made4net’s 3PL Warehouse Management System (WMS)
Since implementing WarehouseExpert, Material Bank has seen transformative improvements across its operations:
- 99.98% Order Accuracy – Ensuring next-day deliveries with near-perfect precision, a critical factor for architects and designers.
- 20-30% Increase in Warehouse Productivity – Intuitive WMS design allows faster employee onboarding and improved efficiency.
- Next-day delivery – Ability to manage large order volumes and efficiently organize picking processes has significantly boosted the company’s capacity to ship orders with speed and precision. 98% of packages ship priority overnight for 10:30 AM next-day delivery.
- Sustainability Improvements – Automated order consolidation has reduced packaging waste, enhancing eco-friendly practices.
- Ongoing System Support – Weekly meetings with Made4net’s development and support teams ensure continuous optimization and scalability.
“As we add new layers of automation, new technology, new business units, new acquisitions, whatever it might be, we know that we have a partner that will grow with us.”
— Ken Griffith, Senior Director of Distribution, Material Bank
Conclusion
By integrating Made4net’s WarehouseExpert WMS, Material Bank has successfully scaled operations while maintaining industry-leading service levels. The system’s customizability, automation integration, and intuitive interface have optimized workflows, ensured next-day fulfillment, and positioned Material Bank for long-term growth and efficiency.
With Made4net as a trusted technology partner, Material Bank continues to push the boundaries of speed, accuracy, and customer satisfaction in the 3PL industry.
