Crocs, Inc., recognised around the world for their iconic Classic Clog, entered the Covid-19 pandemic with incredible momentum. That momentum was not only maintained but increased in 2020, recording a record annual revenue of $1.4 billion USD. Demands for the iconic footwear continue to accelerate, as partnerships with a range of collaborators – from luxury fashion brands and musicians to cultural icons – are helping drive interest. As a result, more and more consumers are discovering the importance of being comfortable in their own shoes.

The brand’s current and anticipated acceleration demands the utmost from Crocs’ supply chain. The Manhattan Warehouse Management Open Systems (WMOS) plays a crucial role in this dynamic supply chain. “We are looking for global partners who understand our markets and consumers. Manhattan Associates has a team of experienced professionals who know how to use technology to solve problems in retail, ecommerce and distribution. It is partners like Manhattan Associates who help us to be flexible and create the distribution network needed to facilitate our growth. Faster than we thought possible,” says Mike Feliton, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Crocs. 

WMOS plays an important role in the digitalisation of the supply chain. The integration with Dematic shuttles, 6 River Systems robots and the handheld terminals from Zebra has resulted in a completely paperless operation. Feliton: “We did not have any experience with automation and robotisation. Manhattan helped us with selection and implementation, reducing an 8-12-month project to one of 2 to 3 months. That speed provides us with a great competitive advantage.”

“Together with the Manhattan team we regularly discuss vision and strategy. They understand the challenges in our sector like no other. And their knowledge of warehouse management is unparalleled.”  
Mike Feliton, Senior Vice President and Chief Information Officer, Crocs

Different flows
What makes the supply chain even more complex is the large number of different flows that the distribution centres handle. The European distribution centre supplies national distributors in Southern and Eastern Europe, internationally operating retailers, local shopkeepers and Crocs retail stores across the region.



The digital channel is becoming increasingly important, which is formed by the company’s own websites and those of other etail partners. “The number of online orders has increased tenfold in five years. Processing those orders can be very labour-intensive. We have to change gears quickly and continuously work on process improvement and capacity expansion in order to be able to absorb the online growth,” says Dennis Boor, Senior Director Distribution and Logistics at Crocs Europe BV.

Boor relies heavily on WMOS. “First of all because it is a very reliable and stable system, but also because of the ease with which we can control all those different flows. As clients’ expectations rise and our flows and processes change as a result, we can easily adjust the configuration in WMOS.

“In order to keep up with the increasing demand we need a partner that helps us thinks smarter and works faster while maintaining efficiency and accuracy.”
Dennis Boor, Senior Director of Distribution and Logistics, Crocs Europe BV

Configuring and optimising 
In order to be able to pivot quickly, Boor’s team remains in close contact with the commercial team. Their forecast provides insight into the expected demand and is prepared for those demand spikes by utlising Supply Chain Intelligence, an add-on from Manhattan Associates. “With this tool we can analyse the data from the WMOS and make data-driven decisions. For example, what does the demand mean for our fast movers and slow movers?

We also use Manhattan’s labour management solution to gain insight into the performance and competences of employees. This is crucial to be able to respond quickly, now and in the future. Because of the rapid growth and dynamics in the market, we have to keep monitoring whether we can still manage the workload, and if necessary distribute the workload better. Our supervisors and team leaders have real-time information at their fingertips with Labour Management.”

The ease of use is contributing to the efficiency, says Karen Stenger, Senior Manager of IT Applications at Crocs. “That is one of the biggest advantages of WMOS. This is especially true for the employees on the floor, who interact the most with the system via their handheld terminals. We can create consistent workflows with WMOS, which leads to standardised, measurable processes.

With its intuitive use, it is easy to train new employees and have them up to speed quickly.” Stenger has seen how the relationship with Manhattan has developed since the start with WMOS in 2007. From a software provider like many others, Manhattan has grown into a strategic partner. “We use their cloud services, managed services and premier support. In addition, WMOS is an extremely reliable and stable system. At the most critical moments, the system never lets us down. “

Super stable
Boor also emphasised high availability and stock accuracy of the system. “Whatever we think we can sell from stock is actually in stock. And when we receive an order, the chance of missing it is very small, making our operation efficient and reliable.” WMOS serves as a more important ‘enabler’ for Crocs’ success, explains Boor.

“The reason for the success is that we have been able to quickly convert all parts of the company to the new world with new methods of selling and different order profiles. To keep up with the growing demand, we needed a partner that would help us work smarter and faster while maintaining efficiency and quality. As we grow, Manhattan grows with us.”



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