Supply Chain Partner Helps Furniture Maker Get a Leg Up – Evans Distribution
Evans helped furniture maker Floyd develop a real-time supply chain, centralizing its kitting, packaging, and value-added needs, as well as providing transportation.
The Challenge
In 2014, Kyle Hoff and Alex O’Dell came up with the concept of the Floyd leg—a steel table leg that secures to any type of flat surface, allowing the flat surface to become a desk, coffee table, and much more. The steel legs can be attached and detached, making moving that table or other piece of furniture much easier.
The Floyd concept is a response to a furniture industry that doesn’t consider the high rates of moving across the country, especially among younger populations. Bulky furniture is difficult to move and can be costly to ship. Not only is Floyd’s furniture easy to put together and to disassemble again, it’s also simple to ship.
Floyd was experiencing a high amount of success, and at the same time they were expecting a massive amount of growth. However, issues in the shipping process were causing products to be sent out in a less-than-desirable way and needed to be addressed. Floyd’s shipping provider at the time was also the manufacturer of the wood for their tables. Since shipping was not the core competency of the wood manufacturer, Floyd needed an expert to handle the packaging and kitting of their product.
The Solution
In 2016, Evans began to centralize the kitting, packaging, and value-added needs for Floyd. Evans optimized the kitting process by improving packages for shipping, utilizing water-based tape, collaborating on better corrugate, and ultimately, bringing the cost down. Evans was also able to help Floyd with a real-time supply chain, including transportation—carrying approximately 4-5 truckloads a week from Michigan, out east. Floyd now ships all over the world.
Since partnering with Evans, shipments have increased from 23 SKUs per week to 37 SKUs per week. The account began with one shipping location, requiring 1-2 trucks weekly. Now, there are 5 shipping locations which require 5-6 trucks, as well as occasional special orders. Not to mention, Floyd has grown its sales by 100% year-over-year for the past three years. In addition, it is partnering with West Elm, opening shop-in shops, and working on its first modular bookshelf.
Daniel Stevens, the product engineer lead for Floyd, states, “We can partner with Evans and they can help us to be more nimble and leaner with our team at Floyd, but we can also rely on them to do some of the other things we wouldn’t have in-house resources for.”
To learn more:
email: [email protected]
phone: 800-OK-EVANS or 313-388-3200
web: www.evansdist.com