The key development for Skladon in the Mošnov area in Ostrava, which in recent years has become a multimodal cargo hub, which does not lack direct access to the local cargo airport, is quick access to the four surrounding states to which Skladon is able to deliver shipments in the next-day mode. ", And soon also a direct train line to the port of Antwerp. While in 2020 the company's Mošnov warehouse occupied five thousand square meters, a year later it is already covering 10,000 meters and this spring it should expand its area by another 6,000 square meters. Skladon thus becomes one of the largest providers in the Czech Republic.
The development in the Mošnov area of Ostrava, which has become a multimodal freight hub in recent years, is crucial for Skladon.
Photo: Skladon
The number of goods that the Warehouse managed to store and then send also grew, to almost 4.8 million, which means a year-on-year increase of almost 100 percent. In total, Skladon shipped goods for 70 e-shops with a total turnover of billions of crowns, while the largest customers for whom the company completely provides storage and shipping of goods include the socks manufacturer Skinners, the Kilpi outdoor equipment brand or nanoSPACE.
Small and large players believe in outsourcing
Whereas previously the company focused primarily on smaller retailers, now the core consists mainly of medium and large e-shops, which is caused by the dynamically growing e-commerce and the growing demand for logistics outsourcing. And even the biggest are starting to believe in outsourcing. The average customer with Skladon sends 1,700 shipments a month, while larger customers send many times more, while the most frequently sent items include goods from the fields of fashion, cosmetics, health, as well as books, children's toys, pet supplies or hardware.
In the Czech environment, the most significant clients of Skladon include the Kilpi outdoor brand, which uses fulfillment for sale worldwide, or the Skinners sports and leisure footwear manufacturer, to which Skladon distributes worldwide. The company nanoSPACE, which had to adapt quickly to the skyrocketing demand during the pandemic, uses Skladon for complete logistics. The situation is similar for the Czech manufacturer of menstrual panties Snuggs, to which the company helps with expansion abroad. In 2021, Skladon also established cooperation with foreign manufacturers, including the American shoe manufacturer and the Swiss pharmaceutical company.
"The past year has been the most dynamic for us in the entire seven-year history of Skladon. People have learned to shop online and e-shops have found that if they want to deliver the best possible customer experience, the whole warehousing and logistics process needs to be streamlined. This is one of the reasons why companies are finding their way to outsourcing and why this trend will become more pronounced in the future. Skladon has the best prerequisites to be the first choice for traders looking for fulfillment - we have great technology, perfectly set processes and the background of a unique multimodal logistics center, from which we deliver shipments worldwide in a flash, ”says Skladon CEO and co-founder Konstantin Margaretis.
The importance of clear data is growing
The MySkladon application should also help merchants to help maintain the best possible customer experience even with rapidly growing volumes of shipments. It was designed to meet the latest technical requirements in the field of warehousing - it allows the client to manage his warehouse from anywhere in the world and at the same time monitor in detail the reliability of delivery to end customers. In the future, the application will be even more open to clients, so that it can flexibly respond to their immediate needs and help them further shift end customer satisfaction. Further product development is perceived as the maximum priority in Skladon and therefore a separate product team was also assigned. He should prepare news this year, which will help clients, among other things, with business decisions.
"Rapid growth and planned foreign expansions are placing ever-increasing demands on the product. That's why we decided to strengthen the product team and the RnD department, and in 2022 we want to innovate even faster. Although people probably imagine warehouses and packages under fulfillment, we consider ourselves primarily a technology company in which constant development and innovation on the backend, in front-end applications and in the area of integration with other components of the e-commerce world play a key role. We can then transfer technology and precision based on data and predictive models to the material world of pallets and shipments, ”adds Margaretis.
Service for e-shops of all sizes
In the coming year, Skladon wants to prepare for the planned foreign expansion and construction of distribution centers in other key markets. Skladon is most interested in its services, especially among clients in Western and South-Eastern Europe, with the greatest potential in companies with fast-moving goods up to 15 kg in the segments of clothing, footwear, food supplements, cosmetics, games and children's needs. One of the goals is also to intensify the potential of already established cooperation with the largest online marketplaces, such as Alza, Allegro, eBay or Amazon.