GEODIS and Sephora, one of the world’s largest omnichannel prestige beauty retailers, have announced the opening of a distribution centre (DC) in Shanghai’s Minhang District, China.
The 20,000 m² facility’s ceremonial opening was held on 11 October. The centre, which will be managed by GEODIS, will be important in improving Sephora’s customer experience as well as supporting the company’s fast-growing e-commerce operations and sales in its stores across China, according to a statement.
Moreover, the storage technologies and systems of the facility are cutting-edge, with mezzanine flooring, Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) pallet racks, and racking supplied by Autonomous Guided Vehicles (AGV). The facility is completely automated to streamline operations and provide enhanced storage and inventory processing in response to Sephora’s growing product demand in China, which is now one of the company’s largest markets.
“We are committed to providing our consumers with the best possible shopping experience. The opening of this new distribution centre is a significant milestone for Sephora as it will enable us to drive an incredible last-mile experience for our consumers and ensure that stock availability is the best it can ever be at our stores,” commented Alia Gogi, president of Sephora Asia.
The facility, which aligns with Sephora and GEODIS’ commitment to sustainability, gives access to features and procedures that reduce carbon emissions.
This includes the use of environmentally friendly building materials for the warehouse façade, LED lighting and motion sensors, automatic energy consumption monitoring systems, and energy-efficient air conditioning units.
These features have received ‘Platinum’ certification from Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED), the highest level of accreditation within the world’s most extensively used green building rating system.
“I would like to thank Sephora for their trust and partnership over the past 17 years. As their growth partner, we look forward to supporting their long-term vision for expansion in China. We are committed to continually innovating and ensuring excellence in their supply chain operations to meet the demands of their consumers in this dynamic retail environment,” stated Onno Boots, GEODIS APAC and Middle East regional president and CEO.
