Like most merchants, the rapidly evolving retail landscape has led to some exciting developments here at Whiplash. With ecommerce sales going from strength to strength and omnichannel retailing finally hitting the mainstream, we’re seeing a major uptick in brands looking for more advanced fulfillment services – and this means we need to continue to step up our game, too.
In recognition of the rapid growth in the Southeast, Whiplash is excited to announce our acquisition of Enlinx, an omnichannel fulfillment provider located in West Valley City, UT. This acquisition represents a new strategy by Whiplash to partner with like-minded 3PLs who could benefit from a more advanced technology stack and being part of a major nationwide fulfillment network.
“As a reputable provider with a strategic location, Enlinx is a fantastic addition to the Whiplash network. Gaining another 400,000 square feet for order fulfillment and value-added service enhances our ability to keep delivering seamless fulfillment experiences on behalf of our clients.”
Jeff Wolpov, Chief Executive Officer of Whiplash.
Over the past year, Whiplash has taken bold steps forward to maintain its position as a world-class omnichannel fulfillment provider. Here’s a quick round-up of what we’ve been up to, and we’re just getting started!
Our rebrand from Port Logistics Group to Whiplash was in recognition of the long-term industry shift from port-centered logistics to direct-to-consumer (D2C) and omnichannel fulfillment. We were already early to the table with our acquisition of Whiplash Merchandising back in 2019, a decision that was driven by the need to enhance our technology stack and provide customers with real-time insights.
But with the COVID-19 pandemic accelerating ecommerce growth far beyond initial forecasts, the need to put direct fulfillment front and center in our value proposition became clear. The growth of hybrid distribution and fulfillment is a lasting change to the retail landscape that will shape how brands choose to scale far into the future:
“As the line between D2C brands and traditional retailers continues to blur, we have front row insights into where retail is headed. We look forward to continuing to enhance our customer’s brand experiences—no matter where they are in their growth journey.”
Greg Morello, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Whiplash.
By combining over 30 years of industry experience with the power of advanced automation and data-driven logistics, Whiplash continues to be a national leader in omnichannel fulfillment and multi-node strategy.
It’s been exciting to see more partners join the Whiplash ecosystem to offer our customers a wider range of value-added services to our customers. As our network grows, the advantages of partnering with Whiplash are only going to get better over time.
Bringing onboard returns management provider Happy Returns as an integration partner was a big step forward in Whiplash’s ability to offer enhanced returns management capabilities to our customers. Today’s consumers have high expectations for a hassle-free returns process that prioritizes convenience. This is especially important during peak season when merchants are faced with handling a high volume of returns.
“The post-purchase customer experience is often regarded as an afterthought in ecommerce, meaning it’s not unusual for consumers to feel let down by complex or unwieldy returns processes. With the backing of their return portal software, drop-off network, and efficient reverse logistics, Happy Returns will help Whiplash to make the returns process more seamless than ever.”
Ryan Powell, Senior Vice President, Whiplash
On the fulfillment side, we’ve increased our commitment to seamless automation through our partnership with Locus Robotics. We currently deploy 150 mobile robots in our Chino, CA facility to assist our warehouse staff with rapid picking and navigating the facility as safely and effectively as possible. Since partnering with Locus, Whiplash’s average pick time has improved by 20 seconds per unit for our larger accounts, in addition to virtually eliminating picking errors and identifying new dynamic picking strategies.
“In a tight labor market, it is essential that we prioritize employee safety and have the flexibility to creatively deploy our workforce during peak eCommerce periods — especially headed into the holidays. “Locus gives our customers a distinct competitive advantage they won’t find anywhere else.”
Greg Morello, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Whiplash.
There’s a lot of other exciting partnership developments currently underway at Whiplash – so watch this space!
We pride ourselves on the nationwide fulfillment network that enables us to offer advanced multi-node fulfillment capabilities and rapid last-mile delivery. We currently boast 18 locations at strategic transportation and consumer hubs throughout the United States in addition to partner facilities in Canada and the UK, totaling over 6.5 million square feet of omnichannel distribution space.
This network allows us to develop flexible, responsive fulfillment strategies with the ability to scale with the peaks and troughs of the retail calendar. Our goal is to continue expanding our footprint to every corner of the U.S. to onboard more clients and increase our reach into fast-growing consumer hubs.
In the past year, our network has experienced a rapid pace of growth through the addition of new-brand, state-of-the-art facilities in Savannah, GA, Seattle, WA, and Columbus, OH. Each of these locations was carefully chosen to compliment either existing facilities or key ports of entry to enable efficient drayage and transportation.
“The retail landscape is always changing – and 2020 has accelerated many of the trends we were already seeing in this space, particularly the growing domination of ecommerce. We always aim to be ahead of the curve by putting ourselves closer to both retail stores and end consumers.”
Greg Morello, President and Chief Commercial Officer at Whiplash.
These exciting phases of recent growth reflect the escalating demand for advanced omnichannel fulfillment and value-added services that enhance the customer experience. This ensures that Whiplash is well-positioned to meet head-on the challenges and opportunities experienced by our clients. As the retail sector continues to chart a new course in the aftermath of the COVID-19 pandemic, Whiplash is ready to provide the latest industry insights and advice for sustainable growth.
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