FORTE Provides RoadRunner Sports with a Five-Year Distribution Center Strategy

The Challenge
As the world’s largest running store and a leader in the retail running market, RoadRunner Sports was experiencing customer service issues due to transportation order cycle time.

Their business was rapidly changing, and they needed a cost-effective approach to retail store expansion initiatives. RoadRunner would require an objective viewpoint on their distribution operation model and expert advice to determine their optimal network configuration.

The Solution
FORTE performed a network optimization study that identified the need for a bi-coastal distribution center network. RoadRunner could keep their West Coast location and add a new facility in Columbus, Ohio. FORTE also performed a 3PL assessment to determine if RoadRunner should outsource the new facility or operate it internally.

A “Voice of the Customer” exercise was also conducted to identify how RoadRunner could better collaborate with vendors for supply chain visibility to improve customer service and ultimately decrease warehouse and transportation costs. Using RoadRunner’s ROI requirements, a manual facility was designed with scaling capabilities as business continues to grow.

The Results
Order cycle times dropped from more than a week in some cases to a maximum of two-day delivery. Transportation costs to both stores and customers on the East Coast were dramatically reduced. The transition into the new facility was seamless, and RoadRunner Sports now has a five-year distribution road map to live by.