Furniture Retailer Expands Distribution Operations with Motek’s Priya Smart Warehouse Software

BEVERLY HILLS, CALIF. - BEVERLY HILLS, CA — August 20, 2003. — Design Within Reach (DWR) has successfully supported explosive growth with the help of Motek’s Priya Smart Warehouse Software. The company originally went live with Priya three years ago and has since consolidated its warehouses into one facility that supports three different modes of the business. Thanks to Priya, DWR has not only managed its rapid growth, but done so with improved labor, inventory accuracy and order turnaround times.

DWR is committed to accelerating delivery of high quality furniture to the public. With a unique operating model, the company sells designer furniture through the Internet, catalog, and retail sales. All three channels must be supported under the roof of one distribution center.

Before selecting Priya, DWR’s previous warehouse system could not meet each channel's operating needs nor provide the versatility and extensive functionality required for accelerated growth. The company selected Priya because it could handle DWR's complex inventory allocation and multiple business processes and was Microsoft based. Priya also provided DWR with an off-the-shelf solution that could be implemented quickly and easily.

DWR originally went live with Priya three years ago at its 140,000 sq. ft. DC in Oakland, Calif. Due to rapid growth, DWR decided shortly thereafter that it needed to move to a new, larger facility. The new DC, in Hebron, Ky., is 220,000 sq. ft. Priya moved with DWR and enabled the company to manage a larger facility, supporting the company's rapid expansion.

Priya provided DWR with the tools it needed to expand and at the same time, improve operations. "DWR wanted a warehousing distribution system that could handle complex inventory allocation and multiple business processes all in one distribution center," says Daniel Waters, Motek's vice president of sales. "To continue their rapid expansion, they needed technology that could enable them to decrease costs while increasing growth."

With Priya in place, DWR can now perform quick inventory turns. The company has also improved product visibility, labor efficiency and inventory accuracy, and accelerate order turn around times. In addition, Priya interfaces with DWR's shipping system and has allowed the DC to get the most cost effective shipping rates. "Priya directs the pickers and loaders and everything works together to get orders out the door quickly and effectively," says Waters.

About Design Within Reach

Design Within Reach, Inc., founded in 1998 and headquartered in San Francisco, is an integrated multi-channel provider of distinctive modern design furnishings and accessories. The Company markets and sells its products to both residential and commercial customers nationwide through the DWR catalog, studios, website and direct sales force, and a single common "in stock and ready to ship" inventory.

About Motek^®

Founded in 1991, Motek is the warehouse management software technology leader. Motek's single, all inclusive product, Priya is the only tier 1 Microsoft Windows^®-based WMS available today. Motek's reputation for innovation began when the Smithsonian Institute recognized it for being the first RF WMS on a PC. Since then Motek has been the first WMS on Windows, the first WMS with real time engineered labor standards, and the first Windows^®-based WMS with voice recognition. Motek continues to be the only WMS vendor whose entire customer base runs the same code.