On October 7th the Merchandising Apparel and Textiles club was fortunate enough to visit the Ann Taylor Distribution Center in Louisville. The distribution center acts as the main hub for shipment of Ann Taylor products. Formerly located in Connecticut, the Ann Taylor Corporation decided to move their distribution center to Louisville because of its central location to all states and the UPS hub. The MAT club was greeted by Laura Whitlock, Quality Assurance/Receiving Supervisor, who acted as our tour guide for the day. As we began our tour Mrs. Whitlock described to us the everyday workings of the facilities.
As we entered the facilities the roar of the assembly lines and the numerous men wheeling around on fork lifts alerted us that work was in progress. Some workers are responsible for unloading boxes from freight trucks and making sure the packages are scanned correctly. While others are in charge of sorting the products and depositing the product into specific boxes depending on where it is traveling. The sorting assembly line was an intricate one at that. Shipping boxes are lined up beneath a conveyor belt and when certain products come around to there designated box, the conveyor belt tray opens and the product falls into its appropriate home for the next couple of days until it arrives in stores. Products such as dresses, shoes, jewelry, pants and other products are what we discovered when peering into the shipment boxes. Some boxes resembled a treasure chest and were full of luscious pearl jewelry and shiny new bracelets. As we venture on in our tour Mrs. Whitlock told us that the distribution center employs close to 110 workers, but most of the work is done electronically. The distribution center houses some of the most high tech equipment in the country and is extremely expensive to repair. If one machine is broken, it could possibly shut down the entire facility. Towards the end of the tour we all came away with some new knowledge about how the retailing system works. Thanks to Mrs. Whitlock, the MAT club received an educational and interesting experience that is unforgettable.
60 comments:
I went on this trip!! This blog does a great job summarizing exactly what the trip was about. I found the distribution center very amazing and would suggest everyone going at some point. There were so many items flying around in the facility, i was amazed with the organization and technology it took to make sure everything got where it was supposed to go!
Lauren Farinelli
I did not attend this trip, but it sounded like a fun trip. I think they should of told the tour group of all the employee opportunities at the distribution center. It is definitely interesting to hear how the assembly line and factory works! I think these trips allow students to see how the retail system works as well. I found it odd that if one machine is broken, it could possible shut down the entire facility!
I wish I would have attended this trip! It sounds like it was a great oppurtunity to learn about the behind the scenes of this industry! It sounds as though there is a lot more to the business than we usually expect.
I wish I would have gone on this trip as well! You don't realize how much work goes into getting merchandise to the actual retail stores. When I buy a pair of earrings I never really stop and think about the process it took for them to get to me. It's definitely very interesting to think about!
-Paige Hofmann
I am not a part of the MAT club but these kind of trips makes me want to join. I also think that that its cool that Ann Taylor distribution has moved to Lousiville!This could be a future place of business for many of us studying Merchandising here at UK.
Andrew Wyatt
This trip seemed like it was a lot of fun and also like it was very interesting and informative. It sounds like they got to see and learn about a lot of different aspects of the production process. Ann Taylor is one of my favorite stores, so learning about it's process of shipping it's products is very cool. This also shows the different job offerings that the retailing industry has to offer.
Julie Sutton
I've heard of Kentucky having many distribution centers. I would have loved to attend the trip. It would be really interesting to see how the product is shipped from its original location to the consumer. I didn't realize that there were at many people involved in the distribution process. This is a very informative post Great job!
I found it interesting that Ann Taylor picked Kentucky to move their distribution center to. Although I am not part of the MAT club, I feel this is a great opportunity to learn the process and get a more hands on approach to merchandising and how a distribution center runs. This would be a good opportunity for future job positions.
Brooke Stone
I didnt get to go on this trip and was really mad i couldnt because it seemed like so much fun and really interesting! It seems like the ones who got to go really learned alot about the production process, machines, and shipping process. I love Ann Taylor so hopefully i'll be able to go next year if the opportunity is still available!
As a resident of louisville KY, I didnt know that the Ann Taylor Distribution Center was located there. I think by the relocation of the store will help the store.I am currently not a member of the MAT club but hearing about their organzation and the different trips and things they do around campus makes me want to join.
It is really interesting to know that most of the distribution center's work is done electronically. The fact that they only employ 110 workers seems very strange to me! It is very neat though that they can have all of these machines to help do so much. I would enjoy visiting this place on my own. I think it would be a very informative trip.
-Abby Hurley
I really wish I could have gone on this trip. I think learning all about distribution sounds very fun and informative. It would be very interesting to learn and see how all the products are collected and put into boxes. I also love Ann Taylor so seeing all the clothes and accessories would be very fun also.
I unfortunately was not able to attend this trip, but I really wish I could have gone! It sounds like such an awesome learning experience. No one ever really considers all of the hard work and effort it takes to get merchandise to the stores. Great Job!
Lauren Brickey
I did not attent this trip but it seems like a very interesting experience. It is interesting to learn about how the products make it to the merchandisers. Trips like these are beneficial to MAT majors because it allows students to experience the real life world of merchandising. Hopefully I will be able to attend a trip in the future!
-Olivia Rink
This is a great blog post. I also attended the Ann Taylor Field Trip and thought they captured it very well within two paragraphs. It was a very interesting tour and I learned a lot from it. I felt lucky to be apart of something so exclusive.
I am a member of the MAT club but unfortunately was unable to attend. It seems like it would have been a very interesting trip. I had no idea that the Ann Taylor distribution center was in Louisville, Kentucky. The process of shipping the clothes, accessories, shoes, etc. must be a very complicated job. No wonder why it takes 110 employees to get the work done!
I am in the MAT club here at UK and was fortunate to go to the Ann Taylor Distribution Center as well and see what exactly entails in not just the clothes making process, but also the detailed distribution of the products. It was cool to see how all the products were seperated and shipped to what stores, and how exactly they knew what goes where. I never realized how much goes into the distribution center. Making the clothes is just the first step in the long process of getting the clotehs to the actual store!
I didn't get to go on this trip, but it sounds like it was quite the educational experience. I find that with any job it is great to get a behind the scenes look at what goes on, to give you not only a better understanding, but a better appreciation for the job. This Ann Taylor distribution trip just help show the hard work it takes to get the merchandise to the consumer!
Jillian Dunaway
Meredith Gross
I personally got to go to the Ann Taylor Distribution Center and found it very interesting. I'm glad that a blog was written on this topic for other students in the class to be informed on, because it was a lot of things I didn't know that helped me understand the retail world. I also found it extremely interesting to know why the center was located in Louisville, because I had been wondering about that since the day I found out that that's where the center was.
This sounds like a fun and informational trip. I think it's smart of the company to have a distribution center in Louisville because they probably save a lot on transportation costs by shipping with UPS. I think the technology that is used in the process is really interesting. Thank you for informing us about your trip.
Drew McCombs
This was a great blog. I am from Louisville and had no idea that is where the distribution center is located. I have been in a distribution center at Appliance Park but it sounds very different from Ann Taylor. I like that the center moved to Louisville because it is more logical that it is closer to its stores for delivery. It would have been cool to see a picture of the high technology machines that are used.
-Nicole Benz
I wish i could have gone! As a part of the MAT club i thought it would be so cool to go, but unfortunately i needed to be in class that day. I heard all about the distribution center and how high tech it was suppose to be but hearing about it is nothing like seeing it in person. I think this would have been a great trip for anyone interested in retailing to see what happens behind the scenes. It would have been nice to see picture of what the distribution center really looked like inside!
This trip sounds very interesting; I would love to be behind the scenes of the manufacturing of the clothes I love to wear! It is incredible that humans developed such high technology- and it would be so cool to see how it actually worked! Also, this post made me realize how multi-dimentional Ann Taylor is selling the complete outfit of shoes, clothing, and jewelry!
After reading this post I had no idea it took that many people to get products shipped to the right location. Also being from Louisville, I had no idea that the Ann Taylor distribution center was located in my home town! I like how you all explained the process and what you got to see during the trip there.
-Elena Jones
Before this blog I never realized how much went into the process of distributing goods to stores. Each person is a key to success in making it a smooth process for the retailers. The process seems tough but with 110 employees, the job would get tough in a sufficient manner.
-Kayla Sienkowski
This trip seemed very interesting! I think it is good to have a chance to see what goes on behind the scenes of just the picture of a well planogrammed retail store. Reading this blog I'm sure makes everyone appreciate what all goes into getting merchandise to the stores.
-Amber Olinger
I wasn't able to go on the trip but found this very interesting! I think if you understand all the work that goes into the store, it makes you have more respect for the store and the work that they put into all the little things. There is a lot of behind the scenes work that we never know about!
I wasn't able to go on this trip unfortunately, but it looked like a lot of fun. I think it is interesting how everything in the factory works to create the things we buy in the store!
-Bethany Davis
That trip sounded like it was really fun. I used to work at UPS in Louisville so I know how they operate. Everything is at a constant pace and workers are constantly moving, a great place for Ann Taylor products to be shipped from.
It sounds like this was a fun and informative trip to experience. It is interesting that one machine breaking down could stop the whole operation. With how devastating that could be, I'm sure they place a very high priority on taking excellent care of their machines.
- Kasey Paterson
Wow i didnt go on this trip but i wish i did! I had no idea how much work goes into putting merchandise on the shelves for us to buy. Its crazy that these products could travel all over the nation before we put it on to wear!!
I too wish I could have gone on this trip! It's interesting to read about all that goes on in the shipping aspect of the apparel world. I also had no idea that the Ann Taylor distribution center was located in Kentucky! That's a really interesting fact, that I would have never guessed.
-Rob Stromquist
This trip sounds like a very informational experience. I don't think we realize how much hard work goes into the clothing we buy and how many steps the products have to go through till we receive them, whether it is through shipments we order or buying in the store. It is very interesting that they moved to Kentucky considering I don't find it a very popular place to have such a large industry in.
Jessica Stockdale
I think its very interesting and unique that Ann Taylor moved her distribution center to Kentucky. I am not yet a member of MAT Club but I think this would be an incredible place to intern and possibly use as a pipeline to a higher position someday within Ann Taylor.
I find it extremely intriguing that the MAT club was fortunate enough to experience this. To say the least, I am jealous and wish I could have been a part of this trip! It is fascinating how much work actually goes into the distribution of clothing.
Erin McGee
The trip sounds like a great experience. I think Ann Taylor has some of the cutest things. I wasn't aware the distribution center was in Louisville or Kentucky at all. You've shown how much work goes into getting the clothes we love to the store racks!
The trip to the Ann Taylor distribution center that the MAT club went on was a good way for those students in that major to really get that up close and personal veiw of how companys work. I feel the choice of moving the center to louisville was best for the company because of how many people it can still employ, and how close it is to ups. The overall trip sounded like a blast and would have been a good experience.
-jannifer buchanan
I think that this is a really cool trip that the MAT club planned! It would really interest me to see something like Ann Taylor and how they operate as a whole. We as consumers see the finished product, but it would be neat to see what goes on behind the scenes.
The Ann Taylor trip sounds like it would have been alot of fun to attend. It sounds like the MAT club memebers learned about about what goes on in the distribution center and sounds very beneficial for MAT majors. I wish i had gone on the trip.
-Amanda Birch
I wish I could have gone on this trip too! I want to be a merchandiser one day and i would have loved to see everything that goes on behind the scenes there. Hopefully there will be another opportunity!
Though I did not attend the visit, I can see that it was a very educational experience. It is so fascinating how rapidly machines are replacing humans in the packaging and distribution area of marketing ! It upsets me that there aren’t more job opportunities in the factory, especially with the condition of the job market that we are presently facing. I would like to have seen Ann Taylor creating more job openings instead of using technology to move their products.
First off i think it's cool that the MAT club participates it all of this stuff. It opens their eyes to more and bigger opportunities out there. This just goes to show that there is so much more in retailing than what we really see or hear about. Like they said they went in the back and there was a lot of stuff going on at once with packaging and conveyer belts. All these things are behind the scenes but still play a big role in merchandising.
-Adria Hearn
First off I would like to say that Ann Taylor os about 5 minutes from my house and i drive past it almost everyday. I find it very interesing that Ann Taylor chose to move to Louisville but its does make sense, it's only about 15 minutes away from UPS. Living so close, I had no idea that so much went on there and I think it would be a cool place to have an internship and possibly get a job with Ann Taylor after college.
I went on this trip and it was very informational! There is so much that goes into this process that we as shoppers never think about. I thought it was interesting to learn that this is the only Ann Taylor distribution site in the country. This trip was great for MAT majors to get an inside look into the behind the scenes production.
Christine Wolfzorn
Kentucky is in an awesome geographical location. Ann Taylor recognized that and made a huge decision of moving here because of it. This looked like a real eye-opening experience. Kudos to the MAT Club for scheduling such an interesting trip.
-Luebab Ahmed
I would love to be apart of the MAT club and experience those trips and other things. That field trip would have been so interesting to take part in. I'm sure seeing how everything worked would have been amazing not mention a sneak peak at the jewelery and maybe even some of the clothes that will soon be distributed.
I had no idea that the Ann Taylor distribution center was in Louisville! It was a very smart business decision on Ann Taylor's part because they can lower shipping costs due to its proximity to the UPS hub. This sounds like a great trip for MAT majors, it shows that there are a lot of steps before clothes actually get to the store.
I am so jealous I was unable to attend this trip, it seemed like an awesome opportunity that I wish I could have been apart of. You guys had some great information on the company and the tour and really showed insight of what a distribution center like this endures on an every day basis.
--Raegan Kuchar
This trip looks real interesting. I think it would open my eyes up to the behind the scenes work that is involved in the retail industry. It seems like 110 workers is small for a distribution center due to technology taking over.
I would have loved to attend that trip it seems like it was very informative.I've heard of Kentucky having many distribution centers but i had no idea Ann Taylor was one of them! I also didn't realize that there were so many people involved in the distribution process.
I really wish I could have gone on this trip!! It looks really cool and interesting. I have never been to a distribution center and its really interesting that there is one so close to Lexington, in Louisville!
-Layla Boliha
This was a very informative blog post! I did not know that the Ann Taylor Distribution center was located so close to Lexington. I would love to join the MAT club and maybe go on one of these experiences.
-paige krall
I would have loved to have gone on this trip. This blog post really summarizes the trip and explains it in such a good way that i hope to be fortunate enough to exoerience it one year. My friend Rachel went on this trip and told me that I really need to get involved in MAT club so I can join her on the next trip.
Kerri Prichard
I went to the Ann Taylor distribution center and i was very cool to see how everything works and behind the scenes. I think this blog did a good job at telling all that we learned. I would love to go to another distribution center sometime.
Maggie Camp
i've never been on a trip like this before but it seems so fun to learn about the distribution stores.i'm definitely going to become more involved in MAT club.
This is a refreshing difference aside from the normal pattern of blog entries. It's amazing to see the actual careers that we, as MAT majors, could obtain. I would have loved to have gone!
Sounds like the trip would've been a great experience for all MAT students. It's always good to see what really goes on behind the scenes and understand how things are made and make their way to people's homes. Wish I'd have made the trip.
-Matt Watt
This is so cool! I wish I could have had time to go because I bet it was a very neat experience! I'm sure it gave each and every person pulling their own weight in a job a new meaning! Ann Taylor is such a successful business and seeing just how much work goes into the single step of distribution would have been very interesting.
-Kyrie Cloud
This is a very interesting post! I had no idea that their was an Ann Taylor distribution center in Louisville! This would be a very great place to visit especially for people with an MAT major! I wish I had known because it would have been very cool to see how the factory works!
-Anne Hart Atchison
That's so interesting! I had no idea that the process of distributing to stores was this meticulous. Also, I was clueless that there distribution center was in Louisville!! I wish I could've attended the trip to see it first hand!
--Jordan Jenkins
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