Intersport Reshapes Its Supply Chain Strategy with e-SCM
Following the disruptions caused by COVID-19 and global transportation instability, Intersport partnered with e-SCM Solutions International to transform its supply chain operations. By centralizing data, improving supplier collaboration, and increasing real-time visibility, the group streamlined operational processes and strengthened its ability to anticipate disruptions. The project, successfully deployed in less than a year, highlights the growing importance of agile and collaborative supply chain management in the retail industry.
Following the successive disruptions caused by COVID-19 and global transportation instability, the Intersport group launched a major transformation of its supply chain operations, with a particular focus on supplier relationship management and upstream visibility.
To support this initiative, the company selected e-SCM Solutions International and its collaborative supply chain platform.
The objective was clear: strengthen collaboration with suppliers, improve process transparency, and gain better anticipation capabilities in an increasingly volatile operational environment.
Centralizing Information to Improve Operational Efficiency
During the COVID period, the multiplication of daily exchanges and operational adjustments highlighted the limits of fragmented communication processes.
In this context, centralizing information quickly became a priority for Intersport in order to improve data reliability and streamline coordination across teams and partners.
By implementing the e-SCM platform, the group was able to simplify operational processes while reducing manual data processing. Automated ERP data collection now ensures more reliable and comprehensive supplier order management, while transport flow automation improves operational fluidity and anticipation capabilities.
The platform also provides real-time visibility across operations, enabling teams to make faster and more informed decisions.
A Transformation Project Built Around Collaboration
Beyond the technological dimension, the project also required strong organizational alignment and change management efforts.
Communication was identified as one of the main success factors throughout the deployment process. Internal and external stakeholders were involved early in the project to facilitate adoption and secure operational continuity during the transition.
Several departments contributed to the initiative, including sourcing, purchasing, supply planning, accounting, and warehouse operations, alongside suppliers and freight forwarders.
The project also required close attention to systems integration in order to ensure consistency between platforms and avoid operational misalignment.
As Pascal Saint-Pierre, Business Developer at e-SCM Solutions International, explains:
“Connecting information systems is a critical technical aspect to prevent misalignment between platforms. It is a secure technological challenge successfully addressed with e-SCM.”
Supplier onboarding also played a key role in the success of the deployment, with dedicated support provided to facilitate adoption of the new processes and tools.
Rapid Deployment Despite a Complex Environment
Despite the scale and complexity of the transformation, the project was deployed within a relatively short timeframe: six months for implementation, followed by an additional three to four months to onboard suppliers progressively.
According to the teams involved in the project, this rollout enabled the group to reach its targeted operational volumes within approximately one year and across two business seasons.
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