Open-Source Integration Layer Development for US Retail Leader

The Challenge

Striving to deliver superior omnichannel fulfillment, the client invested in a new e-commerce fulfillment center. It was in addition to their capability to ship merchandise from their nationwide network of more than 1100 stores, and to the customers’ option to buy online and pick up their purchase locally.

The company management decided to migrate the existing enterprise integration software, TIBCO Active Matrix Business Works, to a custom open-source integration layer in order to ensure perfect interoperability of their IT landscape and optimize future costs, choosing Concord USA to handle the migration. Concord USA delegated the entire project delivery to Scalefocus, as a preferred technological partner, due to proven excellence in custom software development and enterprise application integration.

The Solution

Electronic Fulfillment Center 5 (EFC5) is an open-source integration layer based on Java-related technologies. The solution architecture was carefully selected following a series of discussions with the client. Scalefocus also provided consultancy services to ensure the integration layer fully aligns with all business requirements.   

EFC5 relies on Apache Camel as an integration framework, complemented by Spring. Scalefocus’ integration team mirrored the existing data formats and interactions, where appropriate. Apache Kafka enables real-time event processing as a distributed streaming platform.  

IBM WebSphereMQ is implemented at the new EFC5, handling all queues between the warehouse management systems (WMS) and Apache Camel integration framework, contributing to a fast, reliable, and secure IT landscape.   

The solution fully meets the client’s two major business requirements. Apache ZooKeeper ensures high availability and supports failover scenarios through a locking mechanism, enabling EFC5 to operate in Active/Passive mode and securing same-day order fulfillment.

EFC5 impacts a variety of interfacing applications in the customer’s IT landscape (Item, Vendor, ASN, Order, Pickticket, PIXes, Invoice), empowering the company to:

• Take advantage of more effective inventory management and order management;   
• Process the highest levels of inbound receipts and outbound shipments even faster;   
• Assign labor and equipment resources dynamically on a real-time basis to continuously optimize the order fulfillment process;   
• Accommodate the evolving need for increased units per hour.  Enhance eCommerce fulfillment process.

The Results

EFC5 integration framework empowers the client to orchestrate simultaneous execution of all omnichannel processes from receiving, put-away, and inventory management through order fulfillment and shipping, integrating a complete warehouse management system and warehouse control system functionality into one comprehensive solution.

One of the most significant benefits of using EFC5 is that it reduces a significant portion of future expenses in terms of yearly license subscription costs by eliminating the need for enterprise integration software. It enables the company to provide an omnichannel customer experience by delivering the right products, at the right time, in the most convenient way to clients.

• Facilitated flexible and versatile omni-channel fulfillment center  
• Improved throughput capacity and time to fulfillment  
• Simplified custom data flow and unlimited scalability  
• Ability to fulfill orders based on each channel’s unique handling, packaging and delivery requirements