Facility expected to boost speed, inventory visibility and supply-chain efficiency for apparel sector
Avery Dennison, a global materials science and digital identification solutions company, has opened a new automated Smart Warehouse at the Dhaka Export Processing Zone (DEPZ) in Savar, marking a major expansion of its Manufacturing 4.0 initiative in Bangladesh.
The 830-square-metre facility features seven automated guided vehicles (AGVs), connected packing software and a warehouse management system, with storage capacity for up to 25,000 cartons.
The company said the connected packing system will increase processing speed by 72%, while the new facility is designed to handle five times the previous inbound volume, double outbound speed and increase inventory density by 50%.
The facility was inaugurated on Monday in the presence of US Ambassador to Bangladesh Brent T Christensen, Executive Chairman of the Bangladesh Export Processing Zones Authority (BEPZA) Major General Mohammad Moazzem Hossain, ndc, afwc, psc, G, MPhil, American Chamber of Commerce in Bangladesh (AmCham) President Syed Mohammad Kamal and Avery Dennison's senior executives.
“Congratulations to Avery Dennison on the opening of its new Smart Warehouse in Bangladesh. This investment is an excellent example of American business, technology, and innovation strengthening the commercial relationship between our two countries,” Ambassador Christensen said.
BEPZA Executive Chairman Major General Mohammad Moazzem Hossain said Avery Dennison has been a BEPZA member since 2003 and has contributed significantly to Bangladesh's readymade garment and textile industry.
“Avery Dennison is not simply bringing investment to Bangladesh; it is also bringing technology, knowledge and modern production practices,” he said, stressing the importance of technology transfer and developing a skilled local workforce.
The new facility was developed amid growing demand from apparel and footwear manufacturers for faster fulfilment, greater customisation and more transparent supply chains.
According to the company, fragmented workflows and delays in inventory data had previously contributed to picking delays and logistical inefficiencies. The integrated digital warehouse is designed to address those challenges by connecting inventory, packing, storage and dispatch operations.
Michael Barton, senior vice president and general manager of Apparel Solutions at Avery Dennison, said Bangladesh remains an important part of the company's global apparel business.
“As customer requirements become faster, more customized and more data-driven, the infrastructure supporting apparel production must evolve as well,” he said. “This facility brings together automation, connected systems and our teams’ expertise to strengthen the speed and reliability with which we serve customers.”
Sazzad Hossain, general manager for Bangladesh and Sri Lanka, Apparel Solutions, said improved stock visibility and closer integration of packing, storage and dispatch would help the company respond to shorter lead times and increasingly customised production.
The Smart Warehouse will serve apparel and footwear manufacturers in Bangladesh and international markets, with the company expecting it to reduce picking delays and logistics errors while improving inventory visibility and responsiveness.
The facility is part of Avery Dennison's wider apparel solutions portfolio, which includes Embelex, an apparel embellishment platform covering heat transfers, embroidered patches, woven labels and specialty graphics; Optica, its end-to-end supply chain solutions portfolio; and radio-frequency identification (RFID) and other digital identification technologies.
The company said these solutions are designed to help brands and manufacturers create branded products, improve inventory visibility and strengthen traceability across production, distribution and retail.
