How Lufema Unified Improved Operations with Uphance

Lufema is a leading Australian wholesale apparel distributor with over 45 years of industry experience. This family-owned company exclusively distributes 16 international fashion brands and serves more than 600 boutique retail accounts across Australia and New Zealand.

Lufema operates multiple business entities, managing both a distribution arm and a local manufacturing operation in Sydney. This multi-entity structure, combined with multi-channel sales (wholesale B2B and potential e-commerce), created operational complexity.

As the business expanded, Lufema recognized the need for a modern apparel ERP solution to unify its fashion inventory management and streamline all aspects of its operations. This Uphance case study explores how Lufema implemented Uphance to modernize its multi-entity, multi-channel fashion operations.

Implementing Uphance at Lufema was a collaborative effort. The rollout was planned methodically to minimize disruption and ensure all multi-channel, multi-entity needs were met. The process unfolded in several key steps:

1. Discovery & Planning: Lufema’s leadership and the Uphance implementation team began with an in-depth assessment of existing workflows. They documented how orders were processed, how inventory was managed across warehouses, and how production data was handled. Together, they defined clear goals for the new system – for example, real-time inventory visibility and unified order management. A phased implementation plan was developed, prioritizing critical functions like inventory and order processing first.
2. Data Migration and System Setup: Next, Lufema migrated its data into Uphance. Product catalogs for all 16 brands (with all variants/SKUs) were imported, along with initial stock levels. Customer and retailer data were brought into the CRM module. The team configured multiple warehouses in Uphance to mirror Lufema’s physical warehouse locations and their separate business entities. This included setting up one warehouse for the Sydney manufacturing inventory and others for distribution stock, ensuring the multi-warehouse system in Uphance matched Lufema’s real-world operations.
3. Configuration of Modules: Uphance’s various modules were then tailored to Lufema’s processes. The inventory management module was configured with Lufema’s product categories, seasons, and size runs, enabling robust fashion inventory tracking. The order management module was set up to handle wholesale orders in bulk, as well as smaller orders (if any) from an online channel. Lufema also configured the production management features to track its licensed manufacturing output. Additionally, integrations were enabled – for example, connecting Uphance to Lufema’s accounting software for seamless invoicing, and preparing the e-commerce integration (Shopify) in case Lufema launched an online storefront.
4. Team Training & Testing: With the system configured, comprehensive training sessions were conducted. Uphance trainers worked with each department: sales representatives learned to enter and monitor orders in the system (and use the mobile sales app if needed), warehouse staff practiced picking and packing using Uphance’s warehouse management features, and the production team learned how to log finished goods. Parallel to training, the team ran tests to ensure the system worked as expected. They processed sample orders across different channels (e.g., entering a wholesale order and simulating an online order) to verify that inventory levels updated correctly and notifications flowed to the warehouse for fulfillment. Any issues discovered in testing were adjusted before full launch.
5. Go-Live & B2B Portal Launch: Lufema executed a go-live plan during a relatively slow business period to mitigate risk. On the go-live date, all new orders and inventory transactions were entered in Uphance, and legacy systems were retired. Simultaneously, Lufema rolled out the Uphance B2B portal to its retailer clients. Retail customers received login credentials and training materials on how to place orders online. The portal was branded with Lufema’s identity, offering a professional e-commerce-like experience for wholesale clients. During the first weeks of go-live, the Uphance support team closely assisted Lufema, quickly resolving any hiccups and answering user questions to ensure a smooth transition.
6. Post-Implementation Optimization: After implementation, Lufema and Uphance continued to collaborate on fine-tuning the system. They set up custom reports for sales and inventory forecasting. Minor workflow adjustments were made as users provided feedback (for instance, adjusting how backorders are handled or refining the process for transferring stock between warehouses). Over time, Lufema fully embedded Uphance into its daily operations. Monthly meetings with an Uphance account manager helped Lufema discover new features and ensure they were leveraging the platform to its fullest potential. The successful implementation meant Lufema’s operations were now unified and running on a modern, efficient backbone.