Retail

Inspiring innovations in retail

Agerion IT's project managers have a long history of working on IT projects in the retail and accounting sectors. As a member of the VEDIS Retail Platform, we are happy to attend VEDIS events. This week, we are visiting no fewer than four leading players in the retail sector: Monta, YourSurprise, Omoda, and Morres.

Monta

The day began in Monta's impressive, robotic fulfillment center. That, of course, makes our IT hearts beat faster. Monta, a rapidly growing fulfillment company, now supports some 1,800 online stores with over 1,000 employees. In addition to storage and order processing for these online stores, they also ship and return products worldwide. Besides this logistical support, online stores can also use Monta's MontaWMS software platform, which integrates with marketplaces like Amazon and Bol.com, as well as with carriers like DHL and DPD. Monta now has 15 locations throughout the Netherlands. Its focus on IT, AI, and flexible robotics makes it a highly innovative player in the retail sector.

YourSurprise

After a short bus ride, our tour continued at YourSurprise. This gift giant sends around 10,000 packages daily to no fewer than 28 countries. On peak days, they even ship around 50,000 packages. Just try setting up an organization that can handle that. An enthusiastic Wouter de Vries took us through this in an inspiring presentation.

As an IT partner, we are closely connected to developments in the retail sector. The achievements of Dutch retail remain remarkable. The VEDIS Retail Platform always delivers truly inspiring days.

Stefan Frerichs

Omoda

Interestingly, we only had to cross the street to reach the next impressive retailer. We were greeted by Omoda CEO Jan Verbaan. Jan, along with his wife Marlinde Baan-Verton and brother-in-law Lourens-Jan Verton, has been co-owner of Omoda for several years. Omoda, founded by the Verton family in 1875, made the strategic decision to acquire Van den Assem effective January 1, 2024. This allows Van den Assem to benefit from Omoda's strong infrastructure and the group to develop a broader position in the fashion market. In addition to shoes, Omoda has also developed its own clothing line with Notre V. This marks a new growth phase in Omoda's plans. It is fantastic to get a glimpse behind the scenes at this retailer.

Morres

The final event of the VEDIS day took place in Hulst, near the Belgian border. With a warm welcome from Walter van de Griendt, we delved into the exceptionally inspiring world of Morres. Morres has been around for 115 years and is the largest furniture store in the Netherlands. Founded in 1909 as a small furniture workshop, a day at "Morressen" has become a household name. Modern Morres strives for an experience. A combination of retail, leisure, and hospitality makes Morres an exceptional player. That this is reflected in every detail was evident in the culinary delight served as the closing event.