Orkla Care Finland, part of the Norwegian Orkla Group, operates three successful e-commerce sites in Finland. Axla Logistics manages the logistics for all of them. Axla’s services include warehousing of sales items, order processing and deliveries, as well as handling returns.
Orkla Care Finland consists of Orkla Care Oy and Pierre Robert Oy. Its most well-known brands include Black Horse, Blistex, Bliw, Define, Erittäin Hieno Suomalainen, Finnwear, Jordan, L300, Lumme, Maxim, Möller, Norlyn, and Nutrilett.
Orkla Care Finland’s products are mainly sold through retailers in stores and department stores, but some selected brands have their own online stores. Ecommerce Manager Daniel Hirvonen explains that there are several reasons for this.
“E-commerce is a strategic choice for us. Of course, it is a sales channel, but it also serves a broader marketing purpose. The data we get from e-commerce also helps us understand the users of our products better, which enables more precise product development.”
Orkla Care Finland Believes in Full Outsourcing of Logistics
Hirvonen is responsible for all e-commerce operations at Orkla Care Finland: he oversees strategy, partnerships, and manages the operational activities of the Black Horse, Norlyn, and L300 e-commerce sites.
He shares that full logistics outsourcing was an obvious choice for them. Thanks to outsourcing, the company can operate its online stores efficiently with a small team, and he can focus on sales development.
“The main reason for outsourcing logistics is that we can rely on the goods moving as they should in all situations.”
Hirvonen has had a long career in e-commerce and has trusted Axla’s services in his previous roles as well. Choosing a partner wasn’t something Orkla Care Finland had to think twice about.
“With Axla, I know things work.”
E-commerce Changes Quickly – Logistics Partner Must Be Flexible
A large part of Hirvonen’s job involves developing the sales of Orkla Care Finland’s online stores through data. This also includes various experiments that can cause sudden spikes in demand.
To carry out different campaigns and tests with peace of mind, an online retailer must trust that their logistics partner is flexible and capable of handling delivery demands.
“Axla understands the nature of e-commerce, and changes in demand are no problem for them. They’re enthusiastic about new ideas because they’re constantly developing their own operations and, in turn, suggest new thoughts to me.”
Axla’s Services Evolve Along with E-commerce Needs
Continuous development of logistics services is embedded in Axla Logistics’ DNA. Hirvonen praises Axla for proactively presenting development ideas and thinking on behalf of Orkla Care Finland on how to improve the customer experience from a logistics perspective.
“A good example of this is when Axla suggested we redesign the packages to make collection more efficient and ensure the packages would fit in mailboxes most of the time. Recently, we’ve been discussing the possibility of same-day deliveries in the Helsinki area.”
AutoStore Implementation Further Improved Delivery Reliability
A significant development step for Axla was the implementation of the AutoStore automated warehouse, which Orkla Care Finland began using among the first customers. According to Hirvonen, moving to the automated warehouse further improved their already high delivery reliability, and human errors in the process were practically eliminated.
The main benefit of AutoStore, however, is its ability to efficiently handle large and varying sales volumes. This was tested during the 2024 Black Friday campaigns, and Hirvonen says the results were impressive.
“Sales during Black Friday multiply, and demand for some products explodes. However, Axla collected and delivered all orders just as quickly and accurately as at any other time.”
Data Flows Seamlessly Between Orkla Care Finland and Axla’s Systems
Each of Orkla Care Finland’s online stores is integrated with Axla’s WMS warehouse system. Hirvonen and Axla have established a clear routine for integrating their systems. The integration of the recently established Norlyn e-commerce site into Axla’s WMS took just 10 minutes.
Thanks to the integrations, orders from the different online stores are transferred directly to Axla for processing, and the warehouse system sends back updated stock levels.
“The data we get from the WMS also helps optimize our operations, for example by optimizing stock replenishment orders,” Hirvonen explains.
Hirvonen’s Tip for E-commerce Retailers Considering Logistics Outsourcing
For e-commerce retailers considering outsourcing logistics or changing logistics partners, Hirvonen offers advice:
“I recommend thinking about how rapid sales growth would impact your delivery capacity. Can you be sure that goods will move fast enough if sales volumes suddenly multiply? With Axla as a partner, this is not a concern.”