SanMar transforms its $2 billion wholesale apparel operations with Dynamics 365

Generating more than $2 billion in annual sales, supporting a 400-person sales team and coordinating fulfilment across eight distribution centres requires exceptional operational visibility. Wholesale apparel supplier SanMar implemented Microsoft Dynamics 365 to modernise its ERP environment. Teams now benefit from faster fulfilment decisions, streamlined product creation workflows, and greater visibility across sourcing, planning, and financial operations.

Founded more than 50 years ago, SanMar has grown into one of the largest wholesale apparel suppliers in the United States, generating more than $2 billion in annual sales. Behind those numbers sits a complex operation. Thousands of products must be created, planned, sourced, sold and delivered every day, often against customer expectations of one- to two-day fulfilment. As the business expanded, SanMar found its homegrown ERP system struggling to keep pace with the scale and complexity of the operation.

The move to Microsoft Dynamics 365 gave the business an opportunity to connect processes that had previously relied on spreadsheets, manual handoffs, and disconnected systems, like product creation. Information that once flowed through offline spreadsheets now moves through a connected workflow involving merchandising, planning, forecasting, product development, marketing and compliance teams – giving stakeholders greater visibility throughout the process.

That same visibility extends beyond product creation. When a customer places an order, SanMar’s teams can make fulfilment decisions in real time, balancing inventory across eight distribution centres while considering factors such as shipping speed and distance.

Bringing operational and financial information together has also given teams a clearer understanding of product costs, margins and overall business performance. Combined with greater visibility across sourcing, vendor management, and demand planning activities, SanMar has been able to reduce silos between departments and create a more connected operating model capable of supporting future growth.

Read the full Microsoft customer story to learn more about SanMar’s transformation and the role of Microsoft Dynamics 365.