Sport Time Group, Nike’s leading distributor in the Balkans and Eastern Europe, has taken a major step toward optimizing its supply chain operations. By integrating Clustag’s advanced RAIN RFID technology, the company is transforming its post-pick control processes to achieve higher accuracy and efficiency across its distribution network.

Challenges in sportswear distribution

Operating in 13 countries, with over 562 stores and three regional distribution centers, Sport Time faced common but significant supply chain hurdles:

  • Human errors during manual order picking
  • Fluctuating demand due to seasonal trends
  • The need for faster, more accurate fulfillment for retail, wholesale, and e-commerce

RAIN RFID Integration: A smart solution for complex needs

Partnering with Clustag, a global RAIN RFID leader based in Spain, Sport Time implemented a post-pick RAIN RFID control system that:

  • Scans products at the order level as they are packed into boxes
  • Automatically detects missing, unexpected, or unreadable items
  • Routes flagged boxes to an audit area for error correction via Zentup middleware

“Instead of lengthy, manual receiving processes, we can now verify hundreds of items in seconds without scanning each barcode,” said Djordjevic. “In retail, this means employees spend less time on operations and more time with customers.”

Overcoming Integration Challenges

Despite the success of the RAIN RFID system, integrating it with the legacy systems already in use at Sport Time required close collaboration between Clustag and Sport Time’s IT teams. Not all sporting goods arrive tagged by the supplier or manufacturer. As a result, some items still require manual tagging at its facility. This makes staff training and familiarization with the Zentup interface essential to fully optimize the system’s performance.

Conclusions: Setting a new standard in sportswear intralogistics

With the implementation of Clustag’s RAIN RFID solutions, powered by its purpose-built Zentup, Sport Time has significantly enhanced its intralogistics operations in the sportswear industry. By prioritizing order accuracy and operational efficiency, the company has reinforced its position as Nike’s distributor in Eastern Europe. This deployment also lays the foundation for Sport Time’s continued growth in global markets, aiming to further improve supply chain performance and deliver better service to athletes across the region.

Clustag is Gold Sponsor of RAIN in Action – meet us in Amsterdam, September 23-25