A Laois order fulfilment company has been acquired by a fellow-Laois company, in a move which will see it expanding, offering greater choice, efficiency and service to customers nationwide.
Portlaoise-based One Stop Fulfillment, a family-run business headed up by Shane Murphy, has been bought by The Camsaw Group, nationwide distributors of garden machinery, based in in Portarlington.
One Stop Fulfillment has grown exponentially over the last few years, as it responded to the huge rise in online shopping, carving out a considerable reputation offering cost effective and flexible fulfillment solutions to small and medium sized businesses.
Family business Camsaw was founded in 1987 with just four employees, working from the family’s garage.
At 18, Paul Carney, now 35, took over the running of the business from his father Philip in 2005. He and his wife Frances Quinn have overseen its growth to a turnover of €13 million with a team of 19 employees based out of a 40,000 sq. ft warehouse.
When Carney heard about One Stop Fulfillment in an interview on RTÉ last year, he was immediately interested in the company, its potential and decided to buy it there and then.
Paul Carney, MD of The Camsaw Group: “I was sitting down to lunch one day when I heard a piece on RTÉ about One Stop Fulfillment and immediately said ‘I am going to buy that company, I want it’.
“I could see the potential as it’s the only company of its type in Laois.
“Its business model offers a simplified route to market for small e-commerce businesses and it offered a solution to two significant problems for retailers in recent years – Covid and Brexit – attracting business from all over the country.
“Shane took over from his father, as I did from mine, and he has created an innovative, responsive company by taking advantage of technology and identifying opportunities to the benefit of customers.
“My vision for the company is for us to become the leading order fulfilment company in the country in three to five years and I believe the huge synergy between our management teams, together with our at’s achievable because we can scale the company to maximise its potential.”
Shane Murphy, MD of One Stop Fulfillment: “A family business is more than just a company.
“It’s a legacy that was started before me and will continue after me and it’s as much about nurturing relationships as it is about growth.
“As another family business, Camsaw understands that and that’s why I’m happy with this move, which will not only continue our family’s legacy, but grow it to where it needs to be.
“I was delighted that Paul saw the potential in One Stop Fulfillment and that the success we have hao date shows where he can take it in the future. I’m confident in One Stop Fulfillment’s future now under Paul’s management.”
For many small retail businesses, order fulfillment can be costly and inflexible, with minimum orders putting it out of their reach.
One Stop Fulfillment identified a gap in the market for a fulfillment company who could work with smaller retailers without these restrictions, whether they are selling 100 items or 10,000 items per month.
“What we do at One Stop Fulfillment is not being done by any other fulfillment company in the country,” according to Murphy, who retains 20% of the company and continues in his role as MD.
“By offering price per order as opposed to price per product, it is an ideal solution for small start-up businesses, as it’s one less thing for them to worry about; small business need to keep things lean and we offer real savings.”
One Stop Fulfillment has been quick to incorporate the latest technology into its operations, developing an innovative App which simplified the returns process for their customers who sell online.
This was particularly important during Covid, when retail moved almost exclusively online. The system enables its e-commerce users to offer an online return service to their own customers by purchasing pre-addressed labels.
This came at a time when many retailers were struggling with the move to online sales and returns and made an enormous difference to efficiency and cost for retailers and their customers.
According to Carney: “I see huge potential for sustainable and long-term growth with One Stop Fulfillment.
“We will expand current warehouse capacity and storage space of 5,000 sq. ft to 40,000 sq. ft, allowing for growth in every area of the business.
“Offering a full 360 service is key and, as we do in Camsaw, we will focus not only on our product but also on developing and maintaining relationships with customers and in the continual training of our team to offer expert support.
“We are already preparing for Christmas, one of the busiest times of the year for fulfillment – it’s all systems go!”
The Camsaw Group has a track record of clever and sustainable investment, ensuring the longevity of both its facilities and its practices, which it now brings to One Stop Fulfillment.
Carney has overseen significant investment in a state-of-the-art system which allows all elements of the business to be streamlined, leading to a more flexible and efficient business and the company is dedicated to sustainability.
Other initiatives include the introduction of battery-operated forklifts, fully automated systems, recycling all cardboard and the installation of LED lights in the warehouse.
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