Interspan<\/a> is a specialist provider of warehousing, freight forwarding, and contract packing services, operating a state-of-the-art facility in Trafford Park, Manchester. Its customer base includes major retailers and blue-chip clients, organisations that expect accuracy, speed, and compliance as standard, not as an added extra.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan\u2019s operation is deliberately broad, covering bonded storage<\/a>, contract packing, distribution, and specialist value-added services that require disciplined processes and dependable reporting. The business also supports hazardous goods storage and handling, adding another layer of compliance and operational scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n That mix of activities creates a familiar pressure point for modern warehouse operators. As complexity increases, the systems running the warehouse either become a competitive advantage or a constraint. For Interspan, their on-premises WMS began to act as the limiting factor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The mission was clear: build a warehouse operation where teams spend time optimising and improving flow, not wrestling with admin. The gap was that their existing system could not deliver the visibility or speed required for the next stage of growth.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan\u2019s previous on-premises WMS <\/a>drove manual workarounds. Manual order processing and picking added friction to fulfilment, increasing turnaround times and creating inefficiencies that were felt across the warehouse.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The operation also lacked real-time visibility. Without live insight into stock position and order status, teams have to spend time validating information before they can act. That slows down decision-making and makes it harder to provide confident answers to customers.<\/p>\n\n\n\n One of the most significant bottlenecks was compliance reporting, specifically COMAH-related reporting<\/a>. Interspan described reports taking hours to generate, consuming valuable time and turning reporting into a disruption rather than a routine control mechanism.<\/p>\n\n\n\n When reporting takes hours, it does more than slow admin. It reduces the organisation\u2019s ability to respond quickly, spot issues early, and keep compliance activity running smoothly alongside operational execution.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan\u2019s leadership framed the change as necessary because their existing WMS was preventing progress. The problem was not only the system itself, but what the system forced people to do: manual tasks, delayed visibility, and time spent producing information rather than using it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cOur previous WMS was holding us back. Manual processes, limited visibility, and time-consuming reporting meant we were spending too much time on admin rather than optimising operations. We needed a system that could automate key processes, improve efficiency, and give us instant access to the data we need.\u201d This is the tension moment in the story. Interspan\u2019s ambition to serve major customers with precision and compliance was colliding with a system that could not scale in the way the business needed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan evaluated multiple options, then selected Clarus WMS for three clear reasons evidenced in the source material: scalability, automation capability, and a proven track record in warehouse management.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The choice also matched the operational reality at Trafford Park. Interspan needed a system that could streamline workflows, enhance accuracy, and create real-time insight across the warehouse, including specialist areas such as bonded storage and hazardous goods handling.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The selection criteria reveals something important: Interspan was not looking for a feature checklist. It was looking for a system that would remove friction from the operation and free the team to focus on performance improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Clarus positioned the engagement as a collaboration centred on defined objectives: automating compliance reporting, improving visibility, and streamlining fulfilment by eliminating manual processes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cInterspan had a clear vision for what they needed, a WMS that could automate compliance reporting, improve visibility, and streamline fulfilment. We worked closely with them to ensure the system delivered on those objectives, eliminating manual processes and giving them the tools they needed to operate more efficiently.\u201d Interspan transitioned from an on-premises WMS to Clarus WMS, bringing real-time visibility and automation into the operation. The shift to cloud also supports ongoing scalability, reducing the constraints that often appear when on-prem systems require heavy IT involvement to evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The implementation scope described is comprehensive. Rather than focusing on a single area, Clarus WMS is positioned as the operating backbone for multiple warehouse functions: inbound, storage, picking, shipping, billing, customer visibility, and compliance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The implemented capabilities include: label generation for improved traceability, suggested putaway to optimise placement, mixed pallet handling to support efficient storage and transport, and automated billing to improve invoicing accuracy and transparency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n These capabilities directly address Interspan\u2019s earlier pain points. Where manual work previously slowed down fulfilment, the system introduces structure and automation. Where visibility was limited, the system provides live access to stock and order status. Where reporting took hours, the system is designed to compress reporting into a faster, scheduled format.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan is also barcoding warehouse locations and introducing handheld scanning devices. This change enables real-time data capture, which is a foundational improvement for stock accuracy and workflow speed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Scanning supports process confirmation at the point of activity, reducing lag between action and system record, and helping teams maintain cleaner inventory truth. This is especially important in operations serving major retailers and handling regulated goods where traceability must stand up to scrutiny.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The implementation includes Hazchem and bonded warehouse management, supporting regulatory requirements and helping Interspan operate with stronger compliance control. With advanced reporting and scheduled reports, compliance evidence becomes faster to produce and easier to maintain.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan\u2019s headline measurable outcome is a planned reduction in reporting time by 90%, achieved by moving from hours to minutes through advanced reporting and scheduled reporting capabilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n It is important to treat this carefully in the narrative. The source states \u201creduce reporting time from hours to minutes\u201d and the title claims \u201cCut Reporting Time by 90%\u201d. If this 90% reduction has already been measured post go-live, it can be stated as an achieved result. If it is an intended outcome, it should be framed as a target until verified by operational data.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan has gained real-time visibility through Clarus WMS, improving the ability to track inventory and fulfilment status without delay. This improves internal decision-making and customer service responsiveness, particularly important for blue-chip customers who expect accurate, timely information.<\/p>\n\n\n\n With automated processes across reporting, labelling, putaway, and billing, Interspan\u2019s teams can redirect effort away from manual admin and toward operational optimisation, directly aligning with the motivation described by Jack Irwin.<\/p>\n\n\n\n The combined capability set, cloud WMS, client portal, advanced reporting, scanning, and compliance modules, positions Interspan for long-term scalability. The system resolves immediate bottlenecks and also creates an operational platform that can adapt as service lines expand and customer requirements evolve.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan\u2019s leadership framed the implementation as more than an upgrade. It is described as a step change in how the business operates, anchored in visibility, automation, and efficiency.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThis isn\u2019t just a system upgrade, it\u2019s a step change in how we operate. Clarus has given us the visibility, automation, and efficiency we need to grow and better serve our customers.\u201d <\/p>– Jack Irwin, Managing Director<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\n Interspan\u2019s story highlights how compliance reporting can either create drag or become routine, depending on system capability. When COMAH reports take hours, reporting competes with operations. When reporting is scheduled and automated, compliance becomes part of the warehouse rhythm rather than an interruption.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Real-time visibility impacts customer experience as much as internal efficiency. When Interspan can see stock and order status instantly, it can respond faster and with greater confidence. For major retailers and blue-chip customers, that transparency becomes part of the value proposition.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Automation is not only about labour reduction. It is about creating headroom for better management. Interspan\u2019s initial problem was spending too much time on admin rather than optimisation. A WMS that automates core processes changes where leadership attention goes, away from firefighting and toward improvement.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Interspan\u2019s transition from an on-premises WMS to Clarus WMS shows what modern warehouse operations can unlock when manual burden is replaced with real-time visibility and automated workflows. The Trafford Park operation now has a foundation designed for accuracy, compliance, and scalable service delivery, with advanced reporting positioned to reduce reporting time dramatically and support faster decision-making.<\/p>\n\n\n\n If your operation is constrained by manual reporting, limited real-time visibility, or fulfilment processes that rely on workarounds, the lesson is clear. A cloud WMS can remove friction, strengthen compliance control, and give teams the data and automation they need to optimise, not just operate.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Discover how Clarus WMS can help your warehouse reduce admin, speed up reporting, and deliver the transparency and efficiency that modern customers expect.<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Clarus WMS helps Interspan replace on-prem WMS, cutting reporting time by 90% with real-time visibility and automation.<\/p>","protected":false},"featured_media":23071,"template":"","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"inline_featured_image":false,"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0},"cs_type":[1652,1680],"class_list":["post-23069","customer-stories","type-customer-stories","status-publish","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","cs_type-announcement","cs_type-success-story-new"],"acf":{"cs_badge":"","cs_header_text":"Interspan to Cut Reporting Time by 90%!","cs_key_1_title":"","cs_key_1_body":"","cs_key_1_icon":"","cs_key_2_title":"","cs_key_2_body":"","cs_key_2_icon":"","cs_key_3_title":"","cs_key_3_body":"","cs_key_3_icon":"","cs_cta_image":23072,"cs_cta_link":"https:\/\/interspanfreight.com\/","cs_cta_link_text":"Explore Interspan ","cs_highlight_1":"Getting to Know Interspan: A Trusted Leader in Warehousing","cs_highlight_body_1":"Interspan operates a <\/span>state-of-the-art warehouse in Trafford Park, Manchester<\/b>, offering a <\/span>full suite of warehousing, contract packing, and distribution services<\/b>. Their <\/span>bonded warehouse and contract packing solutions<\/b> serve major retailers and blue-chip clients, requiring <\/span>precision, speed, and compliance<\/b>.<\/span>\r\n\r\nTheir services include:<\/span>\r\nOvercoming WMS Challenges Holding The Business Back<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Manual effort replaced momentum<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Compliance reporting was too slow<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe were holding ourselves back\u201d<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>– Jack Irwin, Managing Director<\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\nGuiding Interspan Toward WMS Transformation<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Why Clarus WMS<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A shared implementation focus<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
<\/p>– Tim Payne, CEO, Clarus WMS<\/a><\/strong><\/cite><\/blockquote><\/figure>\n\n\n\nImplementing The Solution: From Planning To Execution<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Moving from on-prem to cloud<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Automating warehouse workflows<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Scanning and location barcoding<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Compliance-ready capability<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Results Achieved: WMS Success In Action<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Reporting time reduced by 90%<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Real-time visibility and faster control<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Automation reduces admin load<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
A foundation for growth<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
\u201cA step change\u201d in operations<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Client Reflections And Lessons Learned<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Compliance becomes operational, not disruptive<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Visibility changes customer experience<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Automation creates headroom<\/h3>\n\n\n\n
Your Path To WMS Success<\/h2>\n\n\n\n
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