In collaboration with our logistics partner in Japan, Asian Logistics coordinated the entire supply chain, international shipments, and shopfitting operations for the opening of the famous clothing brand UNIQLO’s first Italian flagship store, located in the historic building at Piazza Cordusio in Milan (over 1,500 sqm across three levels).
The project represented a true fashion & retail logistics challenge, requiring seamless synchronization between intercontinental transport (ocean and air), complex customs clearance, and last-mile distribution management in Milan’s historic city center.
🛳️ International Shipping & Supply Chain Management
To ensure that all furniture components, display units, and store fitting materials reached their destination on schedule without delaying construction, international shipments were planned with a strategic advance buffer of approximately three weeks:
Ocean Freight: Importation of 5 full container loads (4 shipped from the Port of Shanghai, China, and 1 from the Port of Yokohama, Japan).
Air Freight: Urgent air shipment from Xiamen (China) for high-priority materials.
Customs Procedures & T1 Transit Management
Upon arrival at the Port of Genoa, the containers were transferred under customs bond (T1 transit procedure) to our bonded warehouse in Milan.
At our facility, we handled:
De-consolidation and cargo inspection.
Final import customs clearance procedures.
Palletization, labeling, and secure storage until the final installation phase.
Last-Mile Logistics & Traffic Permits (ZTL) in Downtown Milan
Delivering materials to the Piazza Cordusio site required meticulous urban logistics (Last-Mile) planning due to strict heavy-vehicle restrictions in central Milan.
To overcome these operational hurdles, Asian Logistics:
De-consolidated the cargo, transferring goods from sea containers to low-emission vans suitable for urban roads.
Liaised with the Milan Local Police to secure special driving and parking permits for restricted traffic zones (ZTL) and pedestrian areas.
Set up a dedicated unloading area adjacent to the building, managing temporary street signage to avoid disrupting city traffic during the installation week.
Shopfitting Services & Assembly Support
Beyond freight forwarding and customs, our intervention played an active role in the physical setup of the store:
Staff Training: We organized specialized training for handling personnel alongside our Japanese partner.
Workforce Management: We provided a specialized operational team of cargo technicians, working together with a dedicated 10-person crew sent by our partner’s French branch.
Unpacking & Waste Management: Once furniture assembly was complete, we managed eco-friendly waste disposal and recycling, handing over the store keys ready for visual merchandising and the public grand opening.
Inauguration Uniqlo shop in MilanNeed to manage logistics for a Retail Store Opening or Shopfitting Project?
Fashion logistics and large-scale commercial fit-outs require pinpoint precision, strict deadline compliance, and thorough expertise in customs and urban freight regulations.
