Dan Murunga 
Industry: Apparel Manufacturing & Distribution
Business Challenge
HanesBrands, a global leader in manufacturing basics and innerwear brands, operates multiple distribution centers including two co-located facilities in Kings Mountain, North Carolina. These facilities span approximately 1 million square feet of combined production area and employ over 650 associates.
The company faced significant communication challenges with their existing short-range walkie-talkie system, which:
- Limited connection to only 50-60 devices on fixed channels
- Required everyone to share the same channel, creating unnecessary disruptions
- Offered no direct communication options between individuals
- Couldn’t connect team members across both facilities effectively
- Provided no emergency alert capabilities for their large-scale operations
Why They Chose Walt Smart Radio System
“I’m always looking for new technology and communication tools.” — Sherri Jackson, Senior Distribution Manager.
As a leader who regularly pilots new technologies for HanesBrands, Sherri Jackson, Senior Distribution Manager at the Kings Mountain facilities, recognized an opportunity to transform communication across their distribution centers. She was drawn to the Walt Smart Radio’s unique features and potential to connect team members in ways their existing system couldn’t.
“I want everyone to have the opportunity to communicate with whoever, wherever they are. I don’t want anyone to feel excluded like there’s a hierarchy here. I want us to be as flat as possible and work together as a team.” — Sherri Jackson, Senior Distribution Manager
Solution
HanesBrands implemented 250 Walt Smart Radios across their two Kings Mountain distribution centers, representing a significant expansion from their previous 50-60 walkie-talkies. The implementation included:
Comprehensive Department Coverage
Unlike traditional walkie-talkie systems that were limited to supervisors and select personnel, the Walt Smart Radio system has been deployed across nearly every department:
- Warehouse Operations – Picking, shipping, and sorting teams
- Value-Added Services – Customization and special handling
- Human Resources – Personnel support and coordination
- Traffic – Shipment coordination and logistics
- Safety Team – Emergency response and monitoring
- Operations Management – Oversight and decision-making
- Maintenance – Equipment repair and facility upkeep
- Cleaning Crew – Facility maintenance staff
- Security – Third-party personnel integrated into the system
This comprehensive coverage enables true cross-functional communication that wasn’t possible with their previous system. The solution also included:
- Creation of dedicated channels for specific teams while enabling direct one-to-one communications
- Configuration of emergency alert capabilities including the “man down” button for rapid response
- Integration with smartphone apps for management to stay connected off-site
- Setup of photo sharing capabilities for security purposes
Results
The Walt Smart Radio system has delivered several significant outcomes for HanesBrands:
Enhanced Safety Response
HanesBrands experienced a critical security situation when an unauthorized individual gained access to one of their facilities. Using the Walt Smart Radio’s photo-sharing capability, their warehouse manager sent an immediate alert with the individual’s photo to all 200+ radio users across both facilities.
“It was so instantaneous. It was like this huge buzz around the DC.” — Sherri Jackson, Senior Distribution Manager
This rapid communication ensured all team members were informed about the potential safety concern, preventing what could have been a serious situation.
Life-Saving Emergency Response
The “man down” button has proven invaluable in emergency situations, including when an associate passed out on the sort track platform. Another team member was able to instantly alert the safety team using their Walt device, demonstrating the system’s life-saving potential.
Employee Empowerment
“Our associates that have gotten these radios that have not had radios in the past feel more empowered. It makes them feel a little more important, and they’re stepping up and utilizing the radios.” — Sherri Jackson, Senior Distribution Manager
HanesBrands has observed that providing Walt Smart Radios to associates who previously didn’t have communication devices has fostered a more inclusive workplace culture and increased engagement.
Management Visibility
Operations managers can now stay connected to floor activities even when not physically present in the building, addressing a key communication challenge.
“A lot of what happens on the floor doesn’t happen in emails. Distribution floors, that’s so hard even for our corporate office to understand—email is not how we communicate in distribution.” — Sherri Jackson, Senior Distribution Manager
Expansion Plans
Based on the success at Kings Mountain, HanesBrands is exploring expanding the Walt Smart Radio system to additional distribution centers in California, Virginia, and elsewhere in North Carolina—creating a vision for company-wide connected communications.
Key Use Cases
- Security Incident Response: Photo sharing and mass notification during security incidents
- Emergency Medical Alerts: “Man down” button for immediate response to injuries or medical emergencies
- Cross-Facility Communication: Connecting team members across multiple buildings
- Targeted Communications: One-to-one conversations that don’t disrupt entire channels
- Safety Notifications: Real-time alerts about floor conditions or hazards
- Management Oversight: Remote monitoring of floor activities through smartphone integration
- Inclusive Team Communication: Empowering frontline workers with direct communication tools
About HanesBrand
HanesBrands (NYSE: HBI) is a global leader in manufacturing basics and innerwear brands that are synonymous with comfort, quality, and value. Among the company’s iconic brands are Hanes, Bonds, Maidenform, and Bali. Unlike most apparel companies, more than 70% of the apparel HBI sells is manufactured in its own facilities or those of dedicated contractors. HBI employs 48,000 associates in approximately 30 countries.
