THE CHALLENGE
Increasing storage density and eCom capacity
THE SOLUTION
A touch-reducing storage system that easily integrates into existing buildings
Buffering pre-picked orders for fast fulfillment.
A leading national grocer is growing by leaps and bounds, thanks to online grocery shopping. The grocer wanted a way to buffer pre-picked grocery orders that would minimize touches and increase storage and performance. And they needed it yesterday.
Modular autonomous robotics, intelligent logistics software and sector-specific expertise deliver the answer, in the form of an automated storage system that can be easily customized, rapidly delivered and quickly implemented. They wanted an energy-efficient system that could grow along with them and as their online grocery business grew.
It also had to:
- Fit in their stores and have minimal floor requirements
- Integrate with existing systems and have buffering, sequencing and picking functionality
- Easily adapt for layout, behavior and process changes
Frequency of Online Grocery Shopping in the U.S. in 2022
2%
exclusively online
Up to 10.5%
mostly online
Up to 34.5%
sometimes online
Efficiently move goods in and out of storage.
The answer to their lengthy wish list? A new storage system made up of modular components that can be rapidly adapted to individual needs. The high-density storage system easily integrates into existing buildings. This unique and highly scalable system consists of:
- Store Bots — autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that store and retrieve containers, have intelligent route planning and energy management for 24/7 operations
- Store Units — rack modules that provide double-deep storage, have hardly any infrastructure requirements and can even be installed by the grocer
- Exchange Stations — transfer stations that interface to other areas and are used as goods-to-person picking stations or as an interface to a conveyor system or to the AMRs
When used as a buffer system, the exchange stations connect the storage area with other areas. From here, an AMR or a conveyor can transport the containers onwards.
Once filled, a courier receives two totes at the transport dock: one for pharmacy replenishment and the other for patient deliveries. The same courier delivers both. But this is only the beginning. This decentralized fulfillment center (FC) can help you flex your way to a more profitable future.
Fewer touches deliver big benefits.
It’s all controlled by intelligent fleet management software. By adding this system to their online grocery operations, the food retailer is able to:
- Better utilize vertical space — instead of stacking totes two-high, they can stack them twelve-high and two-deep
- Take touches out of their eCom equation — when consumers come to pick up their orders, robots retrieve them instead of store associates
- Improve inventory management with a secure system that protects assets while increasing storage availability
- Reduce labor requirements at a time when labor is hard to find and keep
- Easily increase capacity and performance — process and layout changes can be made with just a few clicks and changes can be tested in advance using simulation technology that comes with the software
Boost back-of-store operations.
The versatile system can be used in fashion, wholesale, healthcare and manufacturing. It’s also ideal for retailers just getting started with automation or who want to increase the efficiency and profitability of their back-of-store fulfillment operations.
