Bleckmann is to robotise fulfilment for fashion brand Superdry. A successful pilot with twenty robots at 12,000 pick locations has convinced the logistics provider: order pick and return processing efficiency is said to have doubled.
Bleckmann is now permanently implementing the so-called Hikrobot carriers at its fulfilment centre in Grobbendonk, Belgium. During the test phase, Bleckmann says put-away increased by as much as 400 per cent, with no decline in picking results. An additional advantage is that the logistics provider is less dependent on manual labour due to the robotic systems. "A big gain in today's scarce labour market," Bleckmann says.
In the new situation, the order picker stays at the location of the respective picking station. The robot automatically selects modular pick-walls and moves them to put-to-light stations. The system then guides the order picker to select and arrange the correct items. Returned items can be stored at designated locations.
"The use of robots is relatively simple and quick to implement," says Reinardt van Oel, Chief Operations Officer at Bleckmann, "It increases efficiency and improves the ergonomics of the work. Being less dependent on labour in a scarce labour market is another big advantage, especially during peak periods. All this translates into better cost and resource management for Bleckmann and the customer."
