A.S. Watson has more than doubled the capacity of its e-fulfilment centre in Ede. The parent company of Kruidvat and Trekpleister needs the extra space due to the huge growth in e-commerce.
A.S. Watston saw the number of online orders grow by more than 50 per cent each time in recent years. This growth is expected to continue in the coming years, now that the company has decided to further expand its omnichannel strategy. Online and physical should better complement and reinforce each other.
It was therefore decided to remodel the existing premises in Ede. After the expansion, the distribution centre will cover 30,000 square metres. On peak days, A.S. Watson can dispose of more than 35 trucks with parcels here. In the logistics hall, over 8,000 square metres of extra space has been created by mezzanine floors. IT systems have been revamped and algorithms are being used to collect orders as efficiently as possible.
In addition to employees, 12 autonomous picking robots are now used to pick items. The robots can recognise products independently and use their robotic arm to put them into crates, which are then placed on a conveyor belt. The premises have 1.2 kilometres of conveyor belts to move crates of products and customer orders.
The number of employees working in the premises will continue to grow even after automation, with some 700 people working in the logistics centre on peak days.
