Solving the Fulfillment Puzzle: The Rise of Flexible ASRS

Higher order volumes, the e-commerce boom, physical space optimization and the persistent warehouse labor shortage are driving companies toward more modern order picking and fulfillment strategies. The increase in online orders, for example, puts additional demand and pressure on DCs to handle that increased volume. With same-day and next-day fulfillment becoming the norm, these facilities are also being asked to pick up the pace in order to compete with large e-tailers like Amazon.

In an interview with Logistics Management, Hunter Senn, Hai Robotics’ VP of Sales, highlights some of the other challenges today’s fulfillment centers are grappling with and explains how a new generation of highly-flexible automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) can help boost productivity, reduce costs and improve order picking and fulfillment accuracy. See the original article here.

Q: What challenges are keeping warehouse operators up at night right now?

A: The cost of real estate is continuing to rise, which makes affordability extremely difficult in today’s market. The option to just go out and buy a bigger DC to match growing demand no longer exists for the typical organization. Instead, they have to work with the cards they’re dealt and the DC that they’re in. This is driving warehouse operators to look for solutions that maximize every square inch possible in order to accommodate additional inventory and activity. When you add seasonal fluctuations to the equation, the need for advanced solutions that help boost productivity while optimizing space increases even more.

Q: What makes the new generation of flexible ASRS uniquely suited to handle these challenges?

A: Traditional ASRS solutions often require extensive facility renovations or even new greenfield construction due to their rigid design and high-precision operational constraints. Modern ASRS, on the other hand, can be deployed in almost any existing brownfield facility, and are designed to scale and adapt modularly to your business’s changing needs. This eliminates costly real estate investments, making automation more accessible and affordable. These next-generation solutions, which automate inventory storage, order picking and fulfillment, deliver up to 400% increases in operational efficiency, 300% more order throughput, and 99%+ order picking accuracy. They also reduce storage footprints by up to 75% and labor costs by as much as 67%. Ergonomic workstations are easy to use, eliminate heavy lifting and miles of walking for every shift, and improve workplace safety and productivity.

Q: What considerations should go into selecting an automation system that integrates with existing warehouse infrastructure?

A: With the ever-changing pace and evolution of the fulfillment space—and, the business world in general—you need flexible solutions because you never know where the industry is going to be just two or three years down the road. Companies have to adapt very quickly and pivot as their customers’ needs and demands evolve. When it comes to automation, simplicity and flexibility are critical because you want a solution that’s easy to understand, implement, operate, scale and even relocate if needed.

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