Very Group wins space race

OPENED IN 2020, Skygate is The Very Group’s 24/7 state-of-the-art distribution centre in the East Midlands. The 850,000-square-foot facility has secured a number of benefits for the digital retailer, with orders dispatched in as little as 16 minutes, the cut-off for next day delivery extended to 10pm and returns processed in just 30 minutes.

As well as its popular own brand collections, Very sells over 2000 famous brands across fashion, electrical, home and more to its 4.4 million customers, providing them with a range of flexible payment options. With annual revenue of £2.2 billion, the group delivers 50 million items a year. Skygate is responsible for fulfilling 95% of these orders and consequently houses an inventory of 6 million items. The facility opened on the day that the UK went into the first Covid-19 lockdown and, despite a surge in orders as the pandemic fuelled demand for e-commerce, Skygate managed to deliver the required performance for Very.

Among the advanced intralogistics solutions specified for Skygate was the stack/nest container from Utz. Over 535,000 totes were designed, developed and manufactured by UK subsidiary, George Utz prior to Skygate’s launch and a further 80,000 supplied after going live, along with recycled plastic dividers. The ingenious stack/nest containers are stackable in one orientation and – after rotation through 180 degrees – they are nestable when empty. This space-saving design secures volume reductions of up to 85%, depending on the exact design of the container.

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At Skygate, the stack/nest containers work seamlessly with the automated handling systems supplied by KNAPP. These include one of the largest shuttle storage systems in Europe, in which the containers are stored by more than 400 shuttles in over 600,000 storage locations. The totes are retrieved from the automated store and conveyed to six order picking stations, where operators pick items from and into the containers. The totes also transport goods to various processing stations around the facility, including the returns area, which handles thousands of items per day. 

George Utz general manager Russell Evans, says: “Our stack/nest container is incredibly versatile. Its revolutionary hybrid base features a smooth and ribbed honeycomb construction, which allows for high weight loading whilst still being compatible with all automated conveyor systems.”

Available in a choice of three heights – 270, 320 or 370mm – the stack/nest container offers between 55 and 75 litres of internal volume. Also suitable for external deliveries, its ergonomic design makes it comfortable for manual handling, even with maximum weight loading. 

Dividers are available for order picking applications, giving between 2 and 8 compartments, and the container features dedicated areas for temporary labels, in-mould labelling and RFID application. Also available in recycled polymer, the stack/nest container has 12 drainage holes to allow water displacement of 33 litres per minute, in line with global standards.

For more information, visit www.utzgroup.com