eComm operation deploys advanced robotics

WINIT IS a Shanghai-based provider of full warehousing and logistical solutions for cross-border eCommerce that serves the United States, Australia, and several European countries. The total size of its warehouses around the world exceeds 399,000 sq m. 

In the UK alone, WINIT runs three warehouses with a total combined footprint reaching 550,000 sq m.

The UK facility in Tamworth, Staffordshire was confronted with expanding challenges, as the demand for global warehousing services surged dramatically due to the growth of cross-border eCommerce businesses in the past two years. Statistics indicate that in 2021, Chinese cross-border trade volume amounted to 1.98 trillion yuan (around £250 billion pounds), up 15% compared to the year before, and this volume is expected to reach 2.5 trillion yuan (around £316 billion pounds) by 2025.

WINIT also needed to address the challenges of managing a vast number of SKUs which increased the need for warehouse storage density and order-picking efficiency. To successfully address this, in 2021 WINIT turned to HAI ROBOTICS to automate its order-fulfillment centre operations.

Solution

HAI ROBOTICS created and implemented an automated solution for WINIT that increased storage density, automated material handling workflows for maximum efficiency, and improved storage volume.

100 robots were deployed in WINIT’s Tamworth, UK warehouse. These tall autonomous robots driven by AI algorithms walk smoothly through the 10,000 sq m (around 108,000 sq ft) facility, bringing goods to workstations where operators could pick and sort these goods with maximum efficiency.

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This solution not only included the deployment of 100 HAIPICK A42 robots, it contained 16 on-conveyor workstations for order picking that were ergonomically designed for operators to fulfill orders more accurately, with increased speed, and with lower effort. Becky, a warehouse operator, said that with the help of the robots, she could stay in the workstation and just wait for the robots to pick and carry goods back and forth to her workstation. She no longer walks thousands of steps indoors to pick orders. “Getting goods now is like getting something at my fingertips. The robots make my work much easier. Now I don’t need to move around and bend my waist. Everything is easy.”

This robotic solution allowed the facility to increase the average worker efficiency rates to 450 cases/h and increased the daily handling volume up to 50,000 pieces. The goods-handling efficiency rate for the warehouse was improved 3-4 times over the previously manual processes and the picking efficiency rate of operators fulfilling orders was increased by 50%.

Christopher, outbound team leader, with over 12 years’ experience stated: “With the robotic system we have zero mistakes at the moment, there are clear instructions for each action and when we pick wrong goods the system blocks it. And an easy-to-handle process is in place when something unusual happens. The system saves a lot of manual efforts.”

Results

The move resulted in higher efficiency, improved storage density and effective collaboration between robots and workers.

In addition to efficiency improvements, HAI ROBOTICS’ ACR solution improved WINIT’s UK facility storage density by 60%, increasing the storage capacity to 120,000 storage locations. This allows the facility to effectively store and manage over 100,000 SKUs within the facility they already owned.

Since the HAI ROBOTICS’ automated robotic solution has gone live, WINIT has seen a spike in its facility throughput and are able to successfully manage surging order-fulfillment requests driven by the online shopping boom over the last 2 years. With the help of HAI ROBOTICS, the overall service and operation of WINIT have not been significantly affected despite the disruptions to the global supply chain since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic.

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In 2021 when the pandemic was still in full swing and online purchases were reaching unprecedented rates, this period demonstrated the critical value of flexible, automated warehousing solution that can be swiftly deployed. WINIT, who found no shortcuts to improve their facility workflows, found HAI ROBOTICS’ solution to be the ideal fit to provide high storage density, superior goods-handling accuracy, operation efficiency that provides easy flexibility to adapt to changes in demand.

“These smart robots have well met our expectations,” Bob, the warehouse general manager at WINIT’s Tamworth facility said. “We picked HAI ROBOTICS as our autonomous robot supplier among several other companies because it is one of the first developers. Its system has better stability than that of others, and its staff is professional. So, we chose them.”

“The labour shortage in the UK is particularly apparent now. Brexit and the Covid-19 pandemic have had dire consequences for the warehouse and logistics sector. Experienced employees are leaving and it’s hard to fill in new ones. As a result, our labour costs surged too.”

And he’s not alone. Almost all warehousing facilities are facing difficulties hiring and maintaining staff in a slow job market, and the average consumer expects faster, accurate deliveries when they order online. HAI ROBOTICS’ automated robotic solution extended the capacity of each individual WINIT operator by increasing picking efficiency by 50% and improving workflow efficiencies by 3-4 times. And the robotic solution allowed the operators to work faster with less manual labour. These robotic solutions allow warehouse employees to focus on more valuable, complex, or strategic tasks as well as upskill. As more productivity is seen from each individual staff member, HAI ROBOTICS’ solutions alleviate difficulties caused by a labuor shortage.

The firm

HAI ROBOTICS is the pioneer and leader in autonomous case-handling robot systems. The company is committed to providing efficient, intelligent, and flexible automation solutions through advanced robotics and AI algorithms creating value to every warehouse and factory. The HAIPICK solution is the world's first autonomous case-handling robot (ACR) system. It differs from other existing autonomous mobile robot solutions by intelligently identifying the desired totes and cartons, instead of the whole rack, and bringing them to the workstation autonomously. HAIPICK can increase warehouse operation efficiency by 3-4 times and storage density by 80%- 400%.

Since it was established, HAI ROBOTICS successfully implemented over 500 projects across the world, in a wide range of industries: Fashion, 3PL, Retail, Electronics, Healthcare, E-commerce and many others.

For more information, visit www.hairobotics.com