Sample blog article developed for Geodis—a worldwide transport and logistics leader.

GEODIS Enters Supply Chain Fast Lane with Robotic Order Picking

In today’s fast-paced commerce environment, many supply chain executives face a growing logistics challenge—meeting the demands of direct-to-consumer expectations. Fueled by mobile shopping, shorter product lifecycles and the ongoing influence of the Amazon effect, distribution centers are finding it increasingly difficult to handle large volumes of single-piece orders via traditional picking methods. Expedited delivery times continue to drive efficiencies in the supply chain—requiring operational executives to seek autonomous solutions when it comes to order picking.

Improved Order Fulfillment

Determined to boost product flow, GEODIS—a leading global 3PL company—recently completed a successful robotic picking beta program at its 140,000-square-feet facility in Indianapolis. The facility maintains an inventory of approximately 30,000 unique SKUs spread over 66,000 square feet during a normal seasonal retail cycle. Plagued with a dwindling labor market in the area, the facility needed to find an efficient and reliable alternative to traditional order picking. They began the search for a safe, scalable and productive solution with an easy-to-use interface and minimal training requirements. Enter: goods-to-person robotic picking.

Elevated Efficiency

GEODIS elected to integrate 21 LocusBots™ robotic units into the facility. Provided by Locus Robotics, these autonomous units delivered significant improvements in throughput and accuracy while eliminating wasted steps. Each robot automatically determined the most efficient route through the facility to ensure optimal productivity and efficiency. Furthermore, the zone-based system provided an easy, hands-free picking solution which resulted in a notable reduction in errors.

Increased Productivity

Before implementation, the facility utilized a conventional operation consisting of twenty employees and a large degree of manual labor, such as product handling, cart pushing and equipment operation. Employees walked the entire pick path as directed by the WMS (Warehouse Management System), then guided the pushcart to the packaging area for staging. By integrating an autonomous and smart picking solution, employees were able to remain in specific zones while the robotic units traveled between pick and put operations. Because each unit is responsible for delivering products to both the employee and the packaging area, the distance each employee travels during a normal shift is considerably reduced as well. Through the implementation of robotic technology, GEODIS realized a reduction in labor requirements—resulting in a 40% increase in productivity.

Amplified Results

So what does this mean for you—the customer? In the simplest terms: accelerated delivery times and reduced fulfillment costs. Fast, efficient and accurate delivery of goods is a strong competitive advantage for any business, and an effective goods-to-person picking system provides the foundational means for achieving this. Our desire to provide the highest level of logistical support will continue to drive our technological pursuits. At GEODIS, we are committed to your success at every stage of the supply chain.