Blog Posts Autonomous Mobile Robots Help Speed Ecommerce Fulfillment
Key Takeaways
- A fleet of robots is helping Saddle Creek to accommodate growing ecommerce volume.
- The robots have proved effective in helping to fulfill orders for a medical apparel and supply client.
- The fulfillment operation is able to scale rapidly to meet demand.
With explosive ecommerce order volume, Saddle Creek is continually looking for ways to scale and support clients’ business growth. The 3PL recently enlisted a fleet of Locus autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at its order fulfillment operations in Fort Worth, Texas.
The robots are “one of many solutions we’ve incorporated to help reduce our labor needs, reduce our operating costs and better support our clients,” says Saddle Creek Operations Manager Corey Johnson.
Robots Boost Productivity, Scalability for Medical Apparel Client
The robots have proved particularly valuable for a medical apparel and supply client. In the past year, the company has experienced three times its normal order volume and often has dramatic spikes in order volume due to promotional activity.
“The main benefit with the Locus robotics platform is increased productivity. We were able to more than double our productivity.”
– Tony Hollis, Director of Technology & Innovation, Saddle Creek Logistics Services
Using the robots more than doubled productivity and reduced congestion on the warehouse floor, allowing for faster fulfillment of client orders.
The client has been very pleased with the robot implementation because it allows them to ship more orders each day.
“We have the ability to scale. If they have a big sales day, we’re able to get that volume out the next day,” explains Saddle Creek Fulfillment Director Cody Jones. “They can fluctuate anywhere from 30 to 40 percent above their projections and we still have the ability to meet SLAs.”
To learn more about the robot implementation, watch the video.
Related to: Fulfillment Technology, Labor Management, Selling Online