How to tackle increased inventory – and optimise limited warehouse space at the same time

IT’S NOT surprising. Customer expectations for faster delivery and a wider choice of products continue to grow. And more inventory means more square metres need to be found in already busy working areas to accommodate the extra demand. That means storage, not to mention picking and packing, buffering and kitting, all of which need to be executed accurately and to tighter deadlines than ever before.

What you need is an all-in-one solution that – at a stroke – completely removes the need for separate storage areas or outside systems, so condensing all warehouse operations into a single, compact, flowing system.

In short, no add-ons.

More inventory means more variety, too. SKUs will come in many shapes and sizes – from small, fast-moving items such as fashion accessories or electronic components to large or unevenly shaped boxes. Again, you need an automated storage and retrieval system that can comfortably accommodate such varying requirements, enabling you to convey every package through the system speedily, accurately and without glitches.

The answer is FlexBins, a new portfolio addition from cube storage pioneer AutoStore that puts all operations in a single place within a unified, single system.

FlexBins enable you to execute all fulfilment tasks – the basics of picking, packing and shipping as well as staging, buffering, returns handling, kitting and mixed-case processing – from the same AutoStore Grid. Workflow efficiency improves, and extra machines and human resource are no longer required.

And more SKUs, in more varied sizes, are not a problem for the single system. Combine AutoStore’s three different bin sizes (220mm, 330mm, and 425mm) to accommodate a diverse inventory within a single setup, eliminating the need for separate systems for small, medium, and large items. Grocery, healthcare, fashion/apparel and automotive parts are just some of the many applications that will see the benefit.