Active Ants launches UK e-fulfilment facility
THE ROBOT-LED e-fulfilment company, which was created in the Netherlands in 2010, has opened its first UK e-fulfilment centre in Northampton. The firm has four other facilities in Europe.
UK country director Khalil Ashong, says: “We have a structured and efficient process which combines humans and robots. In our 252,000 sq ft warehouse we can ship up to 10 million parcels a year. In full capacity over 400 robots will work next to 250 people.”
The Active Ants setup sees storage, order picking, packing and sorting all automated with employees forming a team working with robots for the order picking, packing and preparation for sending. The return flow and the receipt of goods continue to be processed manually. This robotisation is said to lead to greater efficiency, higher quality, less Co2 emission and a more pleasant work environment for the employees.
Sustainability is a key focus for the company and with its AutoStore solution, the warehouse storage takes up six times less space than a traditional warehouse, says the firm. The automated packaging machines tailor make boxes to fit products, which means no box filling is needed, reducing space during last mile transport and reducing waste. The facility has over 1,000 solar panels on its roof to help generate its own electricity.
Active Ants provides logistics processes for eComm companies, mostly active in fashion, health & beauty, nutrition and small electronic products. The fulfilment company also offers webshops with a European focus with the option to store its products close to the end-consumer because it has multiple warehouses across Europe all operated under the same system.
For more information, visit www.activeants.co.uk
