Materialflow-Optimization and Capacity-Extension of a Highly Automated Fulfillment Center

Logistics Planning

Site Optimization Based on the Results of the Metroplan Phenomena Analysis

The client is a Nordic online department store that mainly serves the Northern European market via its multi-brand webstore. As of 2022, the customer operates the world's largest Autostore facility with 1.25 million bins and approx. 1250 robots in multi-shift operation at the logistics site in the south of Sweden. Due to the company's steady growth, the logistics center has already been expanded multiple times. In order to implement medium-term optimization measures to further increase performance and capacity as well as to cope with the increasing volume of consignment numbers, Metroplan supported the customer with the development and conception of a master plan for the implementation of such measures with a preliminary Phänomena analysis. Metroplan proceeded as follows:

First, as part of the Metroplan phenomena analysis, the current process flows were reviewed with a focus on potentials for identifying optimization approaches and elaborated in workshops. A catalogue of measures was derived from this. In addition, further measures were identified by means of a material flow and bottleneck analysis and an optimized material flow concept was subsequently created. Based on the optimized material flow concept, a new overall material flow concept was designed, evaluated and selected and a new master plan for the existing fulfillment center was created. Finally, the solutions developed were evaluated qualitatively and quantitatively as part of the business case and a schedule for the future implementation of the master plan was developed. On this basis, the customer was able to decide on the further course of action regarding the optimizations of the fulfillment site.