Bleckmann Achieves 60% Faster Order Cycle with AutoStore

Implementing warehouse automation systems can take years, but Bleckmann and AutoStore, empowered by Kardex, achieved the extraordinary in only five months. This rapid deployment demonstrated that with AutoStore, transformative automation can be achieved without prolonged disruption to operations.

Bleckmann, a leading third-party logistics (3PL) provider for fashion and lifestyle brands, has been at the forefront of supply chain management since 1862. With over 4,000 employees in 30 locations across Europe and the US, Bleckmann faced mounting pressure to enhance efficiency.

The solution was AutoStore's automated storage and retrieval system, implemented at Bleckmann's solar-powered fulfillment center in Grobbendonk, Belgium.

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The Challenge: Maximize Space, Accelerate Fulfillment

Bleckmann faced critical challenges in their Grobbendonk, Belgium warehouse:

• Traditional rack storage was failing to maximize the available warehouse space, limiting capacity and flexibility.
• Manual picking and packing operations were causing delays in order fulfillment, struggling to meet the increasing speed demands of customers.
• Labor shortages threatened efficiency.
• The fashion industry's volatile nature required a solution that could rapidly scale operations without disruption.
• The existing traditional setup hindered Bleckmann's ability to expand their business in line with their growth strategy.

Bleckmann needed a solution that would dramatically increase storage density within the existing warehouse footprint while significantly accelerating picking and packing. The system could not be energy hungry in their solar-powered warehouse, and needed to offer scalability to handle demand fluctuations.

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The Solution: Maximizing Space and Speed

The AutoStore at Bleckmann's Grobbendonk site uses 24 high-speed, battery-powered Robots navigating a cubic Grid to transport Bins to ergonomic picking stations. Integrated into a holistic concept from goods-in to goods-out, including automated carton handling, it creates a streamlined process that minimizes human intervention and space requirements, reduces errors, and significantly speeds up fulfillment times.

"From the moment a product enters the AutoStore until it leaves the warehouse in a carton, it will have only been touched by a single pair of hands. …This allows us to reduce the time between the receipt of an order and its departure from the warehouse by up to 60%." Stefan Schepers, Automation Specialist at Bleckmann

The system’s design prioritizes scalability and flexibility, allowing Bleckmann to easily adapt to seasonal peaks and growing demand, without disruption. By increasing storage density, it enables more SKUs from multiple customers to be stored simultaneously, reducing the risk of stock shortages. During peak periods, the system optimizes performance by making high-demand SKUs more accessible, ensuring faster dispatch times. Remarkably, the energy-efficient system operates on solar power — ten Autostore Robots consume only as much energy as a single vacuum cleaner.

Key Benefits: Efficiency, Scalability, and Sustainability

The implementation of the AutoStore solution was completed in a 5-month window from order placement to go-live has. Since then, it’s brought numerous benefits to Bleckmann's operations:

• Significant increase in storage capacity: The system improved space use by a factor of 7, allowing more SKUs from multiple customers to be stored simultaneously.
• Extended cut-off times: The system streamlined the picking process, significantly reducing manual labor and increasing operational speed. This enabled later cut-off times for next-day delivery.
• Reduced picking errors: After implementing AutoStore, Bleckman experienced a significant reduction in picking errors.
• Sustainability: The solar-powered facility, combined with the energy-efficient AutoStore system, minimizes Bleckmann’s carbon footprint.
• Scalability: The modular design allows Bleckmann to scale up without disrupting ongoing operations.

"The AutoStore system automatically makes the most popular items more accessible, so that they can be dispatched faster," explains Jens Hooyberghs, Automation Project Manager at Bleckmann. "It's also possible to program the system ahead of peak sales periods so top-selling items are available even quicker — saving valuable time during those extra-busy moments."

Positioned for Future Growth

Looking to the future, Hooyberghs is optimistic about the long-term impact of the AutoStore solution: "We're excited about the potential productivity benefits, and the scope for growth is huge — Kardex AutoStore looks set to become a key ally in making our operations safer, greener, and more efficient."

Schepers highlights the flexibility that keeps Bleckmann agile: "The new system also offers exceptional flexibility and scalability. This means that we can start with a basic set-up and expand it when clients need extra capacity — during the Black Friday period, for example — without disrupting ongoing operations."

Project Specifications

• Implementation type: Brownfield (existing site)
• Robots: 24 high-speed Robots
• Workstations (Ports): 2 CarouselPorts, 3 ConveyorPorts
• Bins: 25,000 (scalable up to 100,000 Bins)
• Integrated technology: Conveyor technology with automated carton erecting and closing
• Integration partner: Kardex