Japanese Retailer Toranoana Increases Picking Efficiency 70% with AutoStore

TORANOANA, Inc., a Japanese retailer of books and art since 1996, has boosted its e-commerce capabilities with a new logistics hub in Yachiyo City. What began as a brick-and-mortar business has evolved into a thriving online marketplace, driving the need for more sophisticated fulfillment solutions. To meet growing demand, Toranoana needed to improve storage density, increase throughput, and optimize workforce efficiency. The company implemented AutoStore’s automated warehouse system with Okamura Corporation.

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The Challenge: Outgrowing a Traditional Warehouse Model

Toranoana's previous logistics operations experienced the growing pains of a rapidly expanding e-commerce business. The center, though equipped with digital picking systems, still relied heavily on manual operations. As their inventory grew to encompass 50,000 distinct products and 2 million individual items, workers faced increasingly lengthy walking routes between shelves, significantly impacting efficiency.

"The increased walking distances in the picking area where the shelves were located had become a major challenge," notes Takahashi, Assistant Manager of the Distribution Management Section and Hygiene Officer. This challenge was compounded by mounting pressure on warehouse space and staffing resources. The strain on operations became particularly acute during peak periods, where their manual system's limitations created fulfillment bottlenecks. The departure of experienced staff members added another difficulty, as new employees shouldered an increasingly demanding workload.

It became clear that maintaining competitive service levels would require a fundamental shift in their approach to storage and fulfillment — one that could support 24-hour operations while maximizing their limited warehouse space.

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The Solution: Dense Storage, Precise Delivery

Toranoana's new logistics center runs on a precisely engineered AutoStore storage and retrieval system. Here's how the core elements work together:

• ‍Grid and Bins: The 3,600 m² (38,750 ft²) aluminum Grid holds 42,080 Bins stacked vertically, taking up just one-third of the center's total area to store r inventory of 50,000 product types. ‍
• Robot retrieval system: In a streamlined operation, 42 Robots traverse the top of the Grid structure, accessing Bins through vertical shafts and transporting them as needed. ‍
• Workstations (Ports): 21 ergonomically designed Ports serve as workstations where Bins are delivered for order processing and inventory management. ‍
• System integration: The system enables 70% of all shipments to be processed through AutoStore, ensuring a smooth logistics flow. ‍
• 24-hour operations: The automated system operates around the clock, maintaining peak efficiency even during high-demand periods.

Key Benefits: Efficiency Gains Across Space and Labor

The AutoStore implementation delivered measurable improvements in operations, space usage, and workforce productivity:

• ‍Picking efficiency surged: Daily order capacity reached 20,000, marking a 1.6x increase in efficiency compared to the previous system. Picking rates jumped from 60 to 100 items per hour. ‍
• Space optimization: A 40% reduction in required warehouse area led to significant cost savings, while still accommodating over 50,000 product types.
• ‍Worker satisfaction: Staff no longer walk long distances to pick items — all operations are concentrated around ergonomic workstations, reducing physical strain and improving job satisfaction. ‍
• Improved performance: The system's 24-hour automated operation handles volume spikes without requiring additional staffing, maintaining consistent throughput even during high-demand periods.

The logistics hub now processes nearly 70% of all shipments through AutoStore. These improvements have positioned Toranoana to handle continued growth while maintaining efficient, cost-effective operations.

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Future automation plans for Toranoana

The success of Toranoana's AutoStore implementation has opened doors beyond their core business. “We aim to fully leverage AutoStore's capabilities to expand into third-party logistics (3PL) services,” explains Ayuzawa, Representative Director of Toranoana.

With a proven system that delivers high efficiency, stable 24-hour operations, and significant space optimization, Toranoana has built more than just a warehouse — they've created a springboard for business expansion. Their modernized logistics hub is now ready to support their growth and new ventures into 3PL services.

Project Specifications

• Installation type: Greenfield (new site)
• Robots: 42 R5 Robots
• Workstations (Ports): 21 ConveyorPorts
• Bins: 42,080 Bins
• WMS: Integrated via Okamura Corporation
• Integrated technology: Conveyor technology, automated packing
• Implementation partner: Okamura Corporation