AMR container lifters enable access to containers stored at different heights in the warehouse. © Dematic

Kleinsmit, who was not present when the solution was introduced in the new automated warehouse in Groningen, says that he came from a more manual logistics environment before joining Radial last year. Seeing the automation and AMRs working for the first time was an "incredible" sight for him. Some seven months after the 299 robots went live at the end of 2023, he says that expectations "have been met and in some cases even exceeded, but we still have a lot to learn".

Around 20,000 changing storage units

Radial operates a total of seven e-commerce fulfillment centers throughout Europe. The previously manually operated distribution center in Groningen in the east of the Netherlands had to be modified due to new developments in the e-commerce business: "We have a customer that sells 'fast fashion' and launches a new product every Wednesday, which means that many SKUs (Stock Keeping Units) change, and when an SKU expires, it is usually not restocked. This means a huge number of items that need to be managed," explains Kleinsmit.

The rack storage facility comprises a total of almost 40,000 storage locations for packaged goods. The customer's product range comprises around 20,000 constantly changing storage units. As a result, the storage area grew rapidly with picking routes of up to two kilometers, and the pickers often needed almost two hours to complete their routes. The company was looking for a solution that would reduce storage space, shorten throughput times, increase picking productivity and improve the handling of bulky goods. The company therefore decided to build an automated system at a new location in Groningen. In its search for a reliable and experienced automation partner, Radial quickly recognized the potential of the solution proposed by software and warehouse automation specialist Dematic and its partner Quicktron, a company specializing in the construction of autonomous mobile robots (AMR).

Breakthrough in design: bringing the goods to the order picker

One of the outstanding features of the Dematic solution was the development of a goods-to-person process that is handled entirely by robots instead of static conveyor technology. This saves time. For Radial Europe, this was a decisive factor in the overall solution proposed by Dematic. Another special feature is the introduction of hybrid picking stations, where an employee can receive totes and pallet cartons and process several customer orders simultaneously at one storage location. Many "intelligent" functions have also been integrated into the flow of goods: When the last item is removed from a bin, the system always asks whether the bin is completely empty. Once the hall was completed, the shelf installations and AMR integration were finalized. This was followed by a test phase for the software, and in March 2023 Dematic and Quicktron began on-site tests.

For companies considering a move to automation and the use of robots, Kleinsmit urges them to thoroughly research the technology and understand what it can do, as well as create a "logistics profile" of their facility. "We have many technologies that we can offer a customer. Which one you ultimately choose is secondary. For us, the most important thing is to ensure that the reason why the customer came to us - their challenge - is solved in the best possible way, quickly and efficiently," summarizes Farly Orie, Managing Director for BeNeLux and Nordics at Dematic.