The handling system supplied by warehouse automation specialist, KNAPP AG, to Boots UK at its new distribution facility in Burton-upon-Trent has won the prestigious Retail Award at the European Supply Chain Excellence Awards.
At a black-tie ceremony held at the London Hilton on Park Lane on Tuesday 6 November, Boots with KNAPP received the accolade in the presence of more than 500 executives from leading companies in the logistics industry. The team secured the prize in the face of strong competition from the other nominees, ASOS with CitySprint, Nisa with DHL Supply Chain and RSPB.
The Retail Award was presented to David Rice, Unit Manager for Boots.com, and David James, Managing Director of KNAPP UK Ltd, by Hans-Herbert Schultz – Managing Director of category sponsor, Jungheinrich UK Ltd – and the comedian, Ed Byrne.
This latest accolade brings the total number of awards won by the automated handling system at Boots’ Burton Service Centre to five. At the 2012 Grocer Gold Awards in June, KNAPP scooped the ‘Technology & Logistics Supplier of the Year’ award. Also in June, Boots won the Operational Excellence accolade at the Supply Chain Distinction Awards in Berlin. Then, in September, Boots with KNAPP won the Retail Week Supply Chain Award for the ‘Logistics Distribution Development of the Year’ for the Burton facility. The Retail Week judges commented on the Boots system: “The winner is a complex, well-planned and well-executed project that represents a bold step by the retailer.” October saw the award of the fourth prize – the GDS International ‘Leader in Innovation’ accolade – presented to KNAPP at the NG Retail Summit in Milan, the convention for the worldwide food and retail industry.
£50 million investment
The multichannel system supplied by KNAPP to Boots UK’s new distribution facility in Burton-upon-Trent opened in February 2012. The retailer had experienced rapid growth in its online operations, driving a move from its outsourced, largely manual operation in Birmingham to in-house fulfilment in the new Burton Service Centre. The warehouse not only supports order processing for the 28,000 product lines of the company’s e-commerce operation, but also its Christmas gift ranges (some 2,500 product lines) and its international distribution, which prepares orders for Boots stores abroad. Alliance Boots invested over £50 million in the facility, which included the purchase of the existing 460,000 sq ft building – the area of six football pitches – its total refurbishment and the automated handling systems.
Automated shuttle storage
At the heart of the solution are 12 of KNAPP’s OSR Shuttle™ systems, which provide automated storage combined with goods-to-person order picking at eight ergonomically designed Pick-it-Easy workstations. Ideal for slow- and medium-moving goods, the OSR Shuttle™ systems process the majority of the inventory at Burton. Fast-moving products, meanwhile, are picked in a flow rack area at one of eight workstations that utilise pick-to-light technology.
Resident engineers
KNAPP also supplied its KiSoft WMS (warehouse management system) and KiSoft WCS (warehouse control software) to optimise all warehouse movements and processes. In addition, Boots UK contracted KNAPP to provide a team of resident engineers in order to maintain the handling solution.
Efficiency increased by 65%
The system handles up to 75,000 order lines per day, with small orders being batch picked and manually packed. It has increased time efficiency by 65% compared to the previous manual operation, while also improving order traceability. The solution is already providing a significant reduction in variable costs and its modular design provides a platform for further growth.
KNAPP UK Ltd
Mr Craig Rollason, Head of Sales & Marketing
Tel: 01844 202149
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