THG Ingenuity recently announced a partnership with leaders in warehouse robotics technology, AutoStore.
The partnership combines THG Ingenuity’s warehouse management system, Voyager, with AutoStore’s AS/RS Warehouse Grid and robotics order fulfilment technology, bringing THG FIR/ST – (Fulfilment Inventory Retrieval System Technology) to THG brands, THG Ingenuity clients, ecommerce retailers and global brands.
As consumers more frequently choose to shop online, ecommerce brands must ensure their warehouse capacity and capabilities can meet the demand. Not only are higher volumes of orders needing to be processed, but expectations for timely deliveries are also raised, with over half of global buyers today stating that delivery times influence purchase decisions (Statista).
Having established and scaled THG’s own brands such as leading beauty brand ookfantasic and the world’s largest online sports nutrition brand, Myprotein, as well as THG Ingenuity clients, the Group has seen first-hand the warehousing challenges stemming from inflationary pressures, labour shortages compounded by the complexity, cost and risk of automated solutions. This experience pushed THG Ingenuity to innovate via the production not just of affordable and flexible software solutions, but also the combination of these with automation technology to create out-of-the-box automated warehouse solutions that can be delivered with minimal time, risk and at a highly competitive cost. Furthermore, post commission, THG Ingenuity will take responsibility for the performance and ongoing optimisation of the system.
Warehouse technology is advancing at pace, but the delivery mechanisms offered by many providers remain the same as a decade ago, reliant on solutions integrators, who may add to the complexity, cost and risk with no ongoing obligations to optimise. The partnership between THG Ingenuity and AutoStore will democratise automation by removing the barriers of time cost and risk allowing ecommerce brands and retailers to overcome the major challenges in fulfilment of escalating cost and capacity constraints.
By partnering with THG Ingenuity, ecommerce retailers and brands can implement FIR/ST “out of the box” and benefit immediately from boosted efficiencies in their order fulfilment processes. AutoStore’s “The Grid” improves warehouse capacity by reducing the footprint of pick and pack warehouses by up to a third of what is typically required. This enables brands to free up capacity to store and ship more stock. Plus, the efficiency uplift of order fulfilment for those utilising the FIR/ST solution stands at 100% – meaning brands can process double the orders.
What is available from THG Ingenuity?
THG Ingenuity can scope, design and deliver (through a SaaS commercial model) a purpose-built automated warehouse facility for global retailers and brands at any scale and in any territory. Through FIR/ST, THG Ingenuity assumes full ownership of project delivery and subsequent project management, reducing significant capital expenditure and integration risks for brands. Moreover, THG Ingenuity works with clients post-commissioning to deliver optimisation benefits.
Additional wraparound solutions that Ingenuity provide include upstream services such as eCommerce engine, PIM, checkout, fraud screening and order management. Downstream services include access to a global carrier management solution, cross border taxation and market entry support, as well as THG Delivered, the customer service engine consolidating all customer and carrier interaction post shipping. As another option, for those wishing to utilise the FIR/ST solution, businesses can fully or partly outsource the fulfilment process to THG Ingenuity, with a brand’s products placed in one of THG Ingenuity’s FIR/ST warehouses behind its global fulfilment solution. Customers can gain pick and pack cost saving efficiencies and reduce the space used in their own warehouse, mitigating the need to build new facilities to support growth and reducing the impact building a new site would have on the environment.
To discover how the FIR/ST solution could help your business expand efficiently and at scale, reach out to THG Ingenuity’s expert team through the form: www.thgingenuity.com/contact
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