KNAPP is a global leader in automation for distribution and production value chains. Its 7,800 employees across 49 locations worldwide develop and deliver tailored supply chain solutions, powered by advanced software including AI. KNAPP’s technologies drive the success of major brands across many industries and are supported by its extensive Customer Service network. Clients in the UK include Alliance Healthcare, Boots, Clarks, John Lewis, Marks & Spencer, Matalan, Next, The Very Group and Wincanton, most of which have resident KNAPP Customer Service teams.
Managing Director at KNAPP UK Ltd
Craig Rollason, Managing Director at KNAPP UK, spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What are your best-known products/solutions/services?
Our best-known solutions are the Pick-it-Easy Robot, Evo Shuttle storage system, EcoPocket and AutoPocket pocket sorter systems, Open Shuttle AMRs and Central Belt System (A-frame autopicker). Collaboration with fellow KNAPP group member, DFT (Dürkopp Fördertechnik) enables us to design and implement integrated solutions for handling both flat-packed goods and hanging garments.
How many markets are you in and what is your biggest market?
We serve customers in diverse industries, using the expertise of the specialists in our Business Units: Retail, Fashion, Healthcare, Food Retail, Wholesale and Industry. Our largest projects in the UK are generally in the retail, e-commerce, fashion and pharmaceutical sectors.
In what ways does your company stand out from its competitors?
We aim to be the ‘value chain tech partner’ of choice for leading brands. What we mean by this is that we are a technology partner for the entire value chain – all the interlinked business activities from production to the end user. We provide the right automation, information and services for every step in the chain. We are also renowned for our Customer Service, which is a key element of our successful long-term partnerships with clients. As well as providing reactive field service, we have resident teams of engineers at customer sites across the UK. They provide a data-driven, proactive approach to service management in order to maximise efficiency and uptime.
What are your most recent product innovations?
We continue to invest heavily in research and development. In the financial year 2023-24, the KNAPP group invested 80 million euros – 4.5 per cent of turnover – in R&D. A particular area of focus is extending the use of artificial intelligence across our solutions. Products currently powered by AI include Pick-it-Easy Robot, KiSoft Genomix (our software for managing master data), KiSoft Analytics (software for real-time analysis and visualisation of client data) and redPILOT (software to simplify and automate labour management and resource planning). Another area of innovation is the use of digital twins, which we’ve been using since 2021. Last year around 60% of the systems we designed were simulated and optimised using this technology, and this year we’ve aimed for 90%. The interplay of AI and digital twins ensures a constant flow of feedback in both directions, allowing them to learn from each other and process huge amounts of data.
What are the major trends and developments affecting your customers, and how are you responding?
Many companies continue to struggle to attract and retain warehouse staff. Our automation solutions help to mitigate these labour shortages. Economic uncertainty and a fragile geopolitical situation can make investment difficult to get over the line, so we’ve developed a number of ‘aaS’ (as a Service) solutions in recent years. In addition, we’ve developed agile technologies and software solutions to suit a range of capacity requirements, with the ability to expand solutions in a modular way in line with growth.
Can you tell us about any recent projects and how you helped the customer meet their challenges?
Back in January, our automated handling solution for Matalan went live at the company’s distribution centre in Knowsley, near Liverpool. Featuring our proven Evo Shuttle and pocket sorter technologies, this highly successful system for fulfilment of e-commerce orders has enabled Matalan’s next-day delivery order deadline to be pushed back by 6 hours and also reduced the average time from order placement to delivery by 48 hours. The success of the project led to Matalan placing an order for an extension to serve its retail estate in February.
Further afield, January also saw the go-live of the new system at Limedika in Lithuania, where KNAPP successfully installed the first ever pocket sorter for the pharmaceutical sector. The system is enabling efficient omnichannel distribution for Limedika and features the AutoPocket, which is able to automatically deposit items anywhere in the warehouse while moving at full speed. The pocket sorter has been integrated with Limedika’s existing A-frame automatic picking machine to ensure rapid and accurate order processing by a single system for wholesale, click & collect and home delivery orders.
Can you tell us about any areas where you’re making technical advances?
Healthcare is a sector where automation is really making a difference. We have implemented our Pack2Patient system for a number of pharmaceutical clients this year. Pack2Patient provides automatic assembly of patient-specific medication orders, helping to mitigate the effects of labour shortages in distribution centres and freeing up valuable time for pharmacists. We’ve also had success recently with our D³ Daily Dose Dispenser. This is a fully automated solution for producing patient-specific medication blister cards. By transferring tablets from their original packaging directly into personalised blister cards, the D³ Daily Dose Dispenser provides invaluable support for pharmacists and other healthcare professionals. With every step of the process automatically checked and documented, the system is an efficient way of ensuring safe medication management for every patient.
Are you investing in staff training and skills development?
We are committed to investing in our people to ensure that we can recruit and retain talent. We fund certain externally recognised courses for our Head Office employees, as well as providing the Level 3 Team Leader qualification and Level 5 Operations/Department Management course for our IT and Customer Service team members. In addition, our digital KNAPPacademy provides training for a range of soft skills. Our employees also have access to great benefits, discounts and development opportunities via the Vitality engagement platform and can contribute their ideas and feedback via our Employee Forum. We’re delighted that our team members value these benefits and our positive workplace culture, as demonstrated in their responses to our recent b-Heard survey from Best Companies. As a result, this summer we achieved 2-star accreditation for our ‘outstanding’ levels of employee engagement. We were also recently listed by Best Companies as the UK’s 19th Best Technology Company and the UK’s 63rd Best Large Company to work for.
What work are you doing in the area of sustainability?
As well as creating sustainable automation solutions – such as products with energy-efficient motors and regenerative braking – we have been focusing our efforts on enhancing our green credentials in our everyday operations. Our group ESG programme – called now4tomorrow – aims to monitor, record and report the effects of our business activities in a transparent way. Initiatives in the UK include transitioning to paperless operations in many departments; use of solar panels to provide the energy for our Head Office in Chalgrove; provision of recycling facilities; and enabling those in receipt of a company car allowance to opt for an electric vehicle.
What exhibitions can we expect to see your company exhibiting at in 2025?
We will be exhibiting at IntraLogisteX on 25 & 26 March at the NEC in Birmingham; Tomorrow’s Warehouse in Coventry on 16 May; and IMHX at the NEC on 9-11 September. On the global stage, events that KNAPP will exhibit at include LogiMAT in Stuttgart (11-13 March), ProMat in Chicago (17-20 March), Automatica in Munich (24-27 June) and CeMAT Australia in Sydney (22-24 July).
How would you sum up your company in three words?
It will have to be four words: Value Chain Tech Partner.
KNAPP UK LTD
01865 965000
Comments are closed.