Session 5 of 9 Steps to Future-proofing your Warehouse featured advice and examples on how to approach replenishment as well as state of the art solutions that help you avoid letting down your customers due to lack of stock.

Below is a recap. You can catch the full recording here. 

 

Jeffrey Triantafilo, director – Systems and DC Design, Fuzzy LogX

The big picture:  The art of replenishment is all about getting products from reserve storage into the pick face efficiently.

How? Minimise unnecessary travel and touches. Velocity based replenishment strategy. The right pick face for each product. Optimise MOQs and Reserve quantities. Supercharge replenishment with smart slotting and reduce labour costs.

Your replenishment strategies and systems are defined and driven according to logistics (physical movement), data and technology.

Tip: Look for opportunities to replenish as you pick. Revise your replenishment strategy at least monthly.

One to watch: [13:30min] Take a look at the Novastore concept video for a not-too-distant future model of a supermarket replenishment centre featuring micro fulfilment.

 

Paul Stringleman, senior automation consultant, Swisslog

Graeme Faulkner, chief operations officer, Jaycar Group

The big picture: Jaycar (electronic components retailer and wholesaler) engaged with Swisslog to design and implement a fully automated warehouse. This is a case study that highlights a data driven replenishment at an automated facility.

Why? Having a reputation for reliably having stock in-store at all times is a USP. Automation would provide Jaycar with strong internal rates of return, it would enable their wholesale channel, and allow them to respond favourably to the changing retail landscape (online, new entrants, shipping from China).

How? Swisslog offered Jaycar a single vendor warehouse management solution that was fully automated and integrated. The full solution incorporated: receiving, pallet ASRS (30,000 pallets – the size of a football field), replenishment system, tote ASRS, GTP workstations, QA/Repack, packing, despatch, manual storage and office and amenities.

The aim was to halve the time Jaycar spent replenishing the shelves. The pioneering automated replenishment component features: pallet presentation, replenishment station, tote buffer, tote/case loop, and cyclone carrier storage. Future enhancements include a machine learning robotic item picker.

Quote of the session: “It is all about stock for us and obviously replenishment and getting it into a store is really key. We’re obsessed about our in-store, in-stock position.” – Graeme Faulkner

Panel discussion

In this week’s conversation on replenishment, the panel addressed: recent projects by Swisslog in Australia and New Zealand, challenges and training for teams, calculation methods for the replenishment of shuttle-based automation systems, auto stores and more.

 

 

Watch the recording.

 

Do you have questions about outbound picking? How can you get items out with more speed, and accuracy at lower cost? Session 6 on Thursday, 16 July 2020 will help you achieve this and more.

Register for free and put your questions to the experts.