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Automated New Build, Design, Validation & Implementation

Project Sponsor: Supply Chain Director

Client:

The Very Group (Shop Direct)

Category:

Automation Consulting, Implementation and Execution, Logistics Consulting

28 February 2015

Very Group (formerly Shop Direct) are investing in a highly automated warehouse which will deliver a step-change in service, provide a lower cost per single and be fit for future growth. Bis Henderson has been central to this project.

THE CHALLENGE

Manual operations for one-person fulfilment based in old facilities – Shaw, near Manchester
Multiple fulfilment and returns operation across the North West, with legacy systems & processes
Relatively inefficient & not well-placed for next day and potential same day fulfilment

OUR APPROACH

Significant project in terms of both investment and business change
Creation of new 550k sqft facility near East Midlands Airport, €70m investment in automation and over €150m total project investment
Highly automated solution with 600k tote shuttle system, 24 auto pack benches, 78 manual pack benches, pouch sorter for returns & 96-way parcel sorter, capacity 13,500 units per hour, 30 minute order to despatch time. New WMS and interfaces into existing business systems

CUSTOMER BENEFITS

Over a period of 24 months we led the physical design workstream, as well as provided subject matter expertise on the systems integration, WCS & WMS options and recommendations. We are still supporting on an adhoc basis as they go-live and ramp up
Initial concept design validation and approval, sensitivity analysis and value engineering, build up of opex costs and validation of capex costs
Leading Solutions & IT workstreams, delivering the Business Requirements & Functional Design documentation, & challenging the solution development
Leading Building Interface workstream – ensuring fit into the new facility and manual flows and processes
Providing the MF1 Engineer to Contract role, overseeing project progress, including witnessing build & testing, and then approving staged payments
Ongoing support and input into shareholder updates, development of sameday strategy, creation of stakeholder and business briefing packs