The Customer
ASKUL is a leading Japanese company offering a wide range of products and services to businesses. Established in 1993, ASKUL has cemented its reputation as one of Japan’s primary suppliers of office supplies and equipment. With a dedication to operational excellence, ASKUL has consistently embraced innovative technologies to improve its logistics network and provide exceptional customer experiences.
The Challenge
ASKUL faced significant operational hurdles as its product portfolio and customer base expanded over the years. The primary challenges included:
- Growing Inventory Needs: The company's diversified product line demanded storage solutions capable of handling higher volumes more efficiently.
- Limited Storage Space: ASKUL needed to maximize storage density to utilize its warehouse space effectively.
- Operational Scalability: Addressing increased demand required solutions that could handle higher order volumes without compromising speed or accuracy.
To meet its growth objectives while maintaining superior service standards, ASKUL turned to Geek+ for an innovative automation solution.
Our Solution
- Fleet of AMRs: Highly autonomous robots enhanced goods retrieval and inventory workflows, reducing reliance on manual labor.
- Smart Sorting System: Advanced sorting solutions integrated seamlessly to handle high-volume orders with unmatched accuracy.
- Vertical Space Optimization: Innovative racking systems maximized floor-to-ceiling storage, accommodating increasing inventory needs.
- Interactive Data Visualization: Real-time dashboards offered full visibility into operational performance and streamlined decision-making.
The Geekplus impact
Geek+ provided ASKUL with a cutting-edge Shelf-to-Person PopPick System tailored to the unique demands of their operation. Key features of the solution included:
- High-Storage-Density Logistics: The PopPick System incorporates picking robots that transport movable shelves from storage locations to PopPick workstations. The robotic arms at these stations present totes or boxes directly to operators, ensuring seamless item retrieval.
- Streamlined Warehousing Workflows: The system enables efficient picking processes, handling up to 500 lines per hour, significantly improving workflow automation.
- Scalable Robot Deployment: With over 318 robots integrated into the ASKUL Value Center, the robots work cohesively to optimize space utilization and throughput.
- Enhanced Customer Service: By implementing a logistics system characterized by speed, precision, and scalability, ASKUL improves order accuracy and delivery performance for its customers.
This solution not only meets current demands but also sets up ASKUL for sustainable growth, with room for further innovation and scaling.
“The Geek+ PopPick System is designed for high efficiency and can significantly improve the overall productivity of warehouse operations. This implementation will showcase to the market the next generation of warehouse automation, setting a new industry benchmark.”
Hirokazu Kato, President and CEO of Geek+ Japan
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