Case Studies
Geek+ and Körber Help Ariat Transform Supply Chain
The Customer
Ariat International, a leading equestrian and performance footwear and apparel brand, grappled with significant challenges in its supply chain, including labor shortages, pressure to optimize warehouse throughput, and the physical toll on associates. Collaborating with Körber and Geek+, Ariat implemented a cutting-edge robotics solution featuring 88 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), integration with Körber's K.Motion Warehouse Advantage (WMS), and 2,000 additional racks in their expansive 1 million sq. ft warehouse.
The Challenge
Ariat experienced a surge in customer demand while facing industry-wide labor shortages. Their massive 1 million sq. ft warehouse also posed challenges such as optimizing storage capacity, maximizing throughput, and reducing the physical strain on their warehouse associates due to extensive walking and repetitive manual tasks. To maintain high levels of customer satisfaction, Ariat needed to introduce a scalable and highly efficient solution to transform its supply chain operations.
Our Solution
Geek+ and Körber partnered to implement a cutting-edge robotics solution tailored to Ariat's challenges.
- Robotic Deployment: Geek+ provided 88 AI-driven AMRs designed to automate and streamline picking processes.
- Enhanced Integration: Körber’s K.Motion Warehouse Advantage (WMS) was integrated to ensure seamless interaction between robots, racking systems, and existing warehouse management processes.
- Storage Expansion: 2,000 racks were added to optimize space utilization and enhance throughput within Ariat’s facility.
This solution moved associates away from repetitive manual workloads, allowing them to focus on higher-value tasks while significantly increasing efficiency across the supply chain.
The Geekplus impact
The collaboration between Ariat, Geek+, and Körber yielded impressive results that transformed Ariat’s supply chain operations:
- Improved Efficiency: Warehouse picking efficiency and accuracy experienced significant enhancements, directly impacting speed and reducing errors.
- Associate Productivity Advance: Productivity doubled, with a 100% increase noted following the implementation.
- Reduced Walking Strain on Associates: Associate walking decreased by 82%, minimizing workplace fatigue and improving employee satisfaction.
- Compliance with Demand Surges: The scalability of Geek+’s robots ensured Ariat could effectively meet demand spikes without operational bottlenecks.
"Geek+’s AMRs allow us to move our employees away from repetitive tasks and towards more rewarding activities, resulting in a better working environment and bringing greater value to the services we provide our customers."
Matt Hardenberg, VP of Distribution, Ariat International
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How Geek+ and Körber Revolutionized Hawesko's E-commerce Operations
The Customer
Hawesko Group is one of Europe’s largest distributors of premium wine and champagne. With operations in Germany, its facilities handle over 20 million bottles annually. Through its retail, wholesale, and e-commerce divisions, Hawesko maintains its leadership by ensuring exceptional quality and efficient delivery standards for its vast customer base.
The Challenge
Hawesko faced several pressing challenges that threatened its operational efficiency and ability to meet increasing demands in a competitive e-commerce environment:
- Growing E-commerce Demands: Rapid growth in online retail required faster order fulfillment to exceed customer expectations.
- Limited Warehouse Efficiency: Hawesko’s existing manual systems struggled to keep up with increasing order volumes, causing operational bottlenecks.
- Space Restrictions: Expanding warehouses without disrupting current operations was a logistical challenge.
- Scalability: The company needed a solution that could support ongoing growth and seasonal fluctuations in demand.
Our Solution
- Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs): 21 robots were deployed to optimize and automate picking operations across a 6,000-square-meter warehouse space.
- Warehouse Expansion and Optimization: The expanded facility included 330 shelves, maximizing storage capacity and accommodating growth.
- Software Integration: Körber's advanced Warehouse Management System (WMS) acted as the central hub, seamlessly coordinating operations. Coupled with Geek+ robots, the Unified Control System (UCS) further enhanced automation and communication efficiency.
- Flexibility and Scalability: The system allowed for the potential addition of up to 100 more shelves in the future, enabling Hawesko to store 40,000 additional items.
The Geekplus impact
The integration of Geek+ automation and Körber’s software solutions delivered impressive results for Hawesko's facility operations:
- 50% Increase in Warehouse Efficiency: Optimized workflows significantly boosted overall productivity.
- Double Picking Performance: Enhanced automation allowed operators to complete order picking faster and with greater precision.
- Improved Space Utilization: Storage area efficiency increased by 30%, facilitating better inventory management.
- Cost-effective Scalability: The solution was cost-efficient and positioned Hawesko for seamless expansion, accommodating seasonal and long-term growth.
"Through our collaboration with Geek+ and Körber, we have revolutionized our warehouse operations, achieving remarkable efficiency and precision. This automation has equipped us to meet e-commerce demands now and into the future, enabling us to provide superior service to our customers."
Frederick Paulsen, Project Manager, IWL Logistics for Hawesko
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Geekplus Partners with Körber to Enhance S&S Activewear's Warehouse Operations
The Challenge
With a variety of different SKUs, S&S Activewear needed an automation system that could seamlessly adapt and expand as their business grew.
Our Solution
Geekplus collaborated closely with Körber Supply Chain to optimize warehouse processes at S&S Activewear’s 750,000 sq. ft. facility in Lockport, Illinois. The implementation of Geekplus PopPick robotic solutions enabled S&S Activewear to achieve greater operational speed and throughput. Following the initial deployment, S&S Activewear expanded its partnership with Körber and Geekplus, rolling out Geekplus robotic solutions to three additional warehouse locations across the Americas.
The Geekplus impact
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Improved picking efficiency, accuracy and throughput
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S&S Activewear managed up to 16,000 orders daily during peak times
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Easily scaled to meet the needs of S&S Activewear's growing business
About Customer
Founded in 1988 and headquartered in Bolingbrook, Illinois, S&S Activewear is a the leading technology-enabled distributor of apparel and accessories in the United States and Canada. S&S offers more than 80 brands, including basic garments to fashion-forward styles, with over 4 million square feet of warehouse space across North America. S&S services a broad range of customers through its nationwide network, including retail brands, e-commerce companies, garment decorators, promotional products distributors, entertainment merchandisers, lifestyle brands and web-based platforms for apparel customization.
About Partner
Supply chains are growing more complex by the day. Körber uniquely provides a broad range of proven end-to-end solutions tailored to help manage the supply chain as a competitive advantage. Fitting any business size, strategy or industry, our customers conquer the complexity of the supply chain thanks to our portfolio of software, voice, and robotics solutions – plus the expertise to tie it all together. Conquer supply chain complexity, with Körber. Find out more on www.koerber-supplychain-software.com
Officeworks Transforms Supply Chain with Geek+'s Solar-powered Robot Fleet.
About Customer
Officeworks is a chain of Australian office supply stores. Officeworks offers customers a wide range of office supplies, technology, furniture and art supplies. It operates 168 stores across Australia, a website that is home to more than 40,000 products, a national call centre, and a business team that helps micro, small and medium-sized businesses start, run and grow.
The Challenge
Officeworks needed to enhance its supply chain efficiency and manage a vast product range across multiple distribution functions, including online orders, cross-docking, and international distribution.
Our Solution
Officeworks launch an 15,000 sqm advanced customer fulfilment center (CFC) in Perth, Western Australia, equipped with 90 Geek+ autonomous solar-powered Geek+ mobile robots.
The Geekplus impact
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Increased bulk storage capacity
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Improved stock fulfillment
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Maximized delivery operations
Geek+ and Körber Digitalize Ariat Supply Chain with Smart Robotics
About Customer
Ariat International, Inc. is a leading manufacturer of innovative performance equestrian footwear, apparel and belts. Featuring a patented technology designed to deliver stability, durability and comfort, Ariat pioneered the application of advanced athletic shoe technology into English riding boots and authentic Western boots, Ariat products are sold in a network of retail outlets throughout the world.
About Partner
Supply Chains are growing more complex by the day. Körber Supply Chain uniquely provides a broad range of proven, end-to-end supply chain solutions fitting any business size, strategy or appetite for growth. Capable of delivering not just software, but automation, voice, robotics, and materials handling - plus the expertise to tie it all together. We are a global partner not just for today, but also as the needs of supply chains continue to evolve.
The Challenge
- Labor Shortages created by the rise in demand
- Needing to optimize the warehouse and increase throughput
- Needing to reduce physical strain for associates
Our Solution
Geek+ worked collaboratively with Körber Supply Chain to optimize throughput and increase storage capacity in Ariat's 1 million sq. ft warehouse operations. Integrating with K. Motion Warehouse Advantage (WMS), 88 Geek+ picking robots and 2,000 racks helped Ariat to achieve greater operational speed and end-customer experience. After its initial order, Ariat expanded the solution with an additional 30 picking robots.
The Geek+ impact
- Improved picking efficiency, accuracy and throughput
- Decreased walking distance by 82% - from 40,000 steps a day to 7,000 steps a day
- Increased associates' productivity by 100%
- Faster and easier training process for associates
- Moral boosting - staff see automation as a way to support them, instead of replacing them
Catch.com.au improves services with over 100 AMRs
About Customer
Catch.com.au is one of Australia’s leading online retailers. Founded in 2006, they aim to bring new e-commerce solutions to Australia and support online shoppers with a wide range of brands and products at low prices. Purchased by Westfarmers Group in June 2019, they experienced rapid business growth.
The challenge
- Low warehouse storage efficiency cannot meet regular storage demands
- Rapid surge in demand
- Rapidly growing customer base with 30,000 new customers every week
- High expectations for fast and accurate deliveries
Our Solution
- Over 100 picking robots were deployed in Catch.com.au’s 2,000 sqm facility to manage an inventory of 80,000 SKUs
The Geek+ impact
- The ability to quickly expand operations in line with growth
- Improved picking efficiency; picking rates up to 2000 items / h
- Increased throughput capacity and speed of delivery
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