Global Impact of Geek+ PopPick: Revolutionizing Efficiency Across 3PL, Apparel, and Retail Industries 

Recently, Geekplus Shelf-to-Person PopPick was honored with the 2024 RBR50 Robotics Innovation Award, recognized for its impressive performance in optimizing warehouse storage, improving throughput, and offering unmatched flexibility in logistics.

As the demands on warehouse automation increase, PopPick has become the go-to solution for industries ranging from Third-Party Logistics (3PL) to fashion & apparel, retail, and e-commerce. The unique capabilities of PopPick are not just about meeting the needs of today’s warehouses; they’re about future-proofing operations for years to come.

Global Success Across Various Industries

Since its introduction as an upgrade to Geekplus's Shelf-to-Person standard system, Geekplus Shelf-to-Person PopPick has gained the trust and loyalty of some of the most well-known brands globally. Companies like UPS Supply Chain Solutions, S&S Activewear, ASKUL, Sports Endeavors, and Rhenus Logistics have embraced PopPick for its ability to increase operational efficiency, adapt to changing demands, and scale as their businesses grow.

Today, PopPick has been successfully implemented in over 30 high-profile projects across a variety of industries. Over 80% of customers who initially implemented the PopPick solution for a single site have expanded to multiple sites, recognizing the tremendous value and efficiency it brings to their operations. This level of customer satisfaction is a testament to Geek+’s commitment to delivering real, measurable results.

How PopPick Drives Efficiency in Key Sectors

PopPick’s versatility makes it a valuable asset across several industries, each of which faces unique challenges. The ability to handle high throughput, mixed inventory types, and fluctuating demand makes PopPick a solution that fits seamlessly into any warehouse environment.

3PL Industry:

In the 3PL sector, where flexibility and adaptability are key, PopPick offers an ideal solution. It handles a wide variety of product categories and sizes, enabling warehouses to adjust easily to shifts in storage and throughput requirements.

UPS Supply Chain Solutions:

UPS SCS, one of the world’s largest 3PL providers, implemented the PopPick solution in their Kentucky distribution center, which serves both B2B and B2C clients. This center handles the logistics for a well-known fashion brand, and PopPick has transformed its operations. Before PopPick, workers had to walk long distances across the warehouse to retrieve items.

Now, with the goods-to-person automation PopPick offers, the warehouse can process over 100,000 orders per day and handle 350,000 SKUs. The productivity increase is nothing short of impressive: a 400% boost compared to manual processes. In addition, the PopPick system enabled UPS SCS to optimize its warehouse space, leading to a 30% increase in storage capacity.

Rhenus Logistics:

Rhenus Logistics, a European 3PL giant, has also benefitted from Geek+’s innovative PopPick solution. Known for handling high-value, luxury products, Rhenus needed a solution that could offer precise storage and fast delivery.

PopPick’s mixed storage system accommodates both bin and hanging items, allowing Rhenus to efficiently store a wide range of product sizes and conditions. This flexibility is especially important in the luxury industry, where attention to detail is critical. The PopPick system has enabled Rhenus to meet the exacting standards of its luxury clients while optimizing space and speed.

Apparel Industry:

The apparel industry is known for its high SKU complexity due to variations in size, color, and style. For companies like S&S Activewear, PopPick has provided the perfect solution to efficiently manage and fulfill orders.

S&S Activewear:

At S&S Activewear’s Illinois facility, Geek+ worked with logistics partner Körber to implement a system that included over 340 AMRs and 24 PopPick workstations across a 750,000 sq. ft. warehouse. The results have been transformative. The PopPick solution allows the company to process 4,500 order lines per hour, ensuring orders are picked, packed, and shipped quickly and accurately. This has given S&S a significant competitive advantage, allowing them to fulfill more orders in less time and with fewer errors.

What’s more, S&S was so impressed with the performance of the PopPick system that they opted to expand it further, investing in additional workstations as part of their second-phase upgrade. This continued investment in Geek+ solutions highlights the level of trust and confidence that PopPick has instilled in its customers.

Sports Endeavors:

For companies dealing with highly customized products, PopPick provides a flexible and scalable solution that can grow with their business. Sports Endeavors, a North Carolina-based sports retail company, faced significant challenges in fulfilling customized orders, where each SKU represents a single item.

The PopPick system has helped Sports Endeavors increase operational efficiency by 3x, particularly during peak demand periods, such as major promotions. The flexibility of the system allowed the company to start with 4 workstations in 2022, with plans to expand to 15 workstations by 2026, ensuring they can continue to meet growing demand without compromising on speed or accuracy.

This adaptability makes PopPick a key asset in addressing fluctuating demands and rapid business growth.

Retail Industry:

The retail sector, especially in today’s age of omnichannel commerce, requires flexibility and speed. PopPick’s ability to handle both B2B and B2C operations with ease makes it an ideal solution for retailers seeking to optimize their supply chains.

ASKUL:

Take ASKUL, for example, a major office supplies and equipment retailer in Japan. After five years of successful collaboration with Geek+, ASKUL chose to implement the PopPick solution in their Kansai logistics center. This warehouse spans nearly 10,000 sq. m, and PopPick has fully optimized its storage space, using vertical storage systems to increase productivity by 3.8x.

In addition to boosting efficiency, the solution has improved the ergonomics of the picking process, making the work easier and faster for warehouse employees. This is a crucial benefit, especially in a tight labor market.

Scaling PopPick Globally

The success of PopPick across multiple industries shows that it is not a one-size-fits-all solution but a flexible, scalable tool that can be customized to meet the needs of any warehouse. By enabling goods-to-person automation, increasing throughput, and optimizing storage space, PopPick has become a key player in the transformation of global supply chains.

Geek+ is committed to continuing this journey, bringing the benefits of PopPick to even more industries and markets. As companies seek to remain competitive in an increasingly digital and fast-paced world, solutions like PopPick will be essential for those looking to stay ahead of the curve.

Driving the Future of Smart Warehousing

As we look ahead, it’s clear that automation and robotics will play an increasingly important role in shaping the future of logistics. PopPick’s adaptability, scalability, and proven results across industries with fluctuating demand, seasonal peaks, and business growthmake it an essential tool for businesses looking to improve their efficiency, reduce costs, and enhance customer satisfaction. From 3PL to fashion, retail, and beyond, PopPick is poised to lead the charge in smart warehousing solutions.

Whether you’re looking to optimize a single site or roll out a solution across multiple locations, PopPick provides the flexibility and power you need to transform your logistics operations.

Get in Touch

To learn more about how Geekplus PopPick solutions can improve your warehouse efficiency, click here to schedule a demo.

FAQs