To increase throughput and order fulfillment speed in a challenging labor market, Evergreen Enterprises implemented a fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at theirRichmond, Virginia warehouse.The wholesale home and garden décor retailer, headquartered at the same location, had relied on 90 associates to push picking carts through static storage racks to manually pick orders across two shifts.But the operation found it difficult to scale up during seasonal peak periods and maintain order accuracy and inventory control.

To increase throughput and order fulfillment speed in a challenging labor market, Evergreen Enterprises implemented a fleet of autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at their Richmond, Virginia warehouse. The wholesale home and garden décor retailer, headquartered at the same location, had relied on 90 associates to push picking carts through static storage racks to manually pick orders across two shifts. But the operation found it difficult to scale up during seasonal peak periods and maintain order accuracy and inventory control.

To support organic growth and expansion via acquisition, a global retailer of sneakers and streetwear sought to increase throughput and optimize order fulfillment efficiency in its existing Philadelphia distribution center (DC). The operation, which supports both e-commerce and retail replenishment, has employee shifts nearly around the clock to keep up with demand. It also cross-docks shipments, when possible, to minimize handling. “First we determined that the existing building could sustain both their forecasted growth trajectory and their desired throughput,” he said. “To do that, however, we advised the installation of a 70,000-square-foot mezzanine above their existing 220,000-square-foot workspace, along with the implementation of a shelf-to-person autonomous mobile robot (AMR) system.”