Flexible Warehouse Automation For Business Growth

Flexible warehouse automation are becoming the answer for UK businesses, and lots of your go-to retailers are jumping on board.

Amazon, ASOS, Ocado and John Lewis rely on automation in the warehouse to cater for their increasing consumer demand. GlobalData shows that over a quarter of UK shoppers have subscribed to a delivery saver scheme such as Amazon Prime and ASOS Premier in the last 12 months. Because of this, the customer is likely to use retailers like Amazon and ASOS over others that don’t offer the same facility. 40.2 per cent of customers have also subscribed to Ocado Smart Pass in the last year which offers customers free delivery, discounts and gifts, making them a competitive choice.

A flexible automated warehouse means Amazon can extend its delivery offering above a retailer without this capability. In Amazon’s fulfilment centres, robots manage packages and prepare them for shipping or stowage much faster than humans. Because of this increase in speed, customers are able to order later and still qualify for next-day delivery.

Businesses need to do all they can to keep up. According to research by HSS, the global market for flexible warehouse automation is forecast to double by 2025. This means that more companies will use automation to cater for business growth, and potentially increase their service offering as a result.

Why are UK businesses adopting automated warehouses?

It’s simple – automated warehouses are a major driver for success.

According to Interact Analysis, ASOS finds flexible warehouse automation to be a “key differentiator” from competitors. Since having robotics, ASOS has lowered the cost of shipping and enabled faster delivery. Flexible warehouse automation has also helped John Lewis to process online orders and manage stock in one single warehouse.

The International Federation of Robotics states that robots increase productivity and competitiveness. Of course, one of the biggest benefits of flexible warehouse automation is business growth without the need for more staff. Automation will also reduce energy consumption as warehouse heating and lights won’t need to be on, as well as reduce the amount of staff to train and the chances of theft from staff in the stockroom.

Wise Robotics and flexible automated warehouses

Whether you have a small, large or multi-level warehouse, Wise Robotics can build a solution that works for you.

Our solutions don’t use fixed infrastructure. Instead, we provide flexible pods and installations to suit the needs of your business. Our robots adapt to your warehouse, not the other way round.

There is a misconception in the market about the affordability of robotics. You can not only receive a return of investment in an average of two to three years , but you can also use our flexible purchasing options. Like buying a forklift truck, you can buy an WR robot outright or hire one on a fixed-term basis. This means you can buy additional robots during peak seasons to cope with demand.