Warehouse efficiency at DP World Bicester

In an era where efficiency and scalability are paramount, DP World Bicester has set a new benchmark in warehouse operations. George Gailey, the site manager at DP World Bicester, oversees a sprawling 270,000 square foot warehouse, which includes a 50,000 square foot mezzanine. This facility is a crucial hub for Utopia Music, handling 70% of the UK's music distribution with over 65,000 SKUs, translating to 16 million units. Faced with the challenge of maximizing storage density and operational efficiency, DP World turned to an innovative solution: Storeganizer.

Managing such an extensive inventory within the existing footprint was a significant challenge for DP World Bicester. The primary goal was to optimize storage density to accommodate the massive volume of products while maintaining operational flexibility. Additionally, there was a need to enhance efficiency by reducing the extensive walking required for order picking.

George Gailey succinctly summarized the challenge: "From a density point of view, that was why we looked at Storeganizer. We had to fit in as much products as possible into that footprint. Storeganizer gives us that density. And it allows us flexibility as well."

Storeganizer emerged as the ideal solution to DP World's storage challenges. By significantly increasing storage density, Storeganizer provided 105,000 locations condensed into one and a half miles of pick faces, effectively utilizing vertical space. This innovative system enabled DP World to maximize their storage capacity while maintaining easy access to products.

Complementing Storeganizer's capabilities, DP World integrated Locus Robotics into their operations. "Having the four and a half miles of pickfaces through Storeganizer meant that we needed to complement that with something, rather than people doing all the mileage. So we've complemented that with Locus Robotics," Gailey noted. The addition of 83 robots working in conjunction with Storeganizer reduced walking time for employees, significantly boosting efficiency. This combination of advanced storage solutions and automation allowed DP World to streamline their processes, making rapid scalability and timely product distribution achievable.

The installation of Storeganizer was executed seamlessly through Storeganizer's business partner, Pickfaces. Gailey recounted the smooth process: "The installation of Storeganizer was seamless. We didn't start until May 2023 and we went live on August 2023." This efficient installation ensured minimal disruption to ongoing operations and allowed DP World to quickly benefit from the new system.

The integration of Storeganizer and Locus Robotics has led to remarkable improvements in DP World's operational efficiency and storage capacity. Gailey highlighted the benefits, stating, "Storeganizer working with the automation that we have makes everything far more flexible for us. From a headcount model and point of view, from a timeline point of view, everything becomes far more achievable." The enhanced density provided by Storeganizer allowed the facility to handle a larger volume of inventory within the same footprint, while the automation reduced walking time and improved worker efficiency. The overall result was a more flexible, scalable, and efficient operation capable of meeting strict deadlines and handling the vast volume of products.

The successful implementation of Storeganizer at DP World Bicester underscores the significant impact of innovative storage solutions and automation on warehouse efficiency. By addressing the challenges of storage density and operational flexibility, DP World has demonstrated how strategic investments in technology can drive substantial improvements in performance and scalability.