The automation solution features KNAPP’s proven Evo Shuttle and pocket sorter technologies
An automated intralogistics solution from KNAPP has delivered multiple benefits for leading fashion and homeware retailer, Matalan.
Featuring KNAPP’s proven Evo Shuttle and pocket sorter technologies, the automated solution has enabled the retailer to push its next-day delivery order deadline for online customers back by 6 hours.
It has also helped reduce the average time from order placement to delivery by 48 hours.
The system, which went live at Matalan’s distribution centre in Knowsley in January 2024, was implemented to enhance the retailer’s e-commerce operations and enables one-touch omnichannel distribution from a single pool of stock.
Following its successful collaboration with KNAPP, Matalan placed another order in February for an extension at Knowsley to fulfil retail orders.
Matalan already had experience of pocket sortation, having ordered a pocket sorter from DFT, specialist within the KNAPP group for sortation and sequencing technology, in 2020 after a spike in online orders due to the pandemic.
The success of this pocket sorter led the Matalan team to decide to introduce more automation at the site.
Following competitive tenders, KNAPP was awarded the contract for a second pocket sorter and its Evo Shuttle automated store to fulfil e-commerce orders.
The two pocket sorters each handle 7,500 items per hour, while the automatic Evo Shuttle store has 112 shuttles and can accommodate 100,000 totes.
Together, the systems can fulfil up to 100,000 e-commerce orders a day.
The KNAPP solution also features conveyor systems, 6 decanting stations, 2 spiral conveyors, 17 induct stations and 8 order picking stations.
Matalan also awarded KNAPP a resident service contract to look after the new and existing automation, as well as legacy systems from third parties.
John Smith, Matalan’s Senior Logistics Network Development Manager said: “This was not a greenfield site that could be simply switched on when ready.
"If the Knowsley site was disrupted during this project, customer service for our e-com operation and almost half of our retail estate would be at risk.”
To minimise disruption, the implementation plan allowed one pocket sorter to be running while the other was commissioned and tested through a special link that switched material flows between the systems.
This ensured the project was delivered on time, on budget and with no disruption to service levels at the critical time of the peak pre-Christmas trading period.
With shorter order-processing times and one-touch handling, fulfilment efficiency for e-commerce has increased significantly.
Matalan now enjoys enhanced agility during peak periods and increased order accuracy.
With products pre-picked into pockets and stored in the dynamic buffer, they can be pulled off for orders whenever they are needed.
This improved fulfilment quality has had a positive impact on customer satisfaction, which has also been boosted by Matalan’s ability to push its next-day delivery cut-off time back from 4pm to 10pm.
During the delivery phase of the project, Matalan was able to flex its plans to suit changing consumer habits and – through software modifications – use the automation that had been designed for online orders to handle retail orders in a hybrid system.
This innovation has not only ensured round-the-clock utilisation of the KNAPP systems but has also increased retail fulfilment efficiency by 200%.
In addition, intelligent sortation enables goods picked for retail to be presented in a store-friendly way, enhancing efficiency in Matalan’s shops.
Retail orders are currently picked manually, for the most part, on the ground floor. When the system extension goes live in April 2025.
However, they will be fulfilled at eight of KNAPP’s ergonomic Pick-it-Easy workstations on a mezzanine level, fed by the same Evo Shuttle store.