Portwest

Trusted by millions of workers in more than 160 countries, Portwest is one of the world’s fastest growing workwear businesses. To keep up with demand for its wide range of innovative products, including high-viz jackets, PPE kits, and safety gloves, the company is increasingly embracing automation to improve productivity and reduce waste. As part of this journey, it commissioned an Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) at its distribution center in Barnsley, UK. The system replaces what was formally a fully manual fulfilment process, transforming the business’s ability to satisfy demand for its products.

Following the implementation of Daifuku’s four-crane Mini Load AS/RS solution, Portwest has increased its productivity levels tenfold. Under its previous entirely manual fulfillment process, only 30 boxes could be processed per hour; however, automation enables them to fulfill 300 per hour. Automation has also dramatically reduced the rate of mis-picks, thereby increasing service levels and customer satisfaction.

Fully operational in summer 2024, the new warehouse automation system at Portwest’s 15,000 sq m facility in Barnsley has more than doubled handling capacity, thereby enabling the business to meet anticipated demand for its products.

In simple terms, the Portwest operation works on the basis of a central in-feed of cartons, which are transported to appropriate zones (A, B or C) of the high-bay storage racking, depending on their demand profile. Daifuku worked closely with ULMA, its preferred European partner, to develop and install all of the in-feed transit conveyor systems.

Daifuku’s four cranes, the heart of the Mini Load system, are highly versatile and can handle plastic containers, trays or in this case cardboard cartons. When called, cartons are delivered from the AS/RS facility into one of three lines:

Lane one

These items replenish the adjoining AutoStore, which serves pick and pack orders.

Lanes two and three

Handle bulk orders to customers, supplying cartons for onward dispatch via next day delivery.

One of the benefits of this system is its simplicity. Once a consignment of goods arrives, all operators need to do is enter a carton into the system and automation will do the rest. As long as it has a barcode or label, the AS/RS will store it away until it is called upon.