From car jacks and mixers to Allen keys: Draper Tools offers equipment for the construction, automotive, mechanical engineering, and agricultural sectors. The British company continues to expand. With this growth come increasing logistical challenges. SSI Schäfer is there to support them.
The tool wholesaler is currently maximizing its efficiency with a semi-automated warehouse solution. This includes a flow rack with pick-by-light, wide-span shelving, modular shelving, and container conveyor technology. It's an efficient goods-to-person solution designed to save storage space and optimize shipping times.
Operations Director M. Boschi
In 2019, Draper Tools approached intralogistics expert SSI Schäfer to relocate its order picking and storage operations to a new site in North Baddesley, Hampshire. The goal was to optimize the use of existing warehouse space, improve processes, and reduce shipping times. This challenging task could only be accomplished through exceptionally close collaboration. "Throughout the entire project, the support from SSI Schäfer was outstanding. We felt like we had a partner who was not only working with us, but also for us. They took the time to understand our complex business processes and helped us optimize them," praised Matt Boschi, Operations Director at Draper Tools.
Smart order picking
From an initial automation idea, SSI Schäfer and Draper Tools jointly developed a solution perfectly tailored to the warehouse layout, operations, and diverse SKUs of the tool wholesaler: 12 picking stations with pick-by-light flow racks for fast-moving items and shelving for slow-moving items, connected by a container conveyor system across three levels. The semi-automated system, with 420 containers, operates on a goods-to-person principle and is designed to enable the efficient picking of up to 10,000 units per day.
Photos: SSI Schäfer
As soon as an order is received, the orders are assigned to the containers, which are automatically started by the container destacker. The containers are transported via the conveyor system to the carton flow rack system (CFR) on the second floor and stocked there using pick-by-light technology. The CFR is ideal for small parts and, thanks to its robust roller tracks, enables smooth flow from the loading to the picking side. This significantly reduces employee walking distances, minimizes replenishment efforts, and speeds up order picking. The compact storage system also ensures optimal use of available space. In addition to increased storage capacity, Draper Tools has also been able to significantly improve the quality of its processes: picking errors, the company says, are virtually eliminated by the pick-by-light system, and picking speed has been considerably increased.
Holistic solution
Handling large SKUs is also easily accomplished with the new semi-automated solution. This is made possible by shelving units that can be flexibly adapted to a wide variety of items and individually expanded in height, depth, and bay width, as well as wide-span racking for bulky and heavy goods. Goods are picked into containers and transported to the first floor, where the entire process is repeated. A freight elevator is available for items too large for a container. Seamless material flow is guaranteed: conveyor technology connects all levels and workstations, right up to packaging and shipping on the ground floor. The sophisticated yet simple layout saves valuable space and offers Draper Tools all the options for adjustments and future growth.
The move to automation has already paid off for Draper Tools. Within just six months of commissioning the new warehouse solution, the most important goals were achieved. Operations Director Matt Boschi: "We saw a significant increase in picking and packing speed."
