a multibrand third-party logistics distribution center serving retail stores across a northern region
How an Apparel 3PL Warehouse Raised Pick Productivity 113% With RFID AMRs
A multibrand apparel DC deployed RFID-equipped picking AMRs in two weeks, lifting units per hour 113% while reaching 99.99% accuracy and cutting operating costs 52%.
- 113%
- UPH gain
- 99.99%
- pick accuracy
- 52%
- cost savings
- 2 wks
- deployment
Based on a documented real-world deployment. Figures are from public reporting; the organization is not named.
Paper picks that could not keep up
A multibrand third-party logistics distribution center serving retail stores across a northern region ran a roughly 54,000 square foot facility on manual, paper-based picking. Seasonal spikes in apparel orders collided with recruitment and training costs, and error rates created financial loss on mis-picks.
Associates spent long walks between aisles and sort areas. Leadership needed a way to raise units per hour without rebuilding the entire building or adding headcount every peak season.
- Paper pick lists and separate check steps
- Seasonal demand swings on apparel SKUs
- High walk time between pick and pack zones
Pick-to-go AMRs with onboard RFID
Operations deployed a fleet of compact AMRs with fleet management software so pickers meet the robot at the aisle instead of pushing carts across the floor. Each unit carried an onboard RFID scanner and label printer so pick, verification, and pack labels happen in one stop.
The rollout finished in about two weeks. Pickers follow on-screen instructions, load totes on the AMR, and send completed orders to a sort zone while the robot routes to the next pick face.
- Two-week deployment in an existing 54,000 sq ft layout
- RFID scan and label print at the pick location
- Fleet software assigns robots across apparel zones
Documented productivity and accuracy gains
Units picked per hour rose 113 percent after go-live, more than doubling throughput versus the prior manual average cited in trade coverage. Picking accuracy reached 99.99 percent, cutting rework from mis-picks.
Operating costs fell 52 percent as labor dependency dropped and seasonal peaks no longer required the same surge hiring. DC Velocity reported the site moving from about 150 units per hour to roughly 320 with far less walking between tasks.
What apparel 3PLs can borrow
High-mix apparel benefits when AMR rental or lease pairs with RFID verification at the pick face, not a bolt-on scanner on a cart. Service Robot Co. compares cart-towing and shelf AMR options vendor neutrally, then structures warehouse robot rental monthly or capital purchase with mapping and picker training.
A two-week pilot lane proves UPH and accuracy before you expand aisles. We integrate fleet software with your WMS where possible and keep a nationwide network of regional service engineers on call for triage between peak seasons.