DSV, the global supplier of transport and logistics, invests in twenty fulfilment centres equipped with AutoStore technology implemented by Element Logic. This will enable warehouse automation for companies of all sizes in both B2B and B2C across Europe, North America, and Asia-Pacific countries.

“With DSV Fulfilment warehouse, companies do not need to be multinational to get automated, competitive, and efficient warehousing. We know there is a significant gap in the market for automated warehouse solutions for companies without enormous volumes. This is because these solutions, such as AutoStore, often only are accessible as a single-user solution for companies with a certain scale,” explains Ronald Poort, Executive Vice President at DSV. 

“We are investing significantly in a string of 20 interconnected automated facilities across several continents. By doing so, we are providing companies of all sizes with the opportunity to get access to DSV’s automated solutions, matching their fluctuating needs. For this combination of large-scale multi-user facilities with AutoStore technology we wanted to partner up with an experienced international leader. Element Logic has been a true partner to us; they have provided the flexibility we are looking for to support the rapid growth of contract logistics within DSV.”

The concept aims to be relevant for both existing and new DSV customers who can benefit from more flexibility – creating an efficient, cost-effective and flexible solution for the company.  

“With a proven technological solution, combining decades of experience between ourselves and AutoStore, and the implementation of our eManager software, DSV will benefit from a significant competitive advantage when serving both existing and new customers,” says Håvard Hallås, Chief Commercial Officer, Element Logic.

Hallås believes DSV’s solution represents an exciting opportunity in a market that is characterised by growth: “Providing integrated solutions and a common technology across countries and continents brings competitive advantages. It is an exciting time for DSV.”

He continues: “As the world’s largest AutoStore distributor and a global player, we are excited to work with and support customers with locations across all continents. The interconnectivity across warehouses brings flexibility into the picking, packaging, and delivery processes, as the system will automatically choose the product at the warehouse closest to the delivery point for swift delivery.”

Increased flexibility, lower costs and closer to the end-user 

Optimising the warehouse setup to cope with the surge in e-commerce demand is a challenge, especially for small and medium-sized companies. There are typically two weak points that need to be addressed; warehouses must be located strategically close to the end-user to secure swift distribution to the nearby areas, as well as the flexibility to manage fluctuation in demand. 

With DSV Fulfilment warehouse, these weak points are addressed. Goods-to-person automated workstations in a plug and play format enables DSV to accommodate the surge in, for instance, e-commerce demand, by allowing the skilled warehouse employees to work more efficient than before.

Addressing the labour shortage 

Poort says that the rapid rise of e-commerce and, by definition, the increase in the need for piece picking, makes automated warehouses essential: “These goods-to-person picking systems remove a lot of process waste and enable us to use individuals for jobs they do best – which is not walking about.” 

Especially in peak seasons, the value of scalable automation is important. Scaling up and adding more people into the already crowded aisles in a manual warehouse is more challenging. Consistency and quality in peak seasons is where automation has its real value. 

Automated warehouses implemented by Element Logic that are already in operation include: Kolding in Denmark; Oslo in Norway; Helsinki in Finland; and Venlo in the Netherlands. Warehouses to be deployed the coming months include: Tamworth in the UK; Duisburg in Germany; Barcelona in Spain; Hedehusene in Denmark; and Stockholm in Sweden. 

Further warehouses in Europe, North America and the Asia Pacific region are planned in the next few years. 

More information 

Read more about the DSV Fulfilment Factory concept on DSV.com