Top notch Distributors

Architectural hardware wholesaler increases pick rate by 3x over manual piece picking.

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Warehouse associate using a workstation with two monitors and a laptop

Top Notch Distributors Leverages Data To Drive Optimisation

Architectural hardware wholesaler increases pick rate by 3x over manual piece picking.

Top Notch Distributors, a premier architectural hardware wholesaler, fulfils both retail and e-commerce orders for a number of traditional hardware resellers and locksmiths in the United States.

After analysing their operation, leaders at Top Notch found their biggest challenge was time spent on picking—and specifically walking—in the warehouse. Seeking to gain efficiencies in their picking operation by reducing walking time and increasing efficiency at the pick face, Top Notch engaged with Ocado Group.

Establishing Confidence

For their first deployment, Top Notch implemented Ocado Group’s Chuck AMR solution into their recently expanded distribution centre in Carson City, NV where they achieved rates 179% better than their manual pick rate. After seeing success at this first location, they moved with confidence to deploy a larger fleet of Chucks into their newly-built fulfilment centre in St. Charles, MO, where they tripled their pick rates.

Data-Driven Decision Making

After achieving a 3x improvement in picking speed, Top Notch found that their replenishment tasks were falling behind. Catching up meant that picking would begin later in the day than before. However, despite the delayed start, they found picking rates further increased.

“As the order backlog increases, metres per line decreases and rates are improved significantly,” explains Nick Fernandez, a Robotics Performance Engineer at Ocado Group.

In other words, orders would build up in volume within Chuck AMR’s intelligent allocation system, increasing pick density per pick run and raising pick rates. Using insights from the data their solution provides, the leaders at Top Notch refined their operational changes to drive an additional 16.5% improvement in pick rates in just two weeks.

Warehouse associate picking products beside a Chuck AMR in a storage aisle

At A Glance

Challenge:

Too much time spent picking and walking

Solution:

30 Chuck AMRs across three distribution centres

Result:

3x pick rate improvement
Additional 16.5% pick rate improvement in 2 weeks through data insights
Significantly increased employee retention

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3 x Pick rate improvement

16.5 % Additional Pick Rate
Improvement Within 2 Weeks

Testimonials

Patrick HoulihanDirector of Operations

We were so happy with the results. We saw double what we expected out in Nevada. We knew when we came to a space like St. Charles, which was so much bigger, we were going to see an even greater value.

Patrick HoulihanDirector of Operations

It took us all a little while to validate and establish, but we were able to visit other customers and carefully look at our data to evaluate whether [Chuck AMR] was the right fit for us. The Ocado team visited us multiple times and through all of that, we were able to come to the conclusion that it was.

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