How can automation and digitization improve efficiency and a team’s wellbeing?

Capitalizing on momentum from the success of Officework’s customer fulfilment center (CFC) in Derrimut, Victoria, the leading retailer has looked west to progress the modernization of its supply chain.

After opening in mid-2021, the Victorian CFC is running at full stride thanks to Infios’s technology expertise, and is powered by 116 Geek+ solar-powered Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) and 32 sortation robots.

Officeworks has continued its partnership with Infios to increase the speed of stock delivery to customers and stores, as well as improve availability and inventory management of tens of thousands of products through a new 15,000 sqm site in Perth, Western Australia.

The new CFC is the most sophisticated of the national network, and is the equivalent size of more than eight Australian Football League (AFL) fields, or 12 Olympic swimming pools.

Officeworks Tom Weinmann, General Manager Supply Chain explained that the facility serves multiple functions, on top of being an online distribution centre, fulfilling all customer orders from Western Australia. The new CFC will stock the entire product range Officeworks is known for including tech, office supplies, education resources, furniture and arts & crafts.

“This new CFC fulfils products from a store perspective and has multi-distribution capability. We will be able to complete customer orders as well as having cross-docking and international distribution if need be, meaning the facility has been built with an ability to upscale in the future,” Tom Weinmann, General Manager at Officeworks said.

Officeworks has shown commitment to investment in supply chain, of which Tom says the business, team and customers are already enjoying the benefits from. This Perth CFC will improve operations to support the advancements the retailer has already undertaken on the eastern seaboard. With 150 percent more bulk storage than Officework’s current CFC, the business anticipates huge improvements in fulfilment of stock on hand, maximizing delivery operations across its growing customer base in Western Australia.

Designed with an eye on the future, where adaptability and scalability are paramount, the purpose-built building serves the needs of today while remaining agile for future challenges.

"This remarkable initiative showcases Officeworks' commitment to both efficiency and sustainability, and the collaboration with Infios has been instrumental in achieving these goals," Tom said.

"We are a partner-driven organization and we are in the business of building long-term partnerships with people we trust. Infios certainly fit that description, and we’re thrilled to expand on our success with the deployment of the latest supply chain technologies in Victorian facilities.”

Officeworks is using Infios’s renowned Warehouse Management System (WMS) integrated with 90 autonomous solar-powered Geek+ mobile robots, directly controlled from Infios cloud platform. The center will reach its capacity of 150 robots by 2025 with Infios’s Robot-as-a-Service (RaaS) enabling the CFC to scale efficiently during peak periods.

Showcasing the retailer’s commitment to people and the planet, both the facility and its robots are solar-enabled. Additionally, Officeworks has installed Silverline pallet racking within the fulfilment center; a sustainable racking option which has prevented 19 tons of CO2 from entering the atmosphere - the equivalent offset of 950 trees.

"We have recycling facilities and a cotton compactor that will recycle plastics as well. More of our materials or bollards are made from recycled material," Tom said.

A drive to become more efficient has underscored this exciting new project, which is one of the primary reasons Officeworks has chosen Infios’s Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) to operate on the warehouse floor.

The use of AMRs increases storage capacity, throughput and accuracy and is an example of flexible technology which can be scaled to adapt to market changes.

“Our throughput capacity in our existing facilities has more than doubled. This is a huge factor, while the second biggest driver is accuracy. When you look at this technology and how easy it is to use, it makes sense that we have made huge ground on accuracy as well,” Tom said.

Tom explained the working relationship with Infios is focused on improving business objectives, but also the wellbeing of Officeworks staff. The CFC features state-of-the-art facilities to support team member health, safety and wellbeing. It also implemented a range of sustainability initiatives which include solar panels to generate renewable energy, rainwater tanks and irrigation systems, sophisticated recycling systems, electric car charging stations and recycled plastic safety bollards and bins.

“A positive aspect of our relationship with Infios is the ongoing collaboration and the willingness to refine and work through optimum solutions,” Tom said. “With the layout of this new facility, not only is the automation improving the safety of staff, but we have one entrance we all walk through, which makes everyone feel united and welcome as you walk onto site.”

Infios Managing Director, Anthony Beavis said Infios’s automation and technology experts were delighted to be working with Officeworks on its transformation journey.

“Following the successful rollout of our flexible and agile tech solutions at the Victorian CFC in 2021, we are proud to continue our partnership and support Officeworks supply chain upgrade at its purpose-built CFC in Perth, Western Australia,” Anthony noted.

Infios’s best-in-class Warehouse Management System, robotics technology and AI-powered solutions proactively monitoring daily operations will enable Officeworks to increase capacity and fulfilment volumes, as well as provide an extra layer of scalability at its new advanced facility in Perth. Anthony explained that Infios remains steadfast on growing itself in order to help the iconic Australian brand in the future.

“Infios is growing our support network, we have invested significantly within our support network globally, we're now using AI to identify potential risks or pain points before they arise for the customer,” he said.  “We will be utilising this technology in Officeworks’s WMS and across their robotic system to make sure we continue to progress our level of support and service within this important partnership.”