Bruges Belgium FlashPick® Automated Warehouse System
⭐Key Features
- •TGW FlashPick® goods-to-person system enabling high productivity for double-digit annual growth
- •Modular design supporting flexible future expansion to accommodate ongoing business growth
- •High-density storage solution maximizing inventory capacity on limited facility space
- •People-centric integration with strong stakeholder alignment during concept development and negotiations
- •Proven reference track record and workwear sector expertise from TGW
📊Results & Benefits
- ✓Handled double-digit annual growth through automated process optimization
- ✓Increased throughput volume significantly with the same number of employees
- ✓Addressed labor scarcity challenges in the Bruges region through reduced workforce dependency
- ✓Achieved high-density storage, maximizing inventory on limited facility space
- ✓Gained flexible expansion capability to support future business growth
🎯Challenges & Solutions
Managing double-digit annual growth with manual processes that required excessive space
Implemented TGW FlashPick® automated system to optimize space and handle increased volume
Labor scarcity in the Bruges region making it difficult to hire additional staff
Automation increased productivity per employee, eliminating the need for extra hires
Limited facility space constraining inventory storage capacity
High-density storage design of the FlashPick® system maximized storage on available area
Need for flexible infrastructure to support ongoing future growth
Modular system design enables seamless expansion without major operational disruption
📝Project Overview
Project Overview
A Belgian company experiencing double-digit annual growth faced critical operational challenges in Bruges, including the inability to scale manual processes, labor scarcity in the region, and limited facility space. Manual operations required excessive surface area to handle growing volume, while hiring additional staff became increasingly difficult due to low availability in the local market. The company needed a solution that could accommodate ongoing growth, reduce workforce dependency, and maximize storage capacity on limited space.
Core objectives included addressing double-digit growth through process optimization, overcoming labor shortages, and gaining flexibility for future expansion. The company sought a partner with proven references, sector expertise (particularly in workwear), and the ability to align with their team during concept development and negotiations. After evaluating options, TGW Logistics was selected for its strong track record, collaborative approach, and the modular, high-density design of its FlashPick® system.
The project centered on implementing TGW’s FlashPick® goods-to-person automation, tailored to the company’s needs for productivity, flexibility, and space efficiency. The solution was designed to work within the existing facility constraints while providing a clear pathway for future expansion.
Technical Solution
TGW FlashPick® Goods-to-Person System
The core technology is TGW’s FlashPick® system, an automated goods-to-person solution that optimizes picking and storage processes. The system retrieves inventory from high-density storage and delivers it directly to ergonomic workstations, eliminating unnecessary employee movement. This design significantly increases productivity per employee, enabling the company to handle higher volumes without additional hires—directly addressing labor scarcity.
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Key Features
The FlashPick® system’s goods-to-person design is a core feature, increasing productivity by minimizing employee movement and streamlining picking tasks. This directly addresses the company’s need to handle more volume with the same number of staff.
Modular design offers exceptional flexibility, allowing the company to expand the system as growth continues. This future-proofing ensures the solution remains relevant and scalable without requiring major investments in new infrastructure.
High-density storage maximizes inventory capacity on limited space, solving the company’s critical constraint of insufficient surface area for manual operations. This design ensures the facility can accommodate growing inventory needs.
The partnership with TGW was strengthened by proven references and workwear sector expertise, providing the company with confidence in the solution’s suitability for their specific industry requirements.
Strong stakeholder alignment during concept development and negotiations ensured the system was tailored to the company’s unique needs, fostering smooth implementation and adoption.
Results & Benefits
The primary achievement is the successful management of double-digit annual growth, as the automated system handles significantly higher volume than manual processes. This growth support ensures the company can capitalize on market opportunities without operational bottlenecks.
Productivity per employee increased substantially, with the same number of staff processing far higher volumes. This directly addresses the labor scarcity challenge in the Bruges region, eliminating the need for difficult-to-source additional hires.
High-density storage maximized inventory capacity on limited facility space, resolving the company’s space constraints. This efficiency allows the company to maintain adequate inventory levels without facility expansion.
The modular design provides flexible expansion capability, giving the company confidence to pursue future growth knowing the system can scale accordingly. This agility is critical in a dynamic market environment.
The automated solution reduced dependency on manual labor, mitigating the risk of operational disruption due to labor shortages. This reliability ensures consistent service levels even in a tight labor market.
Challenges & Solutions
The company’s primary challenge was managing double-digit annual growth with manual processes that required excessive space. TGW’s FlashPick® system addressed this by automating workflows, optimizing space usage, and handling increased volume efficiently.
Labor scarcity in the Bruges region made hiring additional staff difficult. The automation solution increased productivity per employee, enabling the company to handle more volume without extra hires, directly overcoming the labor shortage.
Limited facility space constrained storage capacity for growing inventory. The high-density storage design of the FlashPick® system maximized storage on available space, eliminating the need for facility expansion.
The need for flexible infrastructure to support ongoing growth required a scalable solution. TGW’s modular system design enables seamless expansion, ensuring the company can grow without major operational disruption or additional capital expenditure.
System Integrator
TGW Logistics served as the system integrator and technology provider for the project, delivering its FlashPick® automated solution tailored to the company’s specific needs. TGW was selected based on three key factors: proven references and workwear sector expertise, strong alignment with the company’s team during concept development and negotiations, and the flexible, modular design of its solution.
TGW’s responsibilities included system design, supply of the FlashPick® goods-to-person technology, integration of high-density storage, and implementation of supporting WMS/WES software. The company’s collaborative approach ensured the solution was aligned with the company’s operational goals and growth trajectory.
The successful implementation reflects TGW’s ability to deliver industry-specific automated solutions that address core operational challenges—growth management, labor scarcity, and space constraints. The partnership’s focus on alignment and flexibility has positioned the company to sustain growth while maintaining operational efficiency in a challenging market environment.
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📚Related Knowledge Articles (2)
Goods-to-Person Systems
Goods-to-Person (G2P) systems revolutionize warehouse operations by bringing inventory directly to stationary picking stations, eliminating worker travel time and maximizing productivity. These automated systems combine storage, retrieval, and presentation technologies to create highly efficient picking environments.
Shuttle Systems
Shuttle systems use autonomous vehicles traveling on rails within racking structures to store and retrieve totes or cartons, providing flexible high-density automated storage with scalable throughput.
