Furniturebox is a Wiltshire-based online furniture retailer established by two 17 year-olds in 2015. In September, it moved from its warehouse in Mere to a new facility in Chippenham, which has now been fitted with automated systems from SSI Schaefer and equipment from UniCarriers.
The move to the new 25,000 ft2 warehouse represented a need for expansion to better respond to increased demand.
SSI Schaefer installed a five-level pallet pick tower and a combination of very narrow aisles (VNA) and wide aisles racking systems ‘to ensure maximum efficiency and immediate selectivity at the new location’. This gives Furniturebox 5,700 pallet locations to fulfil their current needs and be prepared for growth in the near future.
UniCarriers was then brought in to provide warehouse equipment and forklifts, some of which being specifically designed to navigate VNA racking systems. UniCarriers claims that this technology works in conjunction with SSI Schaefer’s systems to ‘ensure improved safety, minimise the unnecessary costs, provide transparency, and optimise their warehouse operations.
UniCarriers provided Furniturebox with two VNA trucks, two reach trucks, and four plant load factor (PLF) trucks.
This equipment is all in operation at the Chippenham facility now, as Furniturebox continues to expand, recently moving into the US market.
SSI Schaefer (Stand i742) will be at IntraLogisteX on 28-29 March 2023 at the NEC Birmingham. For more information, visit www.intralogistex.co.uk.
