Finnish e-commerce retailer Verkkokauppa.com has commissioned Swisslog to build an AutoStore solution for handling small e-commerce items. The automated warehouse is being built adjacent to Verkkokauppa.com’s mega-warehouse and distribution center in Jätkäsaari (Busholmen) in Helsinki.
“We deliver nearly 15,000 products a day to customers throughout Finland. Over the past year, e-commerce has grown tremendously, and with our investment in automation, we’ll be able to handle the increased volumes while maintaining a high level of customer service,” says Panu Porkka, CEO of Verkkokauppa.com.
Verkkokauppa.com was founded in 1992, and this automation initiative is the company’s largest investment to date. Once the new facility is complete, it will be essential for continued growth and cost efficiency, as well as an enhanced customer experience resulting from a broader product range, greater availability, and faster deliveries.
“Our main competitive advantages are our extensive product range, combined with efficient distribution and superior technology. We intend to maintain and strengthen these advantages so that we can continue to offer the market the best possible customer experience in the future,” says Panu Porkka.
Construction of the new automated warehouse will begin in the summer of 2021 and is expected to be completed early next year. With this automation, Verkkokauppa.com will increase its space efficiency and create the conditions for shorter lead times and better product availability. The AutoStore solution consists of 36 robots with the capacity to pick 1,000 items per hour.
“We are extremely pleased and proud that Verkkokauppa.com has chosen us as its partner for warehouse automation. The company is a pioneer in Finnish e-commerce and has a large and complex logistics operation,” says Christian Walby, Sales Manager for AutoStore at Swisslog Norway.
Verkkokauppa.com is Finland’s most-visited and popular e-commerce company, offering approximately 65,000 products across 26 different product categories. The products are sold online and in four mega-stores and are distributed through more than 3,000 pickup locations in Finland. Verkkokauppa.com’s shares are listed on NASDAQ Helsinki.
