Bluegrass Supply Chain

Overview & Challenge

Bluegrass Supply Chain is a third-party logistics (3PL) provider based in Bowling Green, KY. Founded in 2002, they strive to deliver innovative solutions to make their customers and their supply chains better. Serving primarily automotive, food and beverage, and consumer goods companies, Bluegrass provides value added fulfillment, Just-in-Time/Just-in-Sequence, cross docking, ecommerce fulfillment, light assembly, and engineering support services over a five-state region.

The team at Bluegrass Supply Chain has witnessed remarkable results after integrating autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from Locus Robotics into their operations.

Improved Efficiency

AMRs have revolutionized the Bluegrass workflow, setting the pace for their team members. Their robots take the most efficient path and proactively alert the team to delays.

With the AMRs, Bluegrass has seen a 200% increase in picking efficiency. In fact, the time to get a picker to pick at rate has been reduced from two weeks to two hours since introducing AMRs! The robots allow pickers to work hands-free and keep their processes running smoothly, allowing Bluegrass to handle orders more quickly and effectively.

Reduced Errors

The use of AMRs has significantly reduced the chance of human errors in order picking and inventory management.

Results

Third-party logistics company reduces picking time with LocusBots

Increased Flexibility & Scalability

AMRs have allowed Bluegrass Supply Chain to scale their operations based on demand. During peak periods, such as the holiday season, they can easily add or remove robots as needed. This agile scalability enables them to manage increased order volumes without over-investing in permanent infrastructure.

Cost Savings

By automating repetitive tasks, AMRs have significantly reduced labor costs. Moreover, the robots require less infrastructure than traditional automation systems, resulting in lower upfront investment and maintenance expenses. Their initial training time has also been reduced from two weeks to just one day, maximizing efficiency.

Safety & Ergonomics

AMRs have taken over physically demanding tasks and the need to hold scanners during product scanning. Instead of pushing heavy carts through the operation, pickers utilize the AMRs. This technology has also reduced travel in the warehouse for pickers by 75%. AMRs have improved ergonomics and reduced the risk of workplace injuries for Bluegrass team members, emphasizing their commitment to safety and well-being.

Integrating AMRs into Bluegrass Supply Chain processes has yielded remarkable results. They have witnessed substantial improvements in efficiency, error reduction, flexibility, scalability, cost savings, worker safety, customer experience, and sustainability. The benefits of AMRs have surpassed their expectations and solidified the position of AMRs as a transformative technology in the world of supply chain management.

Overview & Challenge

Improved Efficiency

Reduced Errors

Critical Factors for Implementing Automation at Bluegrass

Safety

Order Accuracy

Productivity