JD.com's Cosmetics Warehouse Challenges
JD.com’s 108,000 square foot cosmetics warehouse handles a high volume of small, delicate products. Managing complex workflows, ensuring order accuracy, and keeping up with high consumer demand can get quite challenging. High labor and recruitment costs were also a pressing concern, particularly given the labor-intensive nature of cosmetics picking.
JD.com needed a solution that could streamline its operations, reduce costs, and improve picking accuracy—all without interrupting daily operations.
Cosmetics Warehouse Pain Points
1. High Labor and Recruitment Costs
Recruiting workers for a cosmetics warehouse with a high SKU count and complex picking workflows proved costly for JD.com. The warehouse also experienced high turnover, which only increased recruitment and training expenses.
2. Complex Workflows
The cosmetics warehouse handled a wide range of products with different sizes, shapes, and fragility levels. Managing these workflows manually was time-consuming and prone to errors, particularly during peak periods when order volume surged.
3. High Order Volume
As consumer demand for cosmetics products grew, JD.com’s warehouse struggled to keep up with the high order volume. With limited automation, the warehouse relied on manual processes that were not scalable or efficient enough to meet demand.
Cosmetics Warehouse Solutions
JD.com partnered with ForwardX Robotics to deploy a fleet of 23 Flex AMRs across the warehouse. These robots were integrated with ForwardX’s overhead Optix System, an advanced vision and navigation platform that enabled the AMRs to operate autonomously alongside human workers.
1. No Remodeling Necessary
One of the major advantages of ForwardX’s solution was that it required no warehouse remodeling. This allowed JD.com to deploy the AMRs quickly—within just two weeks—without interrupting daily operations.
2. Automated Picking Aisles
JD.com’s warehouse was divided into specific picking zones, with each worker assigned to an aisle. The AMRs would come to meet the workers at their aisle, collect the picked items, and transport them to the packing area. This eliminated the need for long walks across the warehouse, significantly improving both efficiency and accuracy.
3. Optix System for Real-Time Optimization
The Optix System provided JD.com with real-time data on warehouse performance, allowing managers to continuously optimize workflows and monitor robot performance. This data-driven approach ensured that the AMRs were always operating at peak efficiency.
Results & Final Thoughts
The introduction of AMRs into JD.com’s cosmetics warehouse led to the following key results:
- 46% increase in units per hour (UPH)
- 30% reduction in operational costs
- Significantly improved picking accuracy
By automating repetitive tasks and optimizing workflows, JD.com was able to improve efficiency across the board. The ability to scale operations without increasing labor costs allowed JD.com to see a fast return on investment (ROI), making the solution highly cost-effective.
JD.com’s cosmetics warehouse is a prime example of how ForwardX Robotics’ autonomous mobile robots can transform 3PL operations. By automating workflows, reducing labor costs, and improving order accuracy, ForwardX helped JD.com achieve significant gains in efficiency and scalability, all without disrupting daily operations.
Contact us to learn how we can help you customize your operations while significantly reducing costs.
