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BP Rolls visit Ocado for Manufactured in Andover
Date: 26th October 2018
Manufactured in Andover, a business network initiative created by Test Valley Borough Council, visited the Ocado distribution centre this week.
Ocado kindly opened the doors of their automated warehouse in Andover to the group this week, to look at how their market leading futuristic robots have revolutionised the grocery world.
The 1000+ strong robots in the Andover warehouse zoom at 4 metres per second across a structure known as “The Hive”, a criss-crossing network of rails, with 17 layers of packing baskets below. Each robot has the ability to recognise not only where it is, but where others are, to avoid any clashing on this vast system - quite a spectacle to see. To take in the magnitude of the technological advancements demonstrated by Ocado’s development for the lay person is almost impossible. 1000+ robots packing 3.5 million items a week, each uniquely wirelessly communicating, sending signals back to base at a rate of 100 per second to show where it is and what it’s doing is staggering.
The robots’ movements are just the beginning however, then you delve in to the stock control. It is so tightly regimented due to the technology involved, that they generate just a slither of the waste of their competitors. Most supermarkets’ waste level is 12-13%, Ocado manage just 0.5%. Items are delivered and enter ‘The Hive’ directly from their suppliers, and are turned around and shipped to customers with a greatly reduced turnaround time. Not only that, they are able to prioritise by sell by date, so the stock goes to customer in the right order, ensuring that when your food is delivered to your kitchen (yes, not the front door like other competitors!), it is likely to have a longer use by time than their rivals.
Ocado truly are running the warehouse of the future, but it’s comforting to see they also still need humans! Employing circa 750 staff at the Andover site, Ocado are a large employer in the area. Humans are there to do some of the thinking that the robots can’t, and the robots are reassuringly used as the tools they should be, bringing increased efficiency benefits to the business, the staff and their consumers.
BP Rolls Operations Director Tariq Abul took part in the Manufactured in Andover event, during which members of the group were able to speak to staff of all levels in the Ocado warehouse to learn best practice from the ground up, and see for themselves what a truly advanced and automated warehouse can offer businesses in 2018.
Ocado are one of our largest clients in the Andover area. We have been working with them for a number of years now with print and application of graphics for their fleet of home delivery vehicles and accident repairs. Keeping their fleet moving is so important to their business and earlier this year we were trusted with their maintenance and servicing contract at our MOT and Service Centre. Participating in this event has been a great opportunity to not only see what goes on behind the scenes with Ocado, but also given us a chance to connect with other local businesses.
Manufactured in Andover is a best-practice network of engineering/manufacturing businesses, large and small, operating in the Andover area. Businesses take it in turn to host an informal meeting which involves a factory tour, discussion of operational issues such as lean manufacturing etc. together with a special topic such as exporting or skills followed by lunch.
If you would like to know more please contact dgleave@testvalley.gov.uk
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