Chinese autonomous mobile robotics (AMR) company Geek+ is helping supermarkets get goods with short shelf lives out to locations for their customers in record time.

The cross-docking system is said to reduce inventory storage period, quicken the picking speed and meet the same-day delivery needs of mainstream ecommerce, retail, fresh food and other scenarios where shelf lives are short.

In the distribution centre especially, time is at a premium, with orders waiting to be filled as soon as goods are received. Whereas traditional cross-docking approaches could handle volumes of 150 to 200 cases received and dispatched per hour, Geek+ P800 robots process inventory at a rate of 300 to 500 cases per hour while retaining order fulfilment accuracy of 99.99%. This puts food and other perishables onto supermarket shelves quickly and reduces waste while delivering fresh ingredients to consumers.

“AMR-driven cross-docking is a major boon to supermarket operations everywhere,” said Kai Liu, Geek+ vice president. “By entrusting this crucial step of the supply chain to robotics technology, we can minimise the time foodstuffs spend in storage and maximise the time they are on the shelves where people can enjoy them. This is another example of how AMRs can improve our quality of life.”

The AMRs simplify cross-docking operations. Whole pallets are received and directly put away and picked without unstacking. Algorithms intelligently manage the inventory, compile order pallets, and then automatically deliver them to collection points. The flexibility allows temporary storage and order collection to be done simultaneously in the same area. The reduction in space and overall steps between receiving and distribution means one terminal can support more stores.

The technology can be implemented and operational in two months, meaning the boost in productivity and return on investment can be realised quickly. Two global top-ten supermarket chains have already implemented the cross-docking technology in their distribution centres.

Founded in 2015, Geek+ has more than 1500 employees, with offices in Germany, UK, USA, Japan, South Korea, China, Hong Kong and Singapore.