In this special report sponsored by Hai Robotics, you’ll find out how warehouse and fulfillment center operators can avoid relocations and major facility expansion by utilizing current facilities more effectively, via automation.

Most non-automated warehouses have an obvious opportunity when it comes to utilizing the space between the highest rack and the ceiling. With an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) that utilizes robots, you can pack product up to a height of 40 feet.

In other words: Look up. You could be sweating those assets.

The urgency to do so has never been greater. Fulfillment facilities and their staff are being asked to do more with fewer resources. They’re now in direct competition with companies that offer same-day shipping in order to meet consumer demands. The pressures that are making the proposition of automation more and more attractive are many.

Because of the rise of e-commerce, with smaller, direct-to-consumer shipments, there is a greater need for the capability to pick and pack smaller orders. Being able to flex to whatever is coming in through the loading bay is more important than ever.

Upsizing to a new facility or expanding the footprint of an existing one is expensive and challenging, which makes building upwards with an ASRS very attractive, because it utilizes the space you already have.

Scrambling to find extra operators during peak season could be a thing of the past. With a flexible ASRS provider, you can scale the number of robots up and down as you wish. An intuitive user-interface technology makes training easier, too.

But, of course, there are challenges with adding an ASRS to your current facility. This report walks you through the questions you need to ask, and the issues you are likely to face.