What is a Break Pack Warehouse?
In the warehouse sector for grocery, 3PL, retail, and countless other industries, the term ‘breakpack,’ or ‘break pack,’ refers to the process of breaking cases of product down to individual eaches. Once broken down into separate pieces, products can then be combined into mixed SKU cartons for more efficient, accurate fulfillment.
With labor shortages and supply chain challenges more prevalent than ever, working with warehouse automation companies to automate processes such as this through robotics is crucial to stay competitive. Traditional break pack warehouse strategies can be revamped for greater efficiency and speed through automated distribution centers.
Why Break Pack Warehouses Matter for Businesses
The process of breaking down cases into individual pieces and then combining them into mixed SKU cartons is ubiquitous across countless industries. This work is vital since individual stores will not carry many SKUs in full case quantities. Despite the value of breakpack work, it’s still quite common to have this work completed manually. Automation systems are now readily available and capable of transforming traditional breakpack operations.
Modern automation systems can help increase the efficiency, speed, and accuracy of breakpack operations on several levels. There are two key automation components, automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) and robotic picking that are transforming breakpack operations. ASRS systems provide dense storage and improved pick rates. Improvements in robotic picking have made it possible to pick a much larger variety of SKUs in real-world environments. When you combine robotic picking with an ASRS you amplify the overall solution with increased hit rate and increased throughput.
Not every SKU profile will fit the need for break pack automation accommodations, but that’s exactly why artificial intelligence plays its role. Through AI-enabled robotics, a company can have an organized system that rarely sees downtime or a halt in production. Choosing the right automation solutions comes down to which AI-enabled robotics a company needs and at what capacity.
The Berkshire Grey Solution
Less reliance on labor
Automation is the most powerful tool that distribution and fulfillment warehouses have at their disposal to reduce reliance on labor. While automation won’t completely remove the need for manual oversight, human workers can oversee more complex tasks by allowing machines to perform more menial, repetitive, or dangerous tasks. Not only does this cut down on labor costs, but it also increases employee safety by reducing the need for physical labor.
Reduced costs
Typically, distribution centers and warehouses require the same tasks to be performed countless times per day. Injecting automation and software into these repetitive tasks means you can reduce the number of overall labor hours required for your operation to function at 100%. The ongoing costs of maintaining a team of employees are also reduced due to the decrease in overall personnel.
Benefits of Robotic Break Pack Warehouse Automation
Faster distribution to stores
Breakpacking can be a complex process. While store A might require an eight-count breakpack, store B might need a three-count. The process of tracking, picking, and packing these different needs and breakpack formats can be tedious and slow, especially with manual labor. By utilizing an AI-enabled automation system, it’s possible to do the work of breakpacking with much greater speed while better anticipating and preparing for future needs. Berkshire Grey’s automation systems learn with more time on the job, allowing for efficiency improvements every step of the way.
Less reliance on labor
Many sectors struggle during peak season when labor becomes scarce and consumer demands skyrocket. This issue is only compounded in traditionally labor-heavy tasks such breakpacking. Today, modern automation solutions can reduce the amount of labor needed to complete these tasks, allowing distribution warehouses to have greater throughput and capacity while cutting back on the personnel required to handle high-volume periods.
Why Work with Berkshire Grey?
Access top technology
Industry-leading automation systems are part of what makes Berkshire Grey a trusted partner by countless businesses. Berkshire Grey’s team of robotics and supply chain experts install, test, optimize, and maintain your automation solutions so that you can focus on what’s most important: the growth of your business.
Rich portfolio of solutions
From eCommerce to grocery, convenience, and 3PL, Berkshire Grey is equipped to service a wide variety of industries. Berkshire Grey’s automation solutions can also seamlessly integrate into your existing systems so that you can incrementally transition into a modern, fully automated warehouse or distribution center.
Real-world success
Berkshire Grey is a leading provider of intelligent enterprise robotics with AI-enabled solutions that span the entire supply chain. Berkshire Grey has a proven track record of delivering exceptional performance in complex, real-world environments with enterprise-level clients.
Get Started
with Berkshire Grey
Contact the BG Fulfillment Automation Sales Engineering Team to Learn How to:
- Reduce operations expense by up to 70%.
- Lessen your dependency on labor.
- Bolster facility throughput by up to 25% to 50% with automation.
- Get a customized ROI analysis of your specific environment and business.
Call +1 (833) 848-9900 or connect using our form.
