GoBolt begins roll out of Instock’s robotic AS/RS solution

GoBolt, a technology and fulfillment services company, today announced it has partnered with Instock on a technology-driven warehouse automation initiative.

GoBolt, which offers fulfillment, last-mile delivery, and returns processes services for retailers and brands utlizing a sustainable fleet, is set to go live with Instock's automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) at its Toronto fulfillment center later this month, with plans to roll out the solution to further sites in its network. The companies explained the collaboration will enhance logistics operations by automating routine tasks, allowing warehouse associates to focus on more complex responsibilities, while speeding up order fulfillment.

“GoBolt is committed to driving innovation in the traditional logistics sector through the development and adoption of groundbreaking technology. That's why our team is thrilled to partner with Instock on this exciting automation project,” said Mark Ang, Co-founder and Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of GoBolt. “In addition to advancing automation and improving efficiency for our brand partners, Instock allows our employees to dedicate their efforts to increasingly complex tasks. This is not only a win for warehouse productivity and safety, but also for employee satisfaction.”

Instock's robotic AS/RS is a modular, high-density goods-to-person (GTP) automation solution which can be deployed on a robotics-as-a-service (RaaS) basis. The system's only moving elements are its mobile robots. The companies see the deployment as a strategic partnership aimed at efficient order fulfillment, which can be quickly scaled up to accomodate a range of throughput rates.

“We're inspired by what GoBolt is achieving for brands and retailers,” said Yegor Anchyshkin, Instock's Co-founder and CEO. “Just as impressively, the company is eager to explore and embrace new technologies, like automation, instead of waiting in the wings. When it comes to partnerships, ours with GoBolt is as natural and synergistic as it gets.”

In an interview with Modern, Ang said the first installation is set to go live later this month, and will feature four GTP workstations, with each workstation in the deployment able to process 100 bin presentations per hour. The solution will eliminate non-value added travel for the pickers at the workstations, and enhance overall cycle time for order fulfillment, he added. The system will occupy about 3,500 square feet of the Toronto fulfillment center and can be easily scaled up to handle growing volumes by adding robots or workstations, all without taking down the system down. These capabilities align with GoBolt's objective of supporting the required service levels and growing volumes of fast-growing brands, Ang said.

Ang added that what attracted GoBolt to the Instock solution was its blend of high throughput, storage density, labor productivity, and ease of scalability. “What drew us to the system is that it offers all the positives of more conventional automation including high storage density, throughput, and ability to handle a breadth of SKUs, but without the downside of high upfront CapEx,” Ang said.

GoBolt's in-house engineering department led the project, said Ang, integrating Instock's software with its own custom-developed WMS to manage functions such as order release to the automation, as well as replenishment. The plan is to roll out the automation to further sites in GoBolt's network, which currently numbers 9 fulfillment centers, serving 10 key markets across the U.S. and Canada.