Ahlsell Warehouse Optimization with Floating Pick Locations

Facing continued growth and limited warehouse space, Ahlsell partnered with Consafe Logistics to improve flow and scalability using existing Astro WMS® capabilities. A structured Customer Success approach used operational data and innovative methodologies to identify improvement areas, allowing Ahlsell to increase efficiency, release warehouse capacity, and meet growth demands without hiring more staff or buying additional trucks.
 

Challenge

Ahlsell was facing increasing capacity constraints at one of its warehouse sites. Continued growth meant that available warehouse space was becoming a limiting factor, while service levels still had to be maintained. The starting point was not to expand the operation, but to find ways to use the existing warehouse more efficiently. It was about to handle growth without hiring additional staff or investing in more trucks. Instead, Ahlsell wanted to improve efficiency by making better use of the tools and system capabilities already in place.

Together with Consafe Logistics, Ahlsell entered a joint, data-driven improvement initiative utilizing our new Customer Success methodologies. By analyzing operational data from Astro WMS® and carefully assessing Ahlsell’s existing growth possibilities, the teams identified exactly where efficiency could be improved and where warehouse space and flow were being used sub-optimally.

The analysis highlighted several concrete challenges:

• Warehouse space tied up by low-frequency articles in fixed picking locations
• Long and inefficient picking routes in high-activity areas
• Manual and reactive replenishment disrupting picking flow
• Limited flexibility to adjust picking and replenishment to changing volumes

Solution 

The core change was a gradual transition from fixed to floating picking locations, primarily for low-frequency articles. Together, Ahlsell and Consafe Logistics started with a limited set of articles to test the approach, before scaling it step by step based on data and operational feedback.

The solution focused on introducing more flexibility and structure in the warehouse:

• Low-frequency articles were moved to floating picking locations
• Space could be used more dynamically, instead of being locked to fixed locations
• A clearer warehouse structure was introduced, based on picking frequency and order patterns

The change required surprisingly little system configuration in Astro WMS®.

 “In practice, the solution was just a few clicks away. The key was understanding where it actually created value.”  

 Fredrik Olsson, Project Team Leader, Ahlsell  

Equally important was involving warehouse staff early in the process:

• Operators were involved from the start to build understanding and acceptance
• Practical input from daily operations helped shape how the new working methods were applied
• Early involvement created confidence and smoother adoption
  

With floating picking locations in place, Ahlsell moved to a more zone-based and order-driven way of working:

• High-frequency articles were positioned closer to picking and packing
• Low-frequency and new articles were handled in dedicated zones
• Replenishment shifted from manual and level-triggered tasks to a planned, order-driven approach

This combination of system configuration, data-driven decisions, and operational involvement created the foundation for improved efficiency, better space utilization, and more stable daily flow, setting the stage for measurable results.  

Key Results

The changes delivered clear and measurable results in daily operations, both in terms of efficiency and warehouse utilization. 

• 2,500 picking locations freed up, corresponding to approximately 10% of the warehouse area, allowing space to be used where it creates the most value  
• 95% reduction in manually created replenishment tasks, resulting in fewer interruptions and a more stable picking flow  
• Improved picking efficiency through shorter picking routes and better placement of high-frequency articles  
• More consistent daily flow, with replenishment planned outside peak picking hours  
• Greater flexibility to adjust picking and replenishment based on seasonal peaks and campaigns  
  
  

About our Customer Success Service

Our Customer Success Service is a proactive way of working with our customers, using comprehensive Astro WMS® data analysis paired with an innovative methodology for mapping our customers’ growth and adoption possibilities in each critical warehouse process. Together, they not only provide our customers with essential, actionable insight into how their system is performing and what existing deficiencies are costing them, but also clear instructions for reaching the next level in their Astro WMS® journey. 

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