Radial, a leading B2C e-commerce order fulfilment solutions provider and part of the Belgian bpostgroup, automated its fulfilment centre in Poland to tailor to the needs of the e-commerce customers. The capacity of the warehouse reaches 22 million units a year.
Radial continuously pushes the boundaries of innovation, ensuring its position at the forefront of automated fulfilment. This, coupled with adaptable and forward-thinking teams, allows the company to provide each customer with a tailored and inventive 3PL solution.
“Radial recognizes the strategic importance of the Polish market for significant expansion. We prioritise opening new warehouses, particularly in the thriving Wroclaw area. Our client base diversification includes health and beauty brands and fashion companies, enabling us to serve a wider range of customers. By focusing on automation in these sectors, Radial becomes the preferred partner for e-commerce fulfilment” – said Tomasz Okowiak, General Manager of Radial Poland.
Doubling capacity
Radial has been present in Poland since 2019. The current Radial facility in Poland was built in 2020 and is now fully equipped to meet the order fulfilment requirements of brands and online retailers. Its state-of-the-art automated solution provided by KNAPP AG, advanced systems, experienced staff and e-commerce experts allows the site to double its order processing capacity within a day.
Anton Tschurwald, Vice President Retail Solutions at KNAPP AG, said: “After agreeing the basic design principles with Radial, we held workshops to get into the finer details, which is how we turn good solutions into excellent solutions for the customer. This was the first project we worked on with Radial. We very quickly realized the teams were a good fit, with fast decision-making, and we were able to respond to all the challenges in a sustainable way”.
State-of-the-art automation
17,000 square meters of warehouse space is divided into automated and manual sections. The capacity of the manual section reaches 14 million units a year. The automated area has been specifically configured to process the orders of Radial Poland’s principal customer, the world’s leading producer of natural essential oils, cosmetics, and dietary supplements. It was designed for 7 million units a year.
The automation installed in Radial’s facility in Poland features an innovative SDA (A-frame) system, which can handle small beauty products, like 15 ml bottles of essential oils. A pick-to-light technology supports non-standard order picking, such as promotional kits. This is combined with conveyors, automatic labelling and sorters to route shipments to up to 15 different transport stations.
Impressive efficiency gains are achieved by integrating automation with state-of-the-art warehouse management (WMS) and transportation management systems (TMS), including Manhattan, considered the best in the world for managing warehouse processes. They are utilized here for customer service, delivery monitoring, inventory management, and shipment tracking.
Prime location
Radial’s fulfilment center in Poland is located near Warsaw, in one of the largest logistics parks in central Poland, close to the airport, major highways, and most courier companies. This prime location ensures excellent access to other regions within the country and markets throughout Europe. Radial Poland already ships to Europe, USA, Canada, Israel and China, but it can deliver across the globe using carriers, couriers and transport companies selected by Radial customers from a pool of more than 200 operators.
Sustainable practices
Sustainability is an essential aspect of Radial Poland’s fulfilment operations. Energy-efficient lighting systems and intelligent heating systems are utilized to control emissions and regulate temperature. The Polish site is powered by renewable energy. Waste segregation and electronic waste records are practiced. The warehouse holds BREAAM In-Use and FSC CoC certifications. It is also adapted to handling eco-friendly products.
The logistics park, where Radial Poland’s warehouse is located, includes charging stations for electric cars, a bicycle station, car-sharing areas, and a public transport stop. New tree and shrub plantings are regularly carried out, and bird and insect boxes are installed.
Interesting figures Radial Poland
- Surface: 17.000 square meters or almost 3 football pitches
- Capacity: Automation designed for 7 million units a year; Manual capacity 14 million units a year
- Workforce: 200 people on average, 300+ people in peak seasons
About Radial
Radial, Inc., a bpostgroup company, is a global expert in B2C eCommerce fulfilment solutions. For over 30 years, premier brands worldwide have confidently partnered with Radial to deliver their brand promises, anticipate and respond to industry disruption, and compete in a rapidly evolving market. In Europe, Radial provides a full range of fulfilment services, including unloading, transportation, warehousing, order picking and personalization, packaging, and shipping, as well as handling returns and claims, and support from dedicated customer service and transportation representatives. With Radial services, brands confidently deliver the high-value customer experiences required today. Expansive network of Radial fulfilment centers in the US, Canada, Belgium, Netherlands, Germany, Italy, UK, and Poland, the most advanced solutions in automation and robotics, as well as warehouse management, flexible transportation services and advanced omnichannel technologies help clients meet increasing consumer expectations and maintain market competitiveness. As part of the bpostgroup, Radial has the strength and stability to invest alongside customers, an established network in the last-mile delivery community, and a commitment to sustainable solutions. Radial is agile, flexible, scalable, and focused on its customers’ business objectives.
Learn how Radial delivers today’s retail at: www.radial.com and LinkedIn Radial Europe: https://www.linkedin.com/company/radial-europe/
Radial Contact
Joanna Stankiewicz
marketingeurope@radial.com
