The Hut Group is a large international retailer that acts as a fulfilment company for a huge range of different ecommerce businesses. Now one of the fastest growing companies in the UK, and one of the UK’s only ‘Unicorns’ ,THG operates 250 online stores. This means that the job of organising the various SKUs is an immense job. Before the introduction to Correx picking bins, THG were using standard sized corrugated picking bins to divide their various product lines, these had to be replaced frequently and become unsightly after months of use.
The challenge
The pick bins that THG were using were made from B fluted corrugated paperboard, that whilst cost effective, deteriorated very quickly. Countless hours were being spent replacing ripped pick bins and moving stock into the new bins. As the current solutions were repeatedly being pulled in and out of pick locations, the front of the bins would become torn, creating an untidy aesthetic. These damaged pick bins also resulted in damaged product and countless lost work hours.
The solution
Sarcina Packaging worked hard to prototype and develop a variety of different pick bin designs in 3mm Correx. The pick bins had to last over two years and had to be easy to construct, as there are over 250,000 pick locations throughout THG’s Omega site. The design also needed to be aesthetically pleasing to be in keeping with the rest of the modern and technology driven site.
The result
In only a couple of months, Sarcina presented a variety of different options before refining a single design that was eventually produced in two sizes. Sarcina produced and delivered 113,000 pick bins, delivered just prior to THG’s peak Christmas period. Since implementation, damages and the need for replacements have reduced massively and the pick bins have provided a significant cost-saving due to their longevity.
