Automated Nano Fulfillment Solutions

Online order volumes continue to grow, and with them are the increasing expectations of consumers. It isn’t enough for consumers to be able to order nearly every good ever invented, but people expect to be able to choose if they’re willing to pay to get it in an hour, or if they can wait for it to be delivered for free.

For smaller companies and startups, nanofulfillment is a way to compete with the delivery speeds and costs that Amazon has standardized. For large companies, nanofulfillment is part of how they’ll include next-hour delivery as one of their delivery options in many major markets.

Nanofulfillment enables the densest possible storage within arguably the most flexible space. Because the automation that enables nanofulfillment operations is so compact, it allows the smallest possible facilities to be converted into nanowarehouses.

This means that operations can locate their nanodistribution centers as close as possible to the consumer, while also enabling them to have multiple distribution sites located in, and engineered to cater to, different markets.

The proverbial last-mile – the distance between a distribution center and a delivery point – accounts for over half of the cost of delivering goods. Missed delivery windows, inadequate routing, long distances between stops in rural areas, and heavy traffic in cities are just a few of the issues that plague the final delivery.

Nanofulfillment is, to-date, the closest logistics has come to solving the last-mile challenge. Nanofulfillment allows goods to be placed as close to the consumer as possible, while minimizing costs associated with real estate, labor, and processing. They can fit inside the space of a small semi-trailer and handle most of the consumer goods that are driving ecommerce.

Nanofulfillment and microfulfillment both enable warehousing and distribution operations on a small scale. And they both bring companies similar benefits. However, where the goal of microfulfillment is to better manage under-utilized space, the goal of nanofulfillment is to maximize the use of the smallest possible spaces.

The technologies aren’t mutually exclusive, and a company may benefit from including both in their operations. However, pound for pound, nanofulfillment is among the most cost-effective fulfillment solutions on the market.

Nanofulfillment enables the quickest turnaround between a customer ordering a product and that product being ready for pickup or delivery. And because the goods are local to the consumer, customers can receive their orders in as little as fifteen minutes.

Operating at this scale allows smaller companies to give customers an experience that feels customized, and allows larger companies to better granulate their logistics operations.

Nanofulfillment solutions are both standalone fulfillment solutions and pieces of larger operations. With the right controlling software, multiple nanofulfillment solutions can be combined in order to meet an increased demand or to add more selection.

Because they are part of the internet of things, these combinations can either be at the same site or in separate locations.

Nanofulfillment solutions are, to-date, the smallest standalone fulfillment solutions on the market. They store goods in the densest possible configurations, and retrieve goods as efficiently as possible.

A nanofulfillment solution can fit in the space of a single semi-trailer, which means that multiple nanofulfillment solutions can fit into the space of a single vacated corner store. This creates opportunities for minimizing costs by co-locating fulfillment solutions with companies that serve the same markets but aren’t direct competitors.

In order to maximize the use of space while staying accurate, smart storage and retrieval solutions are needed. Manual slotting and picking is too inefficient and error prone for nanofulfillment operations and, to accommodate the necessary speeds and precision, innovative, automated solutions are needed.

A key to accurate slotting and picking in the densest possible configurations is the software used to synchronize the operation’s equipment and processes. Even in an automated nanofulfillment operation, using warehouse management software to pick orders in a way that minimizes wasted motion and maximizes the use of resources is key to maintaining throughput and maximizing efficiency.

Nanofulfillment solutions can be integrated into defunct corner stores or parts of existing storefronts. A hotel’s market, or part of an apartment’s lobby, could be converted into a nanofulfillment center.

By predicting the goods that will be needed, and placing them as close as possible to the end user, orders can be processed and fulfilled in as little as fifteen minutes.