The IKEA Covina store, located in the Los Angeles region in the U.S., introduced a new warehouse automation system that vastly improves order fulfillment to ensure customers receive their products quicker than ever before – whether it's in the store or for online orders.
As part of a global initiative, IKEA is looking to harness the benefits of robotics at a larger scale, optimising fulfilment opportunities in stores and introducing ‘dynamic picking’ as part of this value-added service. The initiative is the next step after a pilot project in the IKEA Draper store in 2019, which has given us many opportunities to understand, test and improve on technology.
The automation process has removed the large majority of forklifts all the way from the supplier to the store and ultimately, the consumer. The improved racking system means more items can be kept in stock, which in turn helps manage larger volumes and orders from customers. As an example, IKEA Covina has increased to having 25% of the most popular items and heavy furniture being handled by automation, and this is only the start, as more items are being added by the day.
LA is a growing market for IKEA, with four stores operating in the area. IKEA Covina was chosen for the pilot as it will be the central delivery point for Southern California, which will not only be good for customers, but also for its environmental footprint.
