AL Abdul Karim
Project Overview
Al Abdul Karim & Co. is a leading retail company in the Middle East renowned for offering globally recognised brands. Currently operating 141 stores under its in-house brands across Saudi Arabia, the company aims to expand its footprint to over 300 stores by 2027. This growth will be supported by its central distribution centre in Kaden, Riyadh, which spans 5,400 square metres.
Business Challenges
- Establish a central distribution centre capable of handling over 600,000 fresh inventory daily across all brands.
- Identify the ideal put-away, storage, picking, and sorting pedagogy for B2B and B2C operations.
- Determine the optimal blend of human effort, mechanisation, and automation.
- Ensure smooth man-material-equipment flow, foster healthy working conditions, and support scalability.
Our Solutions
- Designed unidirectional flow for both personnel and materials.
- Optimised tall pallet racking storage by minimising aisle space using articulated forklifts.
- Enhanced cube storage with column-supported mezzanines and multi-tier shelving systems, incorporating standard storage bins and Meiser gratings catwalks for better air circulation and efficient use of hand pallet trucks.
- Increased store service capacity while reducing human intervention through automation.
- Barcode readers are used during picking to reduce strain and fatigue.
- Lifts and separate motorised flatbed and spiral conveyors for vertical SKU movement in B2B and B2C operations, boosting order processing speed.
- Automated route-wise sorting of picked materials using swivel wheel sorters to increase sorting productivity.
- Put-to-light systems for store-wise sorting, ensuring accurate packing.
- Lightweight packing slip handheld printers for efficiency
- Seamless integration of physical processes and the warehouse management system (WMS).
- Improved productivity with ergonomic, durable operating trolleys and well-lit checking and packing stations, ensuring appropriate LUX levels and rigorous monitoring.
- Recommended a resource requirement and utilisation matrix to optimise warehouse operations.
Coign's Impact
- The CDC serviced over 12,000 pieces/ day for B2B and 2,500 pieces/ day for B2C
- Ensured accurate and complete order-wise picking and packing.
- Facilitated timely dispatch and delivery.
- Enhanced process transparency and visibility.
