Beauty and wellness company BWX has expanded its Melbourne operations with the construction of a new manufacturing plant in south-east Clayton, including a new automated warehouse system supplied by Dematic.
The investment in the manufacturing site follows a period of sustained growth for BWX, with the brand owner having grown its portfolio across retail and e-commerce brands, including Sukin, Andalou Naturals, Mineral Fusion, and Nourished Life.
In July, PKN reported on the consolidation and transfer of BWX's four facilities in Dandenong South to a new manufacturing operation at the Clayton site.
BWX has also recently announced a strategic partnership with Go-To Skincare, following its acquisition of a majority 50.1% stake in the Australian skincare brand.
The company's new 14,785 square metre warehouse will operate with four automated high-speed production lines, alongside a modern automated storage and picking fulfilment solution, AutoStore, supplied by Dematic. Building on BWX’s existing facility, which is operating with nine semi-automatic low-speed production lines, the new Clayton facility’s increased automation capabilities will streamline warehouse operations and support ongoing business expansion – working at three times the manufacturing capacity of the existing site.
“As part of our new Australian HQ and operations facility we needed an outside-the-box approach to scale and innovate our e-commerce fulfilment, and Dematic have developed a pragmatic, customised solution that supports this,” said Duncan Munro, group operations director at BWX.
“AutoStore will significantly increase our e-commerce efficiencies with improved picking, packing, and replenishing to support rising volumes. It puts us in the right position for future growth with effective use of warehouse space and the ability to customise and expand the system to suit our needs,” added Rory Gration, group chief operating officer at BWX.
According to Dematic, its AutoStore serves as a high-density automated storage and goods-to-person (GTP) picking and fulfilment solution, designed to optimise warehouse space and minimise manual labour.
Dematic says that when compared to a typical manual warehouse operation, AutoStore streamlines the process significantly, creating an efficient picking process with a single operator doing the equivalent work of four to five manual pickers. With AutoStore, the products are brought directly to the operator, working to actively streamline the picking process by reducing warehouse foot traffic and keeping the products close to where they are required to be.
“By advancing its new manufacturing facility with high-speed automation, BWX will not only overcome high order volumes, but improve the entire warehousing process as well,” said David Lamb, consulting manager at Dematic.
“Alongside its intelligent use of warehouse space, AutoStore streamlines picking, packing, and replenishment operations. From upscaling for future growth to gaining valuable insights into warehouse operations to delivering business-critical improvements, AutoStore is a solution for proactive planning, better productivity, and a modern automated warehouse, and we’re incredibly excited to see it in action at BWX’s new Clayton warehouse.”
