Warehouses are under constant pressure to improve their picking and fulfillment operations—whether they are adjusting to escalating demand, responding to labor shortages, or looking for ways to streamline work across an expanding facility network.
Automation is often the answer to those challenges, and there is a wide array of high-tech solutions to choose from—including automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS), autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), and collaborative robots that work alongside humans to speed picking and fulfillment. More mature technologies sit nicely alongside the recent arrivals and are, for many warehouses, an essential part of their automation journey.
Voice-directed technology is a prime example. Relatively simple to install and use, voice systems allow companies to move beyond paper-based picking to a tech-based solution that can be scaled quickly and rev up productivity in short order.
Indeed, demand for voice-picking solutions is on the rise. Market research firm Grand View Research reports that, globally, the market was valued at $2.5 billion in 2023 and is expected to grow 15% by 2030. The need for advanced technologies that can enhance productivity in fulfillment operations is driving the growth.
The food and beverage industry is one of the largest users of voice-picking technology worldwide, according to Grand View. Two recent projects illustrate the point—and demonstrate the impact voice is having on that slice of the economy.
SCALING UP FOR EASY USE
United Kingdom-based baking industry supplier The Bako Group decided to modernize its order picking process to accommodate the company’s continued expansion across the region. The distributor of baking supplies and baked goods recently added a site in Northern Ireland, for example, and wanted to upgrade its existing voice-based picking solution to a more scalable product that could seamlessly integrate into a new ERP (enterprise resource planning) software environment. The company sought to improve operations across its existing network as well.
Bako turned to warehouse technology developer and consulting firm Ehrhardt Partner Group (EPG) and its Lydia voice technology to tackle the job.
As both companies describe, Bako’s existing system had been a reliable tool for many years but had reached its limits as volumes grew and processes became more complex. The biggest problem was functionality: Cumbersome voice templates, error-prone recognition, and limited flexibility meant that workers increasingly saw the solution as an obstacle rather than a benefit to their daily work. In contrast, Lydia’s AI (artificial intelligence)-powered speech recognition works without prior training and performs reliably even in noisy warehouse environments, according to EPG. For on-site users, that means simply putting on the headset and getting down to work—which helps cement worker buy-in and cut training time.
Bako began by implementing the solution in its Preston, England, facility.
“With Lydia Voice, there’s no need for setup or worrying about background noise. Staff can get going immediately, just like in a normal conversation,” Dan Oxley, assistant warehouse manager at the Preston site, said in a case study describing the project. “That’s what convinces the team the most.”
Faster onboarding of new employees, fewer errors, and quality improvements have been the greatest benefits of the new system, according to both companies.
Following the Preston installation, Bako immediately rolled out the solution at two additional facilities, including the new warehouse in Northern Ireland. As of early fall, about 75 employees were picking and filling orders with the upgraded voice technology, with another 20 to 30 users across the network slated to follow suit.
DOUBLING UP ON PRODUCTIVITY
Texas-based wine and spirits distributor Republic National Distributing Co. (RNDC) has a similar story to tell about using voice technology to accommodate growth. With roots that pre-date Prohibition, the company has grown steadily over the years and today has a network of 44 facilities nationwide, totaling more than 11.5 million square feet with upward of 10,000 employees. Automating with voice has been a driving force behind keeping those facilities running smoothly—a huge task, given the company’s reach and customer requirements. RNDC ships roughly 9 million orders a year to more than 250,000 customers, with most of those deliveries made within a 24-hour window. The company stocks more than 400,000 SKUs (stock-keeping units) across its network and ships close to 45 million bottles annually. Accuracy and timeliness are essential elements of RNDC’s business proposition.
“Our customers expect 24-hour turnaround on their deliveries,” Steve Platte, vice president, distribution services for RNDC, said in a case study describing the project. “So it’s really important for us to have accurate, on time, in-full deliveries for all of our customers.”
RNDC partnered with voice-technology provider Lucas Systems 21 years ago as a way to meet those requirements, implementing Lucas’ voice-directed picking solution, called Jennifer, at one of its distribution centers (DCs). RNDC now uses the Lucas system at 21 locations—the company’s highest-volume facilities with the highest number of employees—and has incorporated software enhancements, upgrades, and specialized solutions along the way. That includes what Lucas describes as a “robust bottle-picking solution” that it developed for RNDC and is now used in the warehouses of many other wine and spirits companies as well.
RNDC uses the Lucas system for both its case- and bottle-picking processes. Company leaders point to the system’s ease of use as one its biggest benefits. New employees can be trained and on the floor picking almost immediately.
“It took me about 30 minutes to learn how to use Jennifer,” RNDC warehouse associate MaCorey Marks said in the case study, emphasizing the hands-free, screen-free nature of voice tech. “Jennifer helps me be better at my job, allowing me to be faster by telling me the location, and I can just go right to the location instead of reading a screen.”
RNDC associate Elijah Blanchard echoes those sentiments.
“Before working with Jennifer, I had to pick with paper tickets,” Blanchard explained in the case study. “It’s so much easier with Jennifer because she tells me what to do, where to go, [and] how much to pick, and she always rephrases it if you ask her to repeat something. It’s perfect.”
Speed and precision rank high as well.
“Using Lucas software, we see, on average, facilities doubling their productivity while also improving their accuracy,” said Platte, who noted in the case study that RNDC’s Louisville, Kentucky, facility is now at 99.6% accuracy thanks to Jennifer.
