Micro-fulfillment Solutions and Systems | FORTNA

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FORTNA Distribution Optimization Framework™
The FORTNA Distribution Optimization Framework™ leverages proprietary processes, tools and algorithms to design and deliver solutions using best-fit automation technologies and intelligent software.
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Solutions
FORTNA develops the optimal solution with a unique approach to identify and select best-fit technologies to meet your business requirements.
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Intelligent software is essential to optimizing operations for maximum efficiency, reliability, and flexibility. FORTNA WES™ provides dynamic data and the intelligence required for real-time decision making.
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FORTNA Services & Support work together to keep your operations running at peak performance throughout the lifecycle of your solution. FORTNA Services optimize your operations and extend the life of your facility with modernizations, retrofits, parts and service and/or a comprehensive maintenance program.
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FORTNA understands that every industry has unique challenges. Our robust experience enables us to develop solutions for those unique challenges and cross-pollinate best-in-class strategies and solutions for diversified vertical markets.
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About
FORTNA designs, develops and delivers powerful automated and intelligent software solutions that optimize performance, address disruption and increase profitability.
Insights and Resources

Solutions: Micro-fulfillment

Fueling fast, accurate, local fulfillment with automated micro-fulfillment solutions

Micro-fulfillment offers one solution to increase the speed, agility and responsiveness to dynamically changing e-Commerce demand. At FORTNA, we begin with your business requirements and apply our Optimization Science™ to deliver a data-driven design that includes best-fit, highly automated technologies and intelligent software.

Where online demand meets hyper-local fulfillment

Micro-fulfillment implements multiple small-scale warehouse facilities as close to the end consumer as possible. These warehouses, called micro-fulfillment centers (MFCs) are conceptually the same as a standard warehouse but are often much smaller and designed to enable the rapid distribution of products to high-population areas.

FORTNA places order fulfillment operations close to your customer.

Improve order fulfillment speed and accuracy
Solve for shifting customer demand
Optimize profitable order fulfillment

Calculate your potential savings with the FORTNA goods-to-person tool

Improve e-Commerce picking productivity with goods-to-person technologies. Use our assessment tool to calculate potential savings with automation.

Access Your Potential Savings

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Questions to consider before implementing micro-fulfillment solutions:

Which stores will serve as micro-fulfillment centers?
Will inventory be shared across channels?
How often will you need to replenish micro-fulfillment centers?
How will order profiles change in the upstream distribution centers as a result of micro-fulfillment?
Which channel receives credit for the sale and how do you allocate cross-channel costs?
Can you track all of the inventory in the network and match it to real-time demand?
How will you handle split shipments and at what cost?
How do you communicate with customers about expected delivery times and order exceptions?

For more on this topic, read Six Things to Consider Before Implementing Micro-fulfillment

Flexible, highly automated solutions for micro-fulfillment

Flexible automation technologies, including autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), shuttle (AS/RS) and goods-to-person (GTP) and high-density storage solutions, are proving valuable as part of micro-fulfillment solutions. To determine which of these technologies best fits your operation, you should ask yourself these questions about your business requirements:

How many SKUs will the solution handle?
How many orders per day with how many lines per order on average?
What are the order profiles?
Are there variable temperature products? Fresh or fragile items?
What are your competitive pressures? What is the service promise to your customers?

Video

AutoStore is the ultimate order-fulfillment solution. It combines the highest storage density of any goods-to-person solution, with a high throughput technology, making it a perfect fit for order fulfillment from large warehouses to small urban stores and backrooms.

AutoStore solutions increase labor productivity with high-density storage

The shift to e-Commerce combined with labor availability challenges are forcing supply chain leaders to re-examine their operations and consider technologies that eliminate wasted travel, reduce risk and achieve greater efficiencies and cost savings. AutoStore solutions offer unparalleled speed, accuracy, cube utilization and safe physical distancing for workers.

Learn About AutoStore

Thinking about adding ship from store capabilities?

Companies are considering ship from store strategies to enable increased speed and reliability for e-Commerce fulfillment. Ship from store can also enhance flexibility and enable resilience to disruption. To learn more read Twelve Questions to Ask Before Deploying Ship from Store.

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What FORTNA brings to the table is best in class common practice.

Director

Mr Price

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The FORTNA difference drives micro-fulfillment success

It all starts with strategy

We take a holistic approach to distribution strategy, considering upstream/downstream impacts on an entire network of operations.

Design rooted in data science

Scientifically proven proprietary modeling tools and algorithms allow us to design for maximum efficiency and outcomes.

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Best-fit solutions with unique technology selection

Our deep bench of experts selects appropriate and best-fit technologies that optimize your solution. The result is a comprehensive, flexible solution that delivers exemplary business results.