Skechers is launching a new high-tech distribution center in Minato City, Tokyo. The facility was built with technology from Hai Robotics, with support from material handling consulting company MHE Solutions. The investment is meant to help Skechers meet the growing demand for its products on the Japanese market.
The Hai Robotics’ HaiPick System includes 69 case-handling mobile robots that navigate the warehouse’s shelving system. This automated process for order fulfillment reduces the physical demand on employees and makes the company less exposed to labor shortages. Robots retrieve containers from shelves and deliver them to workstations staffed by human operators, who can scan and confirm orders to be fulfilled.
Skechers’ sales in the Asia Pacific region, which includes Japan, increased by 15 percent year-over-year to $622 million in the fourth quarter.
