Leader Computers is enhancing its warehousing systems by integrating Dematic led AutoStore technology within its Sydney warehouse.

Leader Computers supplies exclusively to IT resellers with a large client base across Australia. They distribute products from over 70 vendors, including leading brands such as Microsoft, LG, Lenovo, Ubiquiti, ASUS, Gigabyte, MSI, and Corsair.

They also manufacture Leader Computer branded PCs, notebooks, tablets, and Intel white box series products.

AutoStore is an automated storage, goods-to-person (GTP) picking, and fulfilment system designed to maximise warehouse space and minimise manual labour.

The solution was this month recognised as a winner at the annual Australian Supply Chain and Logistics Awards. Leader Computers will look to utilise the solution to enhance their operations and meet increased demand.

Leader Computers says it wanted to upgrade its warehouse with automation in order to increase business efficiency, accuracy, and productivity, as well as make better use of available space.

"The requirements for this automation project were: one, save labour; two, save warehouse space; and three, for Leader Computers to walk the talk of how using technology to improve business," says David Lamb, Consulting Manager, Dematic

"The Dematic solution features an AutoStore system with nine robots, three goods-to-person ports, and 6,662 bins. Palletised products are manually delivered to an AutoStore port, where an operator receives and loads them into totes delivered by robots. As receiving tasks are completed, robots collect the totes for delivery to the high-density storage grid. As orders are received, robots then retrieve totes and deliver them in sequence to operators at two carousel ports."

The Leader Computers warehouse in Lidcombe in western Sydney stores approximately 8,500 product SKUs, from large server racks and monitors to small products such as thumb drives and CPUs.

"Before the Dematic solution was implemented, a large order of a few different types of hard drives would take five to six hours to pick. With this new AutoStore system, they've been able to pick a similar type of order in just 30 minutes," says Lamb.

The implementation took only eight weeks, even during a period of COVID-19 interruptions. Dematic continues to offer 24-hour on-call support and scheduled maintenance.

Dematic's solution has already been built for significant annual growth over three years. The company says the AutoStore grid can also be easily expanded and progressively filled with bins and additional robots as SKU and storage demand increases, all with minimal interruption to operations.

Theo Kristoris, Managing Director, Leader Computers, says that the new solution allows the company to be able to provide more efficient services to resellers through enhanced automation and technology.

"Leader's purpose is to help our resellers grow and be highly profitable. We are always looking at ways to get stock to our resellers quickly. This solution allows us to ship fast and on-time to thousands of MSPs and IT resellers in Australia. We are proud to be at the cutting edge of technology and to bring this automation to our resellers," he says.

Jason Wu, AutoStore Business Development Manager, ANZ, says the company is grateful to have partnered with Dematic to enhance supply chain efficiency and productivity.

"It's been an honour to collaborate with Dematic on a pioneering project for Leader Computers, and we are pleased to see more supply chain businesses embracing advanced technologies to further enhance productivity and efficiencies," he says.

"Over the years, we have established a relationship built on trust and innovation and this project bears testament to this."