Scaling Success:

How McGee & Co. Optimized a Large Warehouse with Seamless Automation Integration

McGee & Co. is a luxury interiors brand created by rapidly expanding U.S. online retailer Studio McGee (famous for their Netflix show ‘Dream Home Makeover’) who create designer pieces that make the home look and feel extra beautiful.

Due to high growth, McGee needed to quickly move from a limited 70,000 sq. ft. warehouse space to an all-encompassing and fully automated 300,000 sq. ft. distribution center.

Workforce rationalization and e ciency was key, and they recognized the need to deploy a highly exible and time-saving warehouse management system (WMS) as well as Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) to future proof the business. The new systems also had to factor in and cater for a highly diverse product pro le, ranging from small home décor items up to large furniture pieces and rugs.

Seamless integration and communication with all digital devices, therefore, was vital to success.

McGee needed the groundbreaking multi-agent orchestration (MAO) platform, SnapControl, which empowers forward-thinking businesses to achieve connective control over all automation devices and robots within their distribution centers.

SnapControl integrates fully with the SnapFulfil WMS and is compatible with any other incumbent WMS, Order Management System (OMS), or e-commerce front-end system, whether in the cloud or locally. This versatility allows SnapControl to orchestrate the prioritization of work, automatically allocate tasks and workflows and evaluate which devices are best suited for specific operations.

For McGee, Synergy deployed both the SnapFulfil and SnapControl solutions in under 60 days to successfully manage allocation of work to AMRs and routing of work to carton right-sizing equipment without major software upheavals. Plus, SnapFulfil’s Built For NetSuite integration now allows for a seamless transfer of order data from NetSuite to SnapFulfil.

Another advantage for McGee was the real-time device switchover. If a robot battery dies, SnapControl tells them instantly and automatically reassigns the task to another robot or a worker with an RF scanner, so there is no downtime.

By analyzing comprehensive data, SnapControl was able to optimize the allocation of tasks between human and automated resources. It determined the quality of manual versus automated pick tasks and identified the manual picks required in areas serviced by AMRs. As a result, the operation achieved a sixfold increase in productivity over the first few months of implementation.

Randan Manuela, VP, FC Operations & Logistics at McGee, said: “Synergy’s SnapFulfil and SnapControl solutions have been critical to the success of our move to bigger premises. Working closely with the team we were able to have our new 325,000 sq. ft. warehouse operational with SnapFulfil within two weeks of going live. Not only that, our goods receiving, inventory and shipping processes were also operational immediately, enabling a seamless transition between NetSuite and SnapFulfil. This allowed us to swiftly pivot and focus on new initiatives in response to evolving market demands.”

Perhaps most importantly, the return on investment in terms of labor savings due to McGee’s automated resources equates to over half a million dollars. On average, the business now saves over $40,000 per week, with an impressive investment payback period of just 23 weeks.

With SnapControl connecting and controlling all robotic devices and automation systems at once, for a complete 360-degree picture of their operation, McGee can now look forward to and comfortably manage record-breaking Peak and Holiday season sales – as well as the seamless integration of any further vendors or portfolios as the business expands.