CASE STUDY
How VCO Partnered with a Leading 3PL to Improve Picking Performance with Pick-to-Light
A turnkey solution designed around operational needs.
Introduction
The leading 3PL is a global logistics provider headquartered in France, delivering end-to-end supply chain solutions across transportation, warehousing, and fulfillment, with roughly $11B in annual revenue and supports major retail and eCommerce brands across North America.
As part of this partnership, they engaged VCO Systems to implement a turnkey Pick-to-Light (Light-Directed Picking) solution to improve warehouse picking efficiency and fulfillment operations for a leading global personal care and home fragrance retailer.
The Problem
The 3PL faced a critical challenge in scaling peak throughput for the retailer. The existing RF-based warehouse picking process in the Canada facility was unable to sustain the required volume to hit the daily throughput goal during the 2019 peak.
Objective
They required a robust technology solution to increase picking UPH and eliminate operational constraints. The solution needed to reduce the number of pickers required, eliminating the aisle congestion bottleneck and ensuring client satisfaction. They needed a solution that would:
- Increase Picking Productivity (UPH)
- Maximize Daily Throughput
- Improve Picking Accuracy
VCO's Solution
VCO deployed a turnkey Light-Directed Picking solution built on proprietary hardware and software, replacing the existing RF picking process. Designed for rapid implementation and minimal operational disruption, the solution modernized picking workflows while improving throughput and accuracy.
To validate the approach before full rollout, VCO conducted a head-to-head comparison in which two pickers of similar skill alternated between the Pick-to-Light solution and the traditional RF picking process over two days. The picker using VCO’s solution consistently achieved 1.3x higher UPH than the picker using RF.
Key solution highlights:
- Completed implementation in just 6 weeks
- Installed 25 Pick/Put carts and 950 lights
- Supporting fulfillment operations for more than 100 stores across Canada
- Replaced handheld scanners with ring scanners, freeing both hands and increasing picker productivity
- Enabled one pick, multiple puts: bulk-picking a SKU once and distributing across multiple orders, cutting travel time and the number of grabs
Results
Within weeks of deployment, they achieved measurable operational improvements that enabled higher throughput while maintaining exceptional picking accuracy.
- 30%+ increase in picking productivity (UPH)
- 9% warehouse picking accuracy
- 3x UPH for VCO Light-Directed vs RF in direct comparison
- Minimal learning curve: pickers reached top speed within a few hours of using the system
- Reduced aisle congestion through a more efficient picking workflow