How FlexPorter AMR Enabled Guardian to Ship Faster and Safer

Project Overview

This is the second project where Syrius Technology collaborates with Guardian Malaysia on AMR solutions. The goal is to enhance the automation of outbound logistics at a busy distribution center. We aim to deploy 35 AMRs to help pick and handle 315,000 items daily, achieving an average of 327 pieces per person per hour with no more than 45.5 human pickers per shift. It's crucial that AMRs and forklifts work safely together in the same space.

The project included two implementation strategies:

1. Tote-based AMR pick-assist solution using rack-mounted PDAs and smart carts.
2. Pallet BAY solution where AMRs directly lift and move pallets measuring 1.2m x 1m with attached tote boxes.

The Problem

The warehouse encountered a significant challenge in scaling its operations to accommodate the surging demand. This needed to be achieved while simultaneously reducing labor costs and minimizing safety risks associated with human-forklift interactions in the narrow aisles. The primary issues included:

• Low picking efficiency due to a fully manual process, which hindered productivity and slowed down operations.
• Congested aisles that were shared by both pickers and forklifts, creating potential hazards and bottlenecks.
• Rising labor costs coupled with difficulties in hiring skilled workers, which strained the budget and resources.
• An urgent need for high throughput and rapid order fulfillment to meet customer expectations and maintain competitive advantage.

A critical business constraint was the necessity to keep labor usage under 45.5 workers per shift. This had to be balanced with the efficient and safe management of over 315,000 daily SKUs, ensuring that operations remained smooth and effective.

Before introducing FlexPorter DO AMRs in the Guardian project, the warehouse struggled with several operational challenges that limited its growth. A major issue was the lack of available workers, especially for demanding tasks like picking and handling. Rising labor costs and a lack of interest from younger workers made it hard to hire and keep enough staff to meet daily needs. The work was split into two shifts, which complicated management and led to delays and miscommunication during shift changes, affecting overall efficiency and accountability.

Another big challenge was the mismatch between rising revenue and the rapidly increasing workload. As customer demand and orders grew, the workload increased even more, leading to higher costs in labor, management, and space. This made it clear that relying solely on manual labor was not sustainable or profitable. Without smart automation, the warehouse risked facing reduced returns, more human errors, and eventually hitting a growth limit.

Where are we now

The system now runs smoothly across 7 aisles with 35 AMRs, fully integrated with WMS and real-time task tracking—cutting labor strain and keeping peak-hour order flow steady and reliable.

Looking ahead, the project is set to evolve with smarter inbound and storage automation. First, electric jack trucks will be introduced to offload pallets from box trucks and pass them directly to AMRs. The AMRs will then autonomously transport and arrange these pallets in the receiving area, enabling operators to easily complete receiving tasks using PDAs.

Next, the project will incorporate automated forklifts to handle pallet storage. After receiving, AMRs will deliver pallets to designated aisles where the auto-forklifts operate. By keeping automated forklifts stationed within their assigned aisles—rather than having them travel long distances—the system will improve both efficiency and safety, reducing the risk of collisions with human workers while streamlining high-density storage operations.

These enhancements represent the next step in building a fully coordinated, human-machine warehouse ecosystem.