SlipBots are transforming wholesaler operations.
See all the ways Slip's robots-as-a-service network is unblocking docks across the supply chain.
Reducing Trailer Loading & Unloading Times
REDUCING TRAILER loading & unloading TIMES
For Four Hands, a international furniture designer and wholesaler, efficiency and safety were critical to scaling operations. They needed a solution capable of handling their diverse product mix—ranging from 2-pound lamps to 400-pound marble coffee tables—across multiple warehouses.
Slip Robotics delivered this by providing a user-friendly, turnkey automation system that allowed their team to start reaping the benefits immediately.
Challenge: Eliminating A Major Bottleneck
Challenge: Eliminating A Major bottleneck
Four Hands faced the complex challenge of managing a vast SKU mix and physically demanding loading/unloading processes. Trailers required 8–10 employees up to 90 minutes to load by hand, creating bottlenecks and increasing employee strain.
The company also had to move products across multiple buildings, adding operational inefficiencies. With manual processes no longer meeting growing demands, Four Hands needed a solution that would optimize throughput and safety while requiring minimal infrastructure changes.
Solution: Seamlessly Integrated SlipBots
Solution: Seamlessly Integrated SlipBots
Slip Robotics deployed 15 SlipBots across multiple facilities in Austin, Texas. SlipBots enable multiple operators to load products directly onto the bots instead of the floor. Once loaded, the SlipBots autonomously move products into trailers for shipment to another warehouse. Upon arrival, SlipBots autonomously exit, where operators swarm unload from all four sides dramatically improving efficiency over the traditional single access point of a trailer.
Valeo was able to INCREASE ITS truck loading and unloading times 4X.
“We’ve reduced unloading time by almost 75%, loading times by 50%, and product touches by 50%. It’s cut our nighttime contract labor by half, while increasing our throughput. We’re already seeing the savings after only a few months. It had a very fast payback.”
BILLY MALADY, VP OF OPERATIONS
The 50% reduction in product touches has also delivered significant safety improvements. The decrease in manual handling has minimized the physical strain on employees, cutting the risk of injuries associated with heavy lifting and repetitive tasks. Additionally, employees now stay safely on the dock, avoiding the hazardous conditions of trailer heat and the risks of pull-away incidents.
The simple deployment and ease of training for Four Hands allowed them to begin using the SlipBots immediately. This rapid integration meant that they could start seeing returns on its investment within the first week of operation.
Results AT a glance
Dock Efficiency
75% faster unloading and 50% faster loading times
Rapid ROI
50% reduction in nighttime contract labor cost
Ease of Use
Deployment & training in hours rather than months
Enhanced Safety