StrongPoint becomes AutoStore distributor in UK and Ireland

AutoStore provides the world’s leading automation solution for grocery retailers looking to scale their e-commerce offer. The innovative cubic design allows customers to either store four times the inventory in the same space, or all of their existing inventory in one quarter of the space. Combined with software and StrongPoint’s grocery management expertise, it can boost efficiency to world-leading levels for maximum speed and return-on-investment.  

Grocery retailers face unique profitability challenges while fulfilling e-commerce orders due to the complexity and variety of orders, labour-intensive nature of the industry and fast changing consumer habits. Automation is high on the agenda for grocery retailers looking to maximise the efficiency of their online offer and to add additional capacity to existing in-store or dark store manual order picking.   

AutoStore, the robot technology company that invented Cube Storage Automation, has recently developed a unique solution to automate the storage and retrieval of frozen items. Until recently, AutoStore’s solutions have only covered two temperature zones, chilled and ambient. Most grocery retailers have been using manual picking for frozen items when automating their e-grocery fulfilment services, an essential product segment for grocery retailers. In October, StrongPoint was selected to design and install the world’s first AutoStore grid with three temperature zones, ambient, chilled, and frozen, for a grocery distribution company.  

“We look forward to bringing our unique expertise from the world’s most innovative and cutting-edge AutoStore installation, purpose-built for groceries with automation at all three temperature zones, to the UK and Ireland. Automation for groceries is unlike any other sector and we have over 35 years collective experience in food management, working for grocery retailers in over 20 countries,” said StrongPoint group CEO Jacob Tveraabak. 

“While grocery e-commerce has not dramatically changed in the last two decades, automated micro-fulfilment centres built into existing stores or standalone offers a game changing opportunity to increase productivity and reduce costs and the UK is at the forefront of embracing the concept. AutoStore’s market leading automated storage and retrieval system for ambient, chilled and frozen requires an incredibly small footprint due to its ability to quadruple a retailer’s storage space. When combined with StrongPoint’s grocery solutions and expertise this new offering provides an incredible opportunity for grocery retailers in the UK and Ireland,” said StrongPoint SVP for E-Commerce Chris Mackie.  

StrongPoint provides an end-to-end e-ecommerce solution purpose built for grocery retailers wherever they are on their online journey. Automation with AutoStore is integrated into StrongPoint’s world-class order picking and multiple last mile options, allowing grocery retailers a one-stop-shop for their entire grocery e-commerce automation needs. 

About StrongPoint 

StrongPoint is a grocery retail technology company that provides solutions to make shops smarter, shopping experiences better and online grocery shopping more efficient. With over 500 employees in Norway, Sweden, the Baltics, Spain, the UK and Ireland and together with a wide partner network, StrongPoint supports grocery and retail businesses in more than 20 countries. StrongPoint provides in-store and e-commerce solutions and is AutoStore’s first grocery-focused distribution partner. StrongPoint is headquartered in Norway and is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange [ticker: STRO].