Gerrie Electric Ontario Distribution Center

Project Overview

Gerrie Electric, the largest independent electrical, lighting, and automation distributor in Ontario, faced significant space constraints in their 26,000 square foot facility. With a requirement to support 22 locations across southwestern Ontario and house over 7,500 electrical, automation, and lighting products, the existing facility lacked the capacity to handle the necessary product throughput.

The company serves a diverse customer base including original equipment manufacturers in automotive, steel, and pharmaceutical industries, as well as electrical contractors performing on-site installations. The business case for automation was driven by both current space limitations and anticipated future growth requirements.

The project received significant support through a $1.4 million interest-free loan from Ontario FedDev, a federal program designed to promote economic development and support innovative growth in Ontario, recognizing Gerrie Electric's role in supporting local jobs and global export industries.

Technical Solution

AutoStore Cubic Storage System

The core of the solution is an AutoStore goods-to-person system featuring 6 robots and 7,600 storage bins. This high-density vertical storage structure stores approximately 4,600 of the company's 7,500 total products (60% of inventory), maximizing storage capacity within the limited facility footprint.

Key Features

The AutoStore system provides exceptional storage density through its vertical cubic structure, enabling Gerrie Electric to maximize their 26,000 square foot facility while supporting growing inventory requirements across 22 locations.

The complete automation solution was implemented rapidly over a 3-month period, delivering immediate productivity gains and putting the company on track to exceed their 3-year ROI target.

The integrated system achieves 100% error-free order fulfillment through multiple validation points, including automated weighing and scanning, ensuring accurate deliveries to customers across diverse industries.

Results & Benefits

Productivity improvements have been dramatic, with operators now able to pick 80-90 products in a 2-hour shift compared to the previous 7 hours required for the same volume. This represents a significant acceleration in order processing capability.

The system is delivering strong financial performance, on track to achieve and exceed the original 3-year ROI target through improved efficiency, reduced labor requirements, and increased throughput capacity.

The automation supports Gerrie Electric's role in both local economic development and global supply chains, enabling reliable service to OEM customers in automotive, steel, and pharmaceutical sectors while supporting electrical contractors with timely deliveries.

Challenges & Solutions

The primary challenge of insufficient space in the 26,000 square foot facility to support 22 locations was addressed through the high-density AutoStore vertical storage system, which maximizes storage capacity while maintaining efficient access to inventory.

The need for quick ROI and immediate productivity gains was met through the comprehensive automation solution that achieved rapid implementation in just 3 months, delivering measurable performance improvements from the outset.

System Integrator

Bastian Solutions served as the system integrator, providing an impartial evaluation and comprehensive automation solution. Their independent status and expertise in AutoStore implementations enabled Gerrie Electric to implement sustainable automation that supports future growth and expansion capabilities.