Co-op is continuing its roll-out of voice-enabled picking technology, with plans for two more distribution centres to go live with the technology in the first half of next year.

So far it has rolled out the technology to four sites and says that the benefits it has received so far have surpassed its expectations.

The retailer is working with Zetes on the project, using technology from Vocollect. It plans to put the system live at its Thetford distribution centre in Norfolk in the first quarter of next year.

In the second quarter it will open a new site at Birtley in Gateshead, which will replace two older warehouses, where the system will also be introduced.

The adoption of voice-enabled picking within Co-op’s supply chain has taken place as part of a wider project to replace the company’s warehouse management system and introduce a new wireless infrastructure at distribution sites.

Co-op retail logistics business projects manager Tim Edwards said: “Our business plan was based on a three to four year payback for the whole warehouse management system project.”

He added that sites to date have exceeded expectations, in particular with regards to voice technology. Pick errors have also decreased by as much as 70 per cent.

Edwards said that the sites that are already live are continuing to improve productivity seen, as the management teams become more accustomed to using the system.

Co-op is using the voice-enabled system for picking and marshalling activities across a variety of different warehouse environments such as its ambient, produce, chilled and frozen areas.

Once all six sites are live, more than 1,200 staff will be using the voice system.

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