THG Fulfil AutoStore lifts Footasylum output by 212%

THG Fulfil has completed its first AutoStore installation for an external retailer, with the automated fulfilment system now live at Footasylum.

Early operating data shows output has risen by 212% compared with Footasylum's previous manual set-up. The system uses 24 ports instead of more than 50 packing benches.

The installation marks a notable step for THG Fulfil, which has previously developed automation for its own network and is now applying that model to third-party retail customers. For Footasylum, it brings automated fulfilment to a business that had been running a fully manual distribution centre.

A fleet of 85 AutoStore R5 robots now operates across 96,000 bin locations. All live stock keeping units are stored in the grid, and the system has been running at 99.8% uptime.

From contract signing to the first order took less than six months. The physical build was completed in three months, two months ahead of the original plan.

Build timeline

The system processed its first customer order in late August and was fully live by mid-September, giving Footasylum an automated operation ahead of its first peak trading season with the technology.

Apparel operations can be challenging for cube storage automation because of broad SKU ranges, shifting demand patterns and variation in product sizes. Before construction began, the teams ran 80,000 simulations using Footasylum's order history, seasonal demand data and product information to determine the number of robots and ports needed.

At the centre of the installation is THG Fulfil's Warehouse Control System, developed over five years within its own AutoStore network. After go-live, the in-house development team continued adjusting bin sequencing, batching and stock positioning using live order data.

The commercial structure combined capital investment with THG Fulfil's Robotics-as-a-Service model. The arrangement was tailored to Footasylum's requirements, reflecting a hybrid approach rather than a standard equipment purchase.

Retail context

Footasylum operates more than 65 stores in the UK and sells footwear, apparel and accessories through shops, websites and wholesale channels. Founded in 2005 and based in Rochdale, the retailer employs around 2,500 people across the UK and was acquired by AURELIUS in 2022.

Its customer base is centred on 16 to 24-year-old shoppers, a group that tends to favour digital sales channels and fast-moving product trends. That can put pressure on fulfilment operations to manage wide product ranges and changing order flows efficiently during busy trading periods.

THG Ingenuity, the parent group behind THG Fulfil, has built much of its logistics and commerce technology around its own eCommerce operations. The Footasylum project is the first time THG Fulfil has delivered an AutoStore build for an external retailer, offering an early indication of how it plans to sell warehouse automation services beyond its internal network.

AutoStore, which supplies the goods-to-person storage and retrieval technology used in the project, has installations in more than 65 countries. Its systems are widely used by retailers and logistics operators seeking to increase storage density and reduce manual picking.

The project was also documented on site over three months in a two-part film series featuring senior figures from THG Fulfil, Footasylum and AutoStore. The material follows the decision to automate, the commercial negotiations and the installation process.

Figures from the live operation show that 100% of Footasylum's live SKU range is now held in the grid, with output running at more than double the level of the retailer's previous manual operation.