Robots take over Footasylum’s warehouse management

Sneaker, sportswear and streetwear retailer Footasylum is turning its back on “traditional, prohibitive infrastructure costs” by calling on THG Fulfil's ‘Robotics-as-a-Service’ (RaaS) model.

The new deployment will “manage and automate” Footasylum’s entire stock with THG Fulfil's “first end-to-end AutoStore integration for an external brand”.

Footasylum CEO Hannah Mercer, who joined the company from a role as Global General Manager at Gymshark in March, described the project as "one of the most significant investments we have made in the business in recent times".

"As Footasylum continues to grow, we are committed to investing in the infrastructure that will support the business today and long into the future," said Mercer.

“Working closely with THG Fulfil, we have designed a solution tailored to the specific demands of our operation and the increasing breadth of our offer. As our product range expands and the business evolves, it is vital that the infrastructure underpinning it keeps pace.

“This investment gives us a materially more advanced fulfilment platform - one that helps us manage greater complexity, improve the flow of products through the operation and lay the groundwork for the next stage of Footasylum's development, all while continuing to deliver for our customers.”

Tom Killeen, Chief Operating Officer at THG Ingenuity, added: “What will make this partnership different is not just the hardware, but the software and operational knowledge behind it.

“THG Fulfil has spent two decades obsessing over the end consumer experience as a retailer, and that knowledge is embedded into everything we build.

“For Footasylum, our Robotics-as-a-Service commercial model removes the traditional barriers to entry for a first major automation project, giving them access to enterprise-grade infrastructure without the capital commitment.

“With their entire SKU range running through a system purposefully designed around their operation, we are confident the results will speak for themselves.”

Last Saturday, 27 June, Footasylum reopened its upgraded 17,178 sq ft Manchester Trafford Centre store. The relaunch follows recent openings at Manchester Arndale, Trinity Leeds and Merthyr Tydfil, as the company continues to add space across the UK under the ownership of Aurelius, which acquired the business in August 2022.