Knapp grows e-grocery and large warehouse automation business

Business is humming for warehouse logistics and automation solutions provider Knapp, which announced two big projects on the first day of ProMat 2019.

Company leaders said Knapp has expanded its partnership with Massachusetts-based e-grocery solutions provider Takeoff Technologies, announcing a $150 million order for 50 micro-fulfillment grocery sites across North America. The sites will process $1.5 billion in e-commerce grocery sales annually, Takeoff Technologies' Lucia Brower said during a ProMat press conference on Monday, April 8. Thirteen of the 50 sites will be up and running by the end of this year, with the rest to follow by the end of 2020, Brower said.

Knapp also announced a partnership with Minnesota-based electronic components distributor Digi-Key in a project to automate the distributor's new 2.2 million-square-foot warehouse and distribution center, which is set to go live by 2022. Using Knapp's high-end automated solutions, the four-level DC will house 2.7 million SKUs (stock-keeping units), according to Digi-Key leaders.

Josef Mentzer, Knapp's CEO for North America, said the Digi-Key project is the largest in Knapp's history. He added that the Digi-Key and Takeoff projects highlight Knapp's considerable growth over the last few years, noting that Knapp doubled in size year over year in North America in 2017 and 2018, and is set to grow by 50 percent this year.

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