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Versandmanufaktur and GLS: From 1 to 3 Systems

Versandmanufaktur is a 3PL fulfillment operator and a subsidiary of GLS. The company made the transition from manual picking to goods-to-person automation with NEO – and has since scaled from one to three G2P systems. This expansion is the strongest proof of what matters most in the automation market: a repeat purchase decision based on live operational experience.

400
picks/h
Picking throughput per station
70%
less
Picking labor required
2-3×
higher
Warehouse capacity
1 → 3
systems
G2P stations scaled
€0
CapEx
Pay-per-pick model

Versandmanufaktur is a 3PL fulfillment operator and a subsidiary of GLS. The company made the transition from manual picking to goods-to-person automation with NEO - and has since scaled from one to three G2P systems. This expansion is the strongest proof of what matters most in the automation market: a repeat purchase decision based on live operational experience.

Versandmanufaktur, a 3PL fulfillment operator and subsidiary of GLS, automated picking in its existing shelf warehouse using NEO by NEOintralogistics. After a successful pilot, the system was adopted into daily operations and expanded to three goods-to-person stations. Picking throughput reaches 400 picks per hour. The entire implementation was carried out without upfront investment under a pay-per-pick model.

The Starting Point

As a 3PL operator, Versandmanufaktur faces a specific set of challenges that differ significantly from manufacturers or owner-operated warehouses.

Multi-client operations

The warehouse serves multiple clients simultaneously. Each customer brings its own product range, its own packaging and shipping requirements, and its own volume fluctuations. The operational complexity is correspondingly high.

Variable volume

Fulfillment operators work with highly variable daily volumes. Peak seasons such as Black Friday, the holiday period, or seasonal campaigns can multiply daily order volume several times over - followed by phases with significantly lower order intake.

Labor pressure

In an environment with fluctuating demand, workforce planning is particularly challenging. Temporary staff must be onboarded quickly, turnover is high, and availability is limited precisely during peak periods.

Symmetrical top-down view of TORU robot in the Versandmanufaktur racking aisle

Existing Infrastructure

Versandmanufaktur operates conventional shelf racking. A new warehouse build or switching to an entirely new warehouse technology was not an option - too expensive, too time-consuming, and too risky for a business model built on flexibility.

The Path to NEO

The decision for NEO came down to three factors:

First: automation without CapEx. As a 3PL operator, Versandmanufaktur is particularly cost-driven. NEO’s pay-per-pick model eliminates investment risk entirely. There are no acquisition costs, no leasing, and no long-term capital commitment. Costs scale directly with actual volume - exactly what a fulfillment business needs.

Second: integration into the existing facility. NEO works within existing shelf racking. No construction, no new build, no downtime. For a live warehouse operation with active client contracts, this is critical - a months-long construction phase is simply not feasible.

Third: fast results. NEO implementations reach productive operations in 6 to 8 weeks. For Versandmanufaktur, that meant results within a quarter, not within a year.

Learn more about pay-per-pick →

The Implementation: From Pilot to Production

The rollout of NEO at Versandmanufaktur followed a structured path designed to minimize risk to ongoing operations.

1

Pilot Project

The start involved a single G2P station and a limited AMR fleet. WMS connection, setup of the goods-to-person station, and deployment of the robots into the existing racking aisles. Objective: demonstrate that the automation works in day-to-day operations.

2

Proof of Concept

Testing under full load: does picking throughput hold up in continuous operation? Is the WMS integration reliable? The results were convincing - stable picking throughput, lower error rate, significantly reduced physical strain.

3

Production

The first G2P station transitioned into regular daily operations. NEO became a permanent part of Versandmanufaktur’s operational infrastructure.

The Results

400picks/h
Picking throughput per station
70%
Less picking labor required
2-3×
Higher warehouse capacity
6–8weeks
From decision to go-live
0€
Upfront investment
400 picks/h Picking throughput per G2P station

“No other provider combines such a simple automation solution with higher storage density like NEO. We see great potential to significantly support our fulfillment strategy with NEO.”

Frank Hammermeister
CEO, Versandmanufaktur GmbH (GLS Group)

The 400 picks per hour are particularly relevant in the 3PL context: in an environment where labor availability is the limiting factor, this level of picking throughput per station represents a fundamental shift in operational capability.

Scaling: From 1 to 3 G2P Stations

TORU robot fleet in the Versandmanufaktur warehouse - wide-angle view of the scaled solution

The strongest indicator of an automation solution’s success is not the first installation - it is the decision to add more systems.

After the successful production run of the first station, Versandmanufaktur commissioned two additional G2P stations.

Operational reliability

The system proved itself in continuous operation - with real orders, under real conditions, and over an extended period.

Economic viability

The results justified the expansion. Under the pay-per-pick model, each additional station means additional capacity without additional investment risk.

Scalable architecture

NEO is designed so that additional stations and robots can be added without construction. The expansion is an operational event, not a building project.

For the 3PL market, this scaling story is particularly significant: a fulfillment operator that invests its own resources into additional capacity has validated the solution through the hardest test there is - daily business operations.

See how NEO works for 3PL warehouses →

Conclusion

Versandmanufaktur demonstrates how goods-to-person automation works in a demanding 3PL environment: multi-client operations, variable volume, existing shelf racking, and intense cost pressure.

The journey from pilot project through production to scaling across three systems confirms that NEO is not merely a technical feasibility study, but a productive automation solution for operational warehouse environments.

Facing a Similar Challenge? Talk to Us.

Do you operate a 3PL warehouse with shelf racking and need an automation solution that scales with your volume - without investment risk and without rebuilding? We will show you in a demo how NEO would work in your operation. Learn more about warehouse retrofit → | NEO for 3PL warehouses →

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+49 151 4000 8119 sales@NEOintralogistics.com