Initially, the Canadian pet food manufacturer operated three separate warehouses. Now, Bosco & Roxy's has doubled its storage capacity from 1,700 to almost 3,700 pallet spaces using mobile racking systems from SSI Schäfer. The new layout allows for faster pallet access and smoother workflows. 

 Capacity more than doubled

Founded in 2007, Bosco and Roxy's now operates an 80,000 m²^facility in London, Ontario (Canada), making it one of the largest pet food bakeries in North America. Their baked goods, specially formulated for dogs, are distributed throughout Canada and the USA, and increasingly in the UK and the EU.

Now everything under one roof

The previously fragmented structure across three separate warehouses complicated inventory management, limited transparency across all SKUs, and posed a challenge when handling seasonal products. Furthermore, temperature control in multiple facilities increased operating costs.

 Completely satisfied: T. Archer

To support further growth, Bosco and Roxy's needed a centralized warehousing solution that would increase storage capacity, improve inventory visibility, and optimize daily operations. The facility also needed to be flexible enough to accommodate future growth.

High-density shelving solution

The Canadian company brought in SSI Schäfer for consulting purposes as early as the design phase. Together, they developed a high-density mobile racking solution that allowed Bosco and Roxy's to consolidate its three external warehouses into a single, efficient facility. By optimally utilizing the available floor space and vertical height, the mobile racking systems significantly increased pallet capacity without increasing the building's footprint.

 Photo: Bosco and Roxy's

“We used to have three external warehouses. It was always difficult to know which product was in which warehouse”recalls Ted Archer, Industrial Engineer Manager at Bosco and Roxy’s. “So having everything under one roof has made a huge difference for us. It’s also much easier for us to manage our inventory. Everything is in one building, properly labeled, and standardized.”

Three ESX systems

By using three ESX mobile racking systems, storage capacity was more than doubled – from the aforementioned 1,700 to almost 3,700 – allowing significantly more inventory to be stored at a single location. The mobile racks reduce the number of aisles and, with their high density, improve space utilization. The overall height of 9.6 m also makes full use of the available height.

 Photos: SSI Schäfer

But operational efficiency was also improved: the optimized layout allows for faster access to pallets, smoother workflows, and better inventory overview. Furthermore, the elimination of two temperature-controlled warehouses (23°C) reduced operating and energy costs.

Ted Archer: “The costs for air conditioning, electricity, and heating have decreased. Our products require temperature-controlled storage, so a larger building means more air conditioning units and therefore higher heating costs in winter. A smaller footprint really helps save in these areas.” The system was developed for earthquake zone 2 and designed for easy maintenance. It allows for quick staff training and consistent daily performance.

Operating costs have decreased

With all products now stored in a single, centralized facility, Bosco and Roxy's considers all its objectives achieved and a scalable, mobile racking solution, designed for long-term growth, implemented as needed. The warehouse now supports higher throughput while also being equipped to handle future demands. Ted Archer: "I would definitely recommend this system to anyone looking to increase their storage capacity, as well as to anyone building a brand-new facility and looking for ways to optimize space."

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