Meeting the demands of a fast-moving e-commerce industry
E-commerce fulfilment doesn’t slow down. So, when manual processes reach a threshold and limit a company’s ability to scale, agile, data-driven solutions, such as warehouse automation and autonomous mobile robots (AMRs), become essential.
“We’re always doing benchmarking, and we try to stay at the forefront of technology,” explains Jean Laubscher, Consulting and Supply Chain Development Head at TFS.
Choosing innovation that makes operational sense
Initially, the company planned to replace its manual conveyor belt sorting system in its flagship DC with a high-end automated cross-belt version. Not only was it expensive; scaling it would have required significant operational downtime.
A first for South Africa: TFS introduces AMR sorting
The answer was a first for South Africa: the introduction of AMR technology for automated parcel sorting and logistics operations. In this AMR-powered sorting process, robots collect parcels from the induction points and use intelligent route planning to deliver them to the correct chutes, where they are loaded onto the appropriate trucks. What’s more, they operate at high frequency, without colliding.
“It’s almost like a hive mind,” Gerdus Visagie, Head of Strategy and Infrastructure at TFS, explains. “You’ve got multiple bees, each knowing their own task and where they need to go and where they need to deliver the parcel. I think that’s quite unique.”
At the 2026 Supply Chain Excellence Awards MEA, TFS, together with partners GEEK+ and European Conveyors, received the Retail Supply Chain Excellence Award for this sorting solution.
Human-centred warehouse automation
Reflecting on the decision to introduce AMR, Laubscher is clear that there is always a balance to be struck between automation and manual labour. This approach demonstrates how human-centred warehouse automation can improve operational efficiency while creating opportunities to upskill logistics employees. “We’ll only implement it if it makes sense,” he says. “Even when we implemented this automated solution, we upskilled our employees to do something better.”
Investing in technology and people for what comes next
As TFS continues to expand its logistics capability, its investment in technology, people and supply chain innovation will remain central to future growth. As Visagie says: “There’s more to come.”