Case Study: John Lewis achieves validated high-throughput distribution centre design with Körber AG's K.Sight CLASS

UK department store plans new distribution center with CLASS

John Lewis, the UK’s largest department store retailer with 51 shops and a major online business, planned a new 600,000 sq ft distribution centre (with a 250,000 sq ft mezzanine) in Milton Keynes to support its omni-channel strategy. The retailer needed to consolidate volumes from four sites, verify that internal space and resources (labour and MHE) would meet throughput and service-level targets, and create clear 3D visualisations for Partners. John Lewis appointed Körber AG to design and validate the new facility using the K.Sight CLASS warehouse design and simulation application.

Körber AG’s consultancy team used K.Sight CLASS to rapidly convert blueprints into 2D/3D models, run 4–5 operational scenarios in a live simulation, and produce a 3D movie for stakeholder communication. The work identified the most efficient layout, optimised resource levels and equipment, validated capacity and throughput for the business case, and delivered measurable productivity improvements and reduced congestion across parts of the warehouse—giving John Lewis confidence in both the design and the resourcing plan.

John Lewis

Richard Ife

Admin and Systems Manager