A 120,000 sq ft operation under pressure
Moonpig has established itself as a leader in personalised gifting, combining emotional connection with operational scale. From its 120,000 sq ft Tamworth facility, the business has historically fulfilled thousands of daily orders across a diverse product range including cards, flowers, chocolates, mugs and soft toys.
That breadth of offering, coupled with high seasonal peaks, placed significant demands on the fulfilment operation. The original model, built around more than 60 manual packing benches, gave Moonpig flexibility and supported rapid early growth. As volumes and customer expectations continued to rise, it increasingly became a constraint.
The challenge
The manual nature of the operation introduced a number of inefficiencies. Picking accurately across many different products was difficult, and maintaining the correct despatch order — essential to customer satisfaction — became harder under pressure. Moving orders physically from the packing areas to despatch added labour and created congestion, which held back overall throughput.
With a target output of 6,000 orders per hour and ambitions to grow further, Moonpig needed a solution that would resolve these issues and provide a scalable foundation for future expansion — all within the spatial constraints of the Tamworth site.
Our approach
Moonpig partnered with CSL Automation for our track record in delivering complex, high-volume fulfilment solutions. We worked closely with their team to understand the detail of the operation before developing a tailored automation strategy.
That included testing alternative layouts, such as splitting operations across ground floor and mezzanine levels, to make the most of the available space while maintaining operational flow. The implemented solution represents a step change in capability, turning a predominantly manual process into an integrated, automated system built for speed, accuracy and flexibility.
What the system includes
Conveyor infrastructure
- Approximately 300 metres of Interroll High Performance belt conveyor forming the backbone of the system
- Integrated belt conveyors supporting smooth product flow between packing, scanning and sorting zones
- Designed to optimise space and hold consistent throughput across the operation
Induct and packing lines
- Three dedicated induct pack lines, each supporting 20 packing benches — 60 in total
- A structured workflow to streamline the transition from packing to automated handling
- Ergonomically designed to improve operator efficiency and reduce unnecessary movement
Barcode scanning and data capture
- High-performance SICK barcode scanners positioned throughout the system
- Overhead scanning focused on top-facing labels for accurate data capture
- Real-time communication with the Warehouse Control System to enable intelligent routing decisions
Sortation system
- A 22 metre Intralox sorter acting as the central distribution hub
- Six bi-directional chutes enabling flexible routing against multiple criteria
- A dedicated jackpot lane for exception handling and problem resolution
- Sortation logic based on carrier, shipment service, despatch date and product grouping
Bespoke chute and outfeed design
- Bespoke sorter slide chutes with integrated braked rollers
- Controlled parcel deceleration to prevent damage and ensure safe handling
- Efficient accumulation and presentation of parcels for final despatch
System integration and control
- Seamless integration with Moonpig’s Warehouse Control System for dynamic decision-making
- Configurable routing rules to support operational changes and future growth
- Scalable architecture designed to accommodate increased volumes and evolving business needs
The result
The outcome is a highly efficient, future-proofed fulfilment operation that significantly reduces manual handling, improves order accuracy and ensures timely, sequenced despatch. By automating key processes and intelligently orchestrating the flow of goods, CSL Automation has enabled Moonpig to meet current demand with greater reliability and to scale confidently for the future.
Ongoing support through ConveyorCare
The partnership extends beyond design and installation into the ongoing support and optimisation of the operation. Through our ConveyorCare programme, Moonpig benefits from a maintenance strategy designed to protect system performance, minimise downtime and extend the lifecycle of key assets. In a high-volume, time-sensitive environment, consistent system availability matters just as much as the automation itself.
ConveyorCare takes a proactive, predictive approach, combining electrical and mechanical servicing to identify and address issues before they affect operations. Rather than relying on reactive call-outs, we monitor system performance with Moonpig, schedule preventative work and maintain optimal operating conditions across all conveyor and sortation equipment. That reduces the risk of unexpected failures and supports sustained throughput through peak trading.
Alongside planned maintenance, we provide rapid-response support for breakdowns and repairs so issues are resolved quickly and with minimal disruption. The service also covers spare parts management — advising on critical holdings, sourcing components efficiently and carrying out replacements as required.
