In today's fast-paced world, consumers expect immediate access to essential products like contact lenses. Lengthy wait times can significantly degrade user experience. Recognizing this, Johnson & Johnson Vision has embraced automation technology to build a world-class supply chain that delivers exceptional service while maintaining its leadership in eye health.
A Changing Market Landscape
The once-stable contact lens industry has undergone dramatic transformation. Consumer demand has diversified exponentially, leading to a surge in product varieties (SKUs) and increased complexity. Meanwhile, e-commerce giants like Amazon have raised customer expectations for rapid, seamless purchasing experiences across all product categories.
"Amazon changed the rules for all industries, even those it doesn't participate in," said Fran Mirmina, Vice President of Customer and Logistics Services at Johnson & Johnson Vision. "Our vision is to be the best supply chain in the world, always putting the customer experience first while continuously improving. People will wait for glasses, but with contact lenses, they want them immediately. If we can't meet that need, competitors will."
Automation as a Competitive Advantage
To enhance market responsiveness and product quality, Johnson & Johnson Vision partnered with system integrator Bastian Solutions to reengineer processes at its 200,000-square-foot finished goods warehouse and distribution center in Jacksonville, Florida. The new systems mirror the innovation found in the company's products.
Strategically, the company developed a segmented, end-to-end supply chain leveraging data, connectivity, transparency and partnerships to serve major retailers, optical chains, eye care professionals and end customers—all from a single facility.
Key Technological Implementations:
The centerpiece of this transformation includes world-class e-commerce fulfillment solutions featuring automated storage and goods-to-person picking systems. These technologies primarily support a new line of contact lenses for astigmatism patients.
Mobile robotic shuttles retrieve and deliver storage bins to picking stations, where workers are guided by light displays and visual cues. These innovations complement existing automated material handling tools already in use, including A-frame picking systems, vertical lift modules (VLMs), light-directed picking and robotic bin tippers.
"This demonstrates how we rapidly deploy new technologies and processes to turn supply chain capabilities into competitive advantages across markets," explained Michael Strong, Global Director of Engineering, Packaging, and Customer & Logistics Services.
Managing Complexity at Scale
The system currently manages over 10,000 SKUs following the new product line launch. "We already had both ends of automation spectrum covered—light-directed picking at the low end and A-frames at the high end, with VLMs for spare parts and slowest-moving products," Mirmina noted. "The goods-to-person solution provides the flexibility and modularity we need for dense storage of these 10,000 SKUs while allowing for future expansion."
This infrastructure also supports Johnson & Johnson's sustainability initiatives while fulfilling the corporation's broader mission to "positively impact human health through innovation"—a vision shared across its 250 operating companies, including the eye care division.
From Simplicity to Sophistication
The contact lens industry has evolved dramatically from its simpler beginnings. Twenty-five years ago, when the first disposable lenses launched, competition was limited and product lines narrow—primarily featuring spherical lenses for basic vision correction.
"We had nearly 100% market share with about 120 SKUs and rapidly growing volume," Mirmina recalled. Distribution flowed through what the industry called "the three Os": ophthalmologists, optometrists and opticians. In the pre-internet era, catalog orders took two to six weeks for delivery, making speed less critical.
Today's landscape is vastly more complex. Distribution channels have expanded to include national retailers, e-commerce platforms, and direct-to-patient shipments requested by eye care professionals. Product lines now encompass multifocal and cosmetic lenses, expanding from 120 SKUs to over 20,000. The new astigmatism line adds another 10,000 SKUs domestically, with international custom labeling requirements pushing the total managed SKUs beyond 100,000.
Customer-Centric Operations
"At Johnson & Johnson Vision, we bring science and the sense of sight to life through world-class innovation and customer experience," Strong emphasized. "Every process is customer-centric, and every order is customized for the patient."
Mirmina added: "We must be perfect—achieving 99.99% order fulfillment and accuracy rates. We even use doctors' addresses as return locations on patient shipments to strengthen patient-provider relationships. Ultimately, healthcare must become more consumer-responsive."
The SKU explosion has fundamentally changed supplier-customer dynamics. Managing inventory with 100 SKUs was simple; with over 30,000, it's an entirely different challenge. "Many clients want to stock popular prescriptions and rely on us as their back office to quickly deliver orders to their offices or patients directly," Mirmina explained.
The Automation Journey
Twenty years ago, Johnson & Johnson Vision introduced automation to its then-manual distribution center by installing four A-frame picking systems. The goal was minimizing labor and space while operating 24/7 to match manufacturing output.
"A-frames reduced both labor requirements and the space needed for fast-moving products," Mirmina said. "Without automation, we'd need double or triple the facility size."
As SKUs multiplied in recent years, the company doubled its footprint, adding a 100,000-square-foot light-directed picking mezzanine for medium-velocity bulk picking. Box picking occurs from lower rack levels, while upper levels provide reserve storage. VLMs handle spare parts and slowest-moving SKUs.
All picking zones connect via over two miles of conveyors that route order bins through the system sequentially—first to light-directed picking, then VLMs, A-frames, and finally the new goods-to-person area.
"Product reassignment happens weekly as business dynamics change," Mirmina noted. "Today's A-frame fast-movers might become C or D items months later, especially with new product introductions."
A Global Approach with Local Adaptation
While Johnson & Johnson Vision takes a global perspective on automation deployment, implementations are tailored to regional needs. Technologies are first evaluated in one distribution center before being adapted for other markets.
"In Japan, where 60% of orders ship direct-to-consumer versus 20% in the U.S., A-frames are prioritized," Mirmina explained. "Brazil uses more VLMs due to its unique SKU and order profiles."
The Future of Fulfillment
The goods-to-person solution represents the next logical evolution in Jacksonville's picking technology. The search for this innovation began when planning for the astigmatism product launch, which would require managing 10,000 additional SKUs.
After evaluating multiple options, the company selected a high-density storage system featuring independent mobile robots that deliver bins to picking stations. Bins are divided into quadrants for optimized storage utilization.
"The storage density perfectly matches our business needs," Mirmina said. The system meets throughput demands with constant bin flow to workstations and allows relatively easy expansion when space permits.
Looking ahead, voice technology may replace light-directed picking, while packaging automation could streamline currently manual processes. For now, Johnson & Johnson Vision has built a complete picking solution ready for industry evolution.
"We know new products will keep coming," Mirmina concluded. "We refuse to become a bottleneck for business growth or customer service."