GXO automates Guess fashion fulfilment

Posted on 16 September, 202616 September, 2026 by Peter MacLeod

GXO has deployed Exotec’s Skypod robotic system at its Venlo facility in the Netherlands, automating fulfilment operations for global fashion brand Guess.

The system is designed to handle the particular demands of fashion logistics, including high SKU counts, seasonal fluctuations and changing customer requirements. It can process between 40,000 and 70,000 pieces per day, with peak throughput of up to 2,200 order lines per hour.

The installation comprises 127 robots, 60,000 rack locations, eight goods-to-person picking stations and 200 metres of conveyor.

GXO manages inbound logistics and value-added services for Guess at the site, including quality control and garment conditioning, as well as outbound distribution to retail stores across EMEA and Asia. E-commerce fulfilment for the Benelux market is also being added.

One system for a complex operation

GXO and Exotec worked together to design the automation around Guess’s specific operational requirements rather than simply installing a standard system.

Exotec acted as the system integrator, bringing the different elements together under a single automation platform. The Skypod system provides automated storage and retrieval, while the goods-to-person stations bring products to operators for picking.

The installation also incorporates a 200-metre conveyor network linking storage, picking and dispatch areas, alongside specialised equipment for handling different stages of the process.

The objective is to reduce manual picking effort while providing the capacity to absorb future growth without requiring a complete redesign of the operation.

Scaling with seasonal demand

Fashion fulfilment presents a particular automation challenge because product ranges can change rapidly and demand can vary significantly between seasons.

At the Venlo site, the system can scale from around 40,000 pieces a day to 70,000 during peak periods. GXO says the operation has also become more predictable and streamlined since the system went live.

The installation is intended to support Guess’s retail distribution across EMEA and Asia while providing additional capacity for e-commerce volumes.

For GXO, the project demonstrates how warehouse automation can be configured around the operational characteristics of a specific customer rather than treating automation as a one-size-fits-all solution.

Ferrovalle brings AI optimisation to Mexico City rail hub

Posted on 16 September, 202616 September, 2026 by Peter MacLeod

Ferrovalle is taking its digital transformation further into terminal operations at its Mexico City intermodal hub, selecting Inform’s Syncrotess Optimization Plus platform to support a new Smart Yard initiative.

The software will provide an optimisation layer across yard, equipment and train operations, working alongside Ferrovalle’s existing in-house Terminal Operating System (TOS). Go-live is planned for June 2027.

Ferrovalle’s intermodal division handled around 550,000 TEUs in 2025, making it one of Latin America’s largest inland intermodal operations. Planning container storage, equipment deployment and train loading and discharge currently relies significantly on manual criteria and dispatcher experience.

Syncrotess will use data from Ferrovalle’s existing systems to improve operational visibility and generate continuously updated recommendations across the terminal.

The initial optimised fleet will include eight RTG cranes, four reach stackers and 14 terminal tractors. Ferrovalle aims to increase equipment throughput, improve the ratio of billable moves to total handling volume, and meet service-level targets for truck handling, train loading and train discharge.

The solution combines Inform’s Yard Optimizer, Crane Optimizer, Vehicle Optimizer and Train Load Optimizer.

Working with existing systems

A key feature of the project is its hybrid architecture. Rather than replacing Ferrovalle’s existing TOS, Syncrotess will operate as an additional optimisation layer, exchanging train consist data, load plans, container status, clearance information and operational updates.

The approach is particularly important given the complexity of Ferrovalle’s customs environment. The project covers both customs-cleared and customs-controlled yards, while also accounting for different processes for maritime and cross-border containers.

Dedicated inspection and loading areas will be incorporated into the workflow through automated tractor assignments and status exchanges with the TOS.

Integration with the terminal’s Equipment Control System will also enable automatic weight verification during routine crane lifts, removing separate weighing stops from the process.

Customs clearance built into planning

Customs clearance will form part of the optimisation process. Before a container is assigned for train loading, Ferrovalle’s TOS will confirm that the required customs and documentation clearance has been granted. Only cleared containers can then be released for loading.

The Train Load Optimizer will also automate a planning process that is currently largely manual. It will generate optimised train load plans based on available containers, train configurations, operational restrictions and clearance status.

Planners will retain the ability to review and adjust proposed plans when required.

The contract was signed in early September 2026, with the system scheduled to go live approximately nine months later in June 2027.

Packaging reduction has its limits

Posted on 16 September, 2026 by Peter MacLeod

There is only so far companies can go by using less packaging material. Once that point is reached, reuse offers another way to reduce the environmental impact of e-commerce shipments.

That is the thinking behind a new partnership between packaging specialist Topa and system operator Boxo. The companies have formalised their collaboration to make reusable shipping packaging easier to deploy at scale.

The underlying logistics challenge is straightforward. Packaging must protect goods throughout the delivery journey while minimising waste. Reducing packaging material is important, but if lighter or smaller packaging results in damaged products, the environmental and financial costs quickly outweigh the savings.

The two companies argue that once the lower limit for single-use material has been reached, reusing the same packaging multiple times is the next step in reducing its overall footprint.

Building the return infrastructure

The partnership combines Topa’s packaging expertise with Boxo Return, a system designed to manage the return logistics, deposits and data associated with reusable e-commerce packaging.

Boxo acts as the neutral system operator, managing both the digital and physical elements of the return process. This includes software integrations, collection through return points and the cleaning of returned packaging.

Topa, meanwhile, is developing high-quality shipping packaging that is compatible with the Boxo network.

The aim is to remove one of the biggest barriers to reusable packaging: the logistics required to get the packaging back.

Rather than individual e-commerce businesses having to create their own collection network, they can use the existing Boxo infrastructure. Customers receive their order in a reusable package, return it through an established collection network and the packaging can then be prepared for another shipment.

Making circular shipping easier

For e-commerce businesses, the model is intended to make the move towards reusable packaging considerably simpler.

Instead of building and operating their own return infrastructure, webshops can connect to an existing network and offer customers a reusable packaging option.

The partnership comes as European packaging rules place greater emphasis on reducing waste and increasing circularity. For businesses already reviewing their packaging strategies, reuse provides another option alongside material reduction, recyclability and more efficient packaging design.

The bigger shift is that packaging is increasingly being viewed not simply as something that protects a product on its journey to the customer, but as an asset that can make multiple journeys through the supply chain.