Swedish grocery retailer increases operational efficiency

TGW is working on a flagship project for Sweden’s number one grocery retailer ICA Sweden and is scheduled to finish by January 2026. This highly-automated fulfilment centre, about a 100km west of Stockholm, will allow ICA Sweden to increase the efficiency of its processes and expedite delivery to its shops.

A 30m-high freezer warehouse for pallets will replenish a highly-dynamic shuttle system. The latter will allow direct access to each and every item and thus facilitate the shortest possible lead times. In order to pick the shops’ orders, the required items will be retrieved, sequenced and then assembled; fully or partly-automated stations will then handle stacking of orders into roll cages appropriate for the shop in question. The system’s various functional areas will be interconnected by energy-efficient pallet, carton and tote conveyors.

The TGW Warehouse Software will ensure optimal item arrangement, thus minimising the effort required to restock the shop shelves. Compared to manual picking, the compact arrangement of the individual modules will also mean a significant reduction of the volume of space that needs to be kept cool, which will support ICA in achieving its sustainability goals.

All modules were designed for use at -25 °C in the demanding freezer environment: this includes the storage process as well as picking and palletising. They prove their productivity, efficiency and reliability on a daily basis at dozens of companies around the globe, including Coop (Switzerland), NewCold and Nordfrost.

“We are delighted to accompany ICA as a partner on the journey towards automation,” affirms Kristian Brink, Sales Project Manager at TGW Scandinavia. “Together, we will tailor the intralogistics to the needs of the Swedish market and implement a solution that sets new standards.”