Tag: automation|materials handling|warehouse automation

Fives, one of the world’s most preferred partners for transforming supply chain facilities, has once again been chosen by La Poste Group for continuing the modernisation of its Colissimo network. This new project, which illustrates its confidence in Fives’ turnkey handling solutions, is part of a vast programme to renovate its parcel delivery network.

In 2017, Colissimo, the parcel delivery brand of La Poste Group, began a renovation programme covering its overall delivery network in France. This programme included the renewal of existing logistics facilities as well as the setting-up of new sorting systems to enhance the delivery service within and outside France.

Since the beginning of this ambitious plan, Fives has been playing a key role through the design and installation of handling systems in Douvrin and Les Arcs-sur-Argens, and in participating in the realisation of the sorting solution in Pontcharra. All those systems are already handed over and fully in production since 2019 and 2020 respectively.

These successful completions have driven Colissimo to select Fives again for equipping a new handling system in Rouen, Normandie: the two companies have been collaborating for several years in various projects based on the highly-valued GENI-Belt technology muchly appreciated for its intrinsic reliability and accuracy.

Fives’ engineers have designed the final system layout in collaboration with Colissimo’s experts to come up with the best possible solution that complies with both functionality expectations and customer’s budget.

The system will be equipped with two overlapped GENI-Belt cross-belt sorters with a length of more than 1km, several GENI-Feed high-speed induction lines and hundreds chutes to feed minivans, roller cages and trucks to deliver parcels locally and internationally.

Scalable solution

In summer 2024, Colissimo will be able to sort more than 300,000 items a day in its Rouen Normandie’s hub. However, we know that nowadays parcel flows are unpredictable: for this reason, Fives has designed a scalable solution that can increase the system capacity up to 116% of its nominal throughput with the minimum effort and investment.

“We are proud to collaborate once again with such an important player as La Poste Group,” states Benjamin Le Moult, Sales Manager & Key Account Manager GeoPost at Fives Intralogistics SpA. “After many projects completed for La Poste Group seeing that they trust again in our company, illustrates that the expertise collected in all these years of activity and the efforts we have made to fine-tune our technologies, have paid off.”

 

Expanding its expertise in robotics, the TGW Logistics Group has revealed a comprehensive range of mobile robots called Quba. Described by TGW as intelligent and versatile, the  robots can transport totes, cartons and pallets autonomously and handle a wide range of tasks, including supplying packing or returns workstations as well as automatic palletising and depalletising stations.

TGW says it looks at mobile robotics from a holistic perspective and, through systematic process automation, provides answers to current challenges such as the increasingly difficult search for new employees, rapidly changing consumer behaviour or the dynamic development of e-commerce.

Family of solutions

The Quba family is made up of AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots) and AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles). Intelligent TGW software handles fleet management and controls the robots both individually and as a network.

“Mobile robots are a key technology for high-performance, flexible and future-proof intralogistics,” emphasises Harald Schröpf, Chief Executive Officer of the TGW Logistics Group. “By expanding our range in the area of driverless transport systems, TGW now offers a full package of high-performance door-to-door solutions that can also be integrated seamlessly into existing systems, both on a software and on a mechatronic level.”

TGW and SAFELOG: a strategic partnership

Recently, SAFELOG and TGW signed a strategic partnership agreement to foster their close collaboration. SAFELOG’s AGVs are already in use at many customer locations and have proven their reliability, whether in the automotive industry, machine engineering, production or intralogistics. Users benefit from scalable automation, high availability and short project times.

“We are very happy to have gained TGW, one of the leading general contractors in intralogistics, as a partner,” affirms SAFELOG Managing Director Mathias Behounek. “That shows that mobile robots are no longer an innovation project, but rather a tried and trusted mass market technology.”

Schröpf adds: “Our partnership with SAFELOG, one of the leading AGV specialists, opens up new possibilities for mobile robotics in intralogistics. Our customers will benefit from efficient, reliable and high-performance door-to-door solutions.”

Customer references

The advantages afforded by the Quba family have won over not only the Swiss coffee machine manufacturer Thermoplan, but also the workwear specialist Engelbert Strauss. For over a year now, mobile robots have been supplying the workstations at its CI Factory in Schlüchtern with goods.

The fashion company put its trust in TGW once again for its dispatch centre system in Biebergemünd: 26 Quba robots handle the autonomous transport of totes to the returns workstations there.

www.tgw-group.com

A 22-year partnership with leading industrial robot manufacturer FANUC has been hailed as a key factor in Icelandic firm Samey Robotics’ role in revolutionising the international supply chain for fresh fish.

Specialising in the design, manufacture and installation of bespoke automation for the food processing industry, Samey Robotics has delivered over 150 projects across 10 countries including Iceland, Norway, the Faroe Islands and the UK. At the heart of many of its tailored solutions is FANUC’s M-410 series of industrial palletising robots, renowned for its ability to handle heavy items, such as pallets of fresh produce.

With over 100 FANUC M-410 robots already purchased by Samey Robotics (including 25 in 2021 alone), the company currently has a further 25 on order.

“We know we can trust FANUC products to deliver time and time again in harsh operating environments while handling delicate and high-margin fresh produce,” says Kristjan Karl Adalsteinsson, Samey Robotics’ Chief Sales & Marketing Officer.

Just-in-time supply chain

Samey Robotics was founded 32 years ago, just south of Reykjavik in Iceland; a country renowned for its seafood. During this time, the company has built a reputation for delivering robust robotic systems that promote the safe, efficient and fast handling of fresh fish.

Blazing a trail for other food sectors to follow, Samey Robotics has revolutionised the fresh fish supply chain, with distribution handled by automated centres supported by robotics. In many cases, fish may be landed, processed and shipped to the customer within just 24 hours, meaning every second counts.

“An order can be placed in London, logged onto one of our customers’ operating systems in Iceland or another coastal country, and a robot will automatically start feeding the raw produce into the production cell,” explains Adalsteinsson. “In less than an hour, it will be palletised and on its way to being shipped, without anyone having to send an email, take a phone call or make a decision as to when to start or stop the system. The whole process, from order to delivery, is fully automated.”

As well as the ability to gently and rapidly handle large quantities of fresh produce, it is imperative that any robotic solutions specified by Samey Robotics are also robust and reliable. “Given the nature of our clients’ supply chain, the fish will spoil if production stops for any length of time,” states Adalsteinsson. “Some of our customers handle up to 500 tonnes of fresh produce per day, so unexpected downtime is simply not an option. The reliability of FANUC robots has been a huge factor in our joint success.”

A changing market

A perfect storm of rising labour costs, post-Covid digital transformation and affordable automation has helped drive a surge in industrial robot installations throughout the food and beverage processing industry. In fact, the number of industrial robots installed in European food processing applications is set to double in the 10 years from 2015 to 2025, and Samey Robotics is experiencing this growth first hand: “Demand is increasing every year, especially with regard to high-throughput cells that can operate within stringent hygiene parameters,” says Adalsteinsson. “The market is seeing the benefits that automation can bring from both a productivity and profitability point of view.”

Trust and transparency

For Oliver Selby, Robotics Business Development Manager for FANUC UK, supporting Samey Robotics’ innovative and forward-thinking approach to automating the fresh fish supply chain is testament to the power of a strong supplier-client relationship: “We have a number of longstanding client relationships, but to go from strength to strength like we have with Samey Robotics is especially rewarding. Key to our partnership is transparency.

“It’s a trait which runs throughout our business, right from the very top at our headquarters in Japan down to our delivery drivers meeting clients on the ground. This builds trust and gives our customers confidence that they can rely on us to deliver what we’ve promised.”

Setting the standard

Also key to the partnership’s success is a focus on innovation. “For a number of years now, Samey Robotics has been leading supply chain development in the European fish sector, with their automated approach to distribution serving as an example for other food sectors to follow. Going forward, Samey Robotics’ customer base is changing as the company embarks on a growth initiative through acquisition. Moving beyond Europe, it is now opening up to a global audience.

“At the forefront of this strategy is of course robotics and automation, and Samey Robotics is keen to spread its commitment to automated supply chains into regions that are not necessarily renowned for automation. We are excited to continue supporting them in this exciting phase of their journey, derisking their future business to ensure that Samey Robotics continues to be renowned for implementing solutions that facilitate the fast, safe and efficient handling of fresh fish, right across the world.”

Diverse offering

To this end, FANUC has recently begun supplying Samey Robotics with an alternative to the M-410, providing the company with a different robotic solution to improve end product handling even further: the M-2000. On the inbound supply chain direct from the boat, fresh fish is loaded directly from 460kg totes into the fish processing equipment by the M-2000; the strongest 6-axis robot on the market, boasting a handling capacity of up to 2.3 tonnes and a maximum reach of up to 4.7m.

This robotic solution changes the way food producers need to think about their onsite logistics, removing the need for specialist forklift trucks and drivers, and representing the ideal choice for gentle handling of what is a delicate food item.

For Samey Robotics, a commitment to innovation, transparency and reliability ensures that FANUC remains a key partner in its ongoing global success. Adalsteinsson concludes: “We are proud to have enjoyed such a longstanding relationship with FANUC. For us, and our customers, the reliability of their robots is priceless.”

Sinocare, Asia’s largest blood glucose meters manufacturer, recently joined forces with Hai Robotics to implement a complete set of Autonomous Case-handling Robot (ACR) systems into their warehouse in Changsha, China.

Hai Robotics, a pioneer in Autonomous Case-handling Robot (ACR) systems for warehouse logistics, provided a deeper intelligent technology integration and development of in-plant logistics in the healthcare facility, delivering higher workflow efficiency rates and lower labour costs. Li Zhi, Senior Manager of Sinocare’s Engineering Department, said: “The strategy of digitised and intelligent supply chain transformation, with the ACR systems’ help, will continuously foster Sinocare’s business growth now and far into the future.”

ACR systems stimulate operational efficiency

ACR solutions provide a more efficient, easy, and accurate way to manage materials throughout warehouse operations. These intelligent solutions use HAIQ, a warehouse software management system developed by Hai Robotics, as the intelligent brain that manages all the processes enabling effective responses to fluctuating demands and navigating complex logistical challenges within the facility while maintaining maximum efficiency.

To meet the high demands of Sinocare’s flexible production line, Hai Robotics’ ACR solution was implemented to manage the movements of semi-finished products as part of the manufacturing process and in storage. The ACR system fully integrated with Sinocare’s existing Manufacturing Execution System, helping to provide whole-process digitisation of goods management.

This integration now allows operators to easily and accurately manage inventory, monitor the handling of products, and track the movements of inbound and outbound goods. As a result, Sinocare was able to achieve significant advancements in intelligent warehousing and intelligent manufacturing collaboration.

ACR systems improve storage density

Sinocare’s Changsha warehouse storing semi-finished products covers an area of 1,000 sq m and there was a need to store more goods while staying within the same storage footprint. By implementing Hai Robotics’ high-density ACR system, Sinocare was able to increase its storage capacity from 7,500 to 12,000 totes. This increased the average storage density to about 13 totes per square meter.

Hai Robotics’ ACR solution was able to achieve these metrics and enhance storage density largely due to two key contributors. The first, Hai Robotics’ ACRs are able to operate in tight spaces, most importantly in aisles under 1.2m wide. The second, two two totes can be placed one in front of the other on a shelf and two shelves placed back-to-back, effectively realising double-deep shelving and reducing the total number of aisles and creating a high-density storage unit that is four totes deep and accessible from two sides. These shelving units were then stacked to 4.4m high throughout the warehouse.

ACR intelligent picking liberates manpower

Traditional warehouse management relies heavily on manual labour, which presents many challenges regarding availability, costs, and efficiencies, while other companies are gaining ground with the use of efficient automation. For facilities that still operate manually, normal human error, slow and low-efficiency operations, and natural physical limitations often result in a delay in facility maintenance, expired storage, and failure to replenish parts in a timely manner when inventory is low. These issues can create major problems for operations. Sinocare recognised the need to automate to enhance the productivity of their workers and maximised workflow efficiency.

Sinocare’s Changsha warehouse was able to double their per-worker efficiency rate with the implementation of whole-process automated storage and handling of totes containing their semi-finish products, while reducing the strain of previously laborious tasks. When inbound goods are received, a robotic arm grabs the loaded totes and places them on a conveyor belt.

Hai Robotics’ ACRs then retrieve the totes and deliver them to appropriate locations on shelves in the high-density storage area. When it is time for goods to move out of storage, the ACRs retrieve the tote from storage and transport it to a temporary storage shelf where an AGV then brings the goods to a production line. The automated solution also helps to create a better work environment for people. Operators can now track and manage the system from a dashboard without strenuous work.

Unlocking the potential in healthcare warehousing

Founded in 2002, Sinocare is a leading high-tech enterprise committed to using biosensor technology to produce and sell products for rapid detection of diabetes and other chronic diseases.  As the largest manufacturer of blood glucose meters and test strips, Sinocare has taken over 50% of China’s retail market of blood glucose meters.

Together with Hai Robotics, Sinocare aims to build an intelligent warehousing system for semi-finished products to unlock the potential in healthcare warehousing.

 

Successful retailers are geared to performing well at peak. But what happens when labour is scarce and volumes are unpredictable? Craig Whitehouse, Managing Director at independent systems integrator, Invar Group, offers a survivor’s guide to peak season.

Depending on the line of trade, seasonal peaks crop up with the regularity of British Prime Ministers – from Diwali, Halloween/Bonfire Night, through ‘Black Friday/Cyber Monday, all the way to Valentine’s Day, Chinese New Year, and Easter. The front end of this is rightly termed the ‘Golden Quarter’ – it’s where most retailers make most of their sales. But the peak of peaks, is always Christmas – never easy, and this year likely to be more than usually complex and unpredictable.

With the UK and world economies teetering on recession, it is a safe bet that in volume terms, Christmas trade will be more subdued this year. Does this make coping with the seasonal peak any easier? Quite the contrary.

Many consumers, exposed to inflation, uncertain as to future income, and perhaps anticipating distress level pricing by retailers, will be postponing their purchasing to the last minute, exacerbating the ‘peak’. Meanwhile, retailers and distributors who have controlled or reduced headcount – or have failed to attract staff even for the ‘normal’ level of trade – will have fewer bodies they can call on for overtime or extra shifts. And more than ever, a sale lost because goods are not immediately available is a sale lost for good.

This is true across channels. E-commerce as a proportion of sales has fallen back a little, but at around 30% is still well above pre-pandemic levels. However, resupply to physical stores this Christmas may be even more crucial – many consumers will not be buying for their Christmas events: ‘going shopping’ may be the Xmas treat. Moreover, we can expect a further peak in returns – not because the goods are in some way ‘wrong’ but because many consumers would rather have the cash value of the kindly-intended ‘gift’.

With so much uncertainty, it may seem counter-intuitive to suggest that investment in automation is an important part of the answer. Certainly, until a few years ago, ‘automation’ equated to ‘mechanisation with some intelligence’ and typically involved serious civil and mechanical engineering, only justifiable for companies with high and predictable volumes of throughput. However, things have changed significantly. Intelligent automation is now both highly flexible and scalable, and is far simpler to install – no heavy engineering required.

Far from the rigid, fixed conveyor systems and heavily racked solutions of the recent past, Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMRs) can navigate routes efficiently even if their geography has changed. And increasingly they can work safely alongside human co-workers, rather than having to be fenced off. Well established techniques such as pick-to-light, or pick-to-voice, coupled with appropriate automation, can offer workers far more rewarding, and error-free, conditions – improving staff retention and, perhaps, enabling wage enhancements.

Using these new resources efficiently depends on sophisticated, flexible Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) that can be easily tailored to individual applications and the simple integration of ‘best-of-breed’ hardware. Adaptability is key, for example, picking protocols, that can be incorporated and implemented centrally and ‘on the fly’ – no need to individually re-programme each machine.

In addition, these solutions are more often than not, easily scalable. It’s quite a simple process to add, or subtract, AMRs and mobile shelving units, with the WMS being similarly adaptable. And increasingly, these elements are available on lease rather than outright purchase, offering businesses relatively risk-free avenues for meeting demand at peak.

But perhaps, most importantly, automation isn’t ‘just for Christmas’. The point is that it can be scaled and flexed to give benefits throughout the year, in both peak and slack seasons. Intelligently designed and flexibly integrated warehouse automation can bring a multitude of savings to an organisation challenged by labour shortages and a need to affordably hit peak volumes. Using automation wisely can enable a business to not just simply survive, but thrive.

 

BEUMER Group, a leading global supplier of automated material handling systems, has been awarded a contract by Helthjem, a relative newcomer to the Norwegian express parcel delivery business. This is the first time Helthjem introduces automated sortation which has happened in a close partnership with BEUMER to select the right automated technologies and system for Helthjem’s business.

Helthjem’s success and rapid expansion – driven by the increase in e-commerce that has led to a 15% market share – has necessitated this first-time automation investment, which will help maintain its service levels and optimise operations. The new parcel terminal in Vestby in the South of Norway consists of a production hall of approximately 12,000 sq m plus an office department with support and administration functions.

It is here that a new automation system, designed and delivered by BEUMER Group, will optimise Helthjem’s sortation and further distribution of parcels. This is the first time Helthjem has automated sortation, having hitherto been a purely manual operation. The new system is designed to handle 50 million parcels per year and help Helthjem combat labour shortages, as the design includes automatic cage tippers and singulation of parcels that make Helthjem less dependent on having a large team of operators to manually place each parcel correctly. The BEUMER system will take care of most of the handling, from the moment parcels are emptied to the system until they are sorted for further optimised distribution.

The BEUMER system will largely eliminate manual handling, reducing the number of touch points from four to five for every parcel to only once for some of them. This will have a huge effect on speed and accuracy of throughput.

Lars Beier Madsen, sales director for BEUMER Group’s Logistic Systems, said: “We are pleased to join Helthjem at the beginning of their automation journey. The flexibility we offer with our systems is a perfect fit for their expanding business model. The ability to expand and adjust the system makes the investment future proof.”

Founded in 2015, Helthjem originally specialised in newspaper distribution and built up an extensive network that has enabled it to expand its business to cover the express delivery of parcels. It currently handles 16 million parcels per year, with the ability to offer a 12-hour delivery time to 50% of the Norwegian population.

Speaking about the benefits of the new system, Helthjem’s Anders Lunde Angen, director for e-commerce, commented: “This is our first venture into automation after years of purely manual operation, but any concerns we had were eased by the high level of competence shown by the BEUMER team. The system will enable us to expand our offering rapidly and we anticipate a reasonably fast ROI. During the Covid pandemic we saw the consumer-to-consumer sector grow by 500% and we continue to believe in the growth of e-commerce – and even more in the consumer-to-consumer business, for which we offer no-fuss delivery door-to-door by means of nothing but a handwritten code.”

The system will open in the summer of 2023. It will initially have an operational capacity of 15,000 parcels per hour, with the ability to expand built into the design.

 

The Dutch food retailer PLUS Retail B.V. together with the logistics partner WITRON Logistik + Informatik is expanding its national distribution centre for dry goods in Oss, which is currently in the middle of the realisation phase.

The reason for the expansion of logistics capacities is the merger of PLUS with the Dutch food retailer Coop, whose logistics processes will be partially integrated into the new highly automated PLUS distribution centre.

In 2023, a substantial part of the 550 stores will be supplied from a range of more than 12,000 different items. WITRON’s OPM, CPS, and DPS solutions is capable to pick more than 452,000 cases onto roll containers or into store totes in a store-friendly and error-free way.

“Both PLUS and Coop place maximum focus on service quality, customer satisfaction, employee satisfaction, and sustainability,” according to PLUS Supply Chain Director, Rowell Versleijen. “That’s why we embrace innovation and state-of-the-art technology in all areas of our business.”

The heart of the distribution centre is WITRON’s OPM system, which was originally designed for 20 COM machines and will now be expanded by four COM machines. The automated tray warehouse in front of the picking area will also be expanded by eight stacker cranes (48 in total) and 45,700 storage locations (274,500 in total). The automated pallet warehouse will receive one additional stacker crane (11 in total) and 2,700 storage locations (29,500 in total).

The integration of all additional racking units, vehicles, depalletisers, stretch-wrappers, as well as their conveyor system and IT-based connections will be carried out in the existing building. Expansion options already planned for the warehouse will now be utilised.

“Due to the modular design of our end-to-end solutions and their physical compactness, we can develop highly flexible future concepts for our customers during the design phase already, which can be conveniently integrated into an existing system to increase volume, grow product range, add pick stations, or change business and material flow processes. Regardless of whether the system has been in operation for many years or, as in the case of PLUS – the system is being build,” explains Jack Kuypers, Senior Vice President North-West Europe at WITRON.

The merger of PLUS and Coop under the PLUS brand creates what is currently the third-largest full-service food retailer in the Netherlands, supplying more than 4.5 million customers per week with everyday goods, holding a market share of around 10%. The company, with annual sales of approx. €5bn, employs more than 40,000 staff members.

 

On March 29 and 30, 2023, the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS will once again be all about hands-on testing of innovations and new developments in warehouse and material handling technology. The target group of the international test event are innovation-oriented B2B decision-makers from all areas of logistics. Up to 100 selected innovations await the participants.

After two test runs under corona conditions, the TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS in Hall 3 of Messe Dortmund will be starting with two new special test areas. Ergonomics and occupational safety are the focus at “Exoskeleton & Co.”, where visitors can try out for themselves how it feels to work with exoskeletons, suction systems and other devices. The new “Order Picker Safari” is a highlight for retailers and all those who attach great importance to order picking. Horizontal order pickers from various manufacturers will be available for testing and picking on a set measuring around 400 sq m.

As in previous years, participants can also try out the products and solutions of the nominees for the International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year (IFOY) Award 2023, which will also be tested by the 26-member jury from 20 nations, including Peter MacLeod from Logistics Business, the UK’s only representative. Finalists for the world’s largest intralogistics award will go through the three-stage IFOY audit as part of TEST CAMP, which begins as early as March 27.

Driving forklifts, operating all types of warehouse technology yourself, interacting with logistics robots, trying out software – all this is possible in the hall with more than 9,800 sq m of space. Booths with demonstration areas, a get-together and an indoor restaurant invite guests to intensive networking discussions without the hustle and bustle of a trade fair.

“Spot on Innovation” is also the motto in the congress area of TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS. In order to facilitate knowledge transfer among logistics experts, the organiser is once again setting up a conference programme with prominent panel discussions on both days. The popular thematic highlight tours are also planned again.

There will also be a reunion with the AGV Mesh-Up initiated by the VDMA Materials Handling and Intralogistics Association and its member companies. Following its world premiere in 2021 and its continuation in 2022, the new edition of the live test of the VDA 5050 communication interface, which will be held exclusively at TEST CAMP INTRALOGISTICS, promises a spectacular setting with new technical challenges. The aim of VDA 5050 is for Automated Guided Vehicles in the warehouse to communicate via plug-and-play technology, regardless of manufacturer.

They drive with different navigation modes, such as line-guided or contour-based, but communicate with the higher-level control system. B2B visitors will have the unique opportunity to observe the deployment of Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) from various manufacturers on 500 sq m and to exchange ideas with developers and scientists.

The green orientation of the new event format in logistics will also be consistently continued in 2023. The organiser has made sustainability a principle and taken numerous measures to conserve resources. The focus is on recycling and reusability, a central stand construction, the use of regenerative energies and the principle of dispensing with equipment that is not absolutely necessary.

 

 

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.”

 

Fives, one of the world’s most preferred partners for transforming supply chain facilities, has been selected by DHL eCommerce Solutions to automate its Coventry mega-hub and support its ambitious growth plan in the UK.

DHL eCommerce Solutions, one of the divisions of DHL, recently announced a €560m investment plan across its UK ecommerce operation, DHL Parcel UK. The investment comes following a 40% volume uplift since the start of 2020 and soaring demand for its ecommerce and B2B services. The expansion project is designed to deliver the right infrastructure to facilitate growth as well as putting the business at the forefront of sustainable and digital logistics.

To meet this growth plan, Fives, a long-time DHL partner, will be in charge of automating the entire facility: a new 25,000 sq m hub, which will open in early 2023 at Segro Park Coventry Gateway, located south of Coventry Airport.

This mega-hub will be equipped with Fives’ latest intralogistics technologies to automatically sort items of different sizes and weights at high-speed.

“We chose Fives for its ability to really understand our business and help us build a system that can handle the majority of the products we process. Fives’ skill in getting underneath the skin of how we work really impressed us from the outset of the project. The whole team is looking forward to building a long-term relationship with Fives’ team over the coming years,” said Richard Wenham, Head of Operational Support at DHL Parcel UK Ltd.

Fives’ engineers have spent months working on a turnkey solution that best meets DHL’s requirements in terms of warehouse operations and inbound and outbound flows, to ensure efficient and fast handling and shipping above all.

At the heart of this automation project will be four GENI-Belt cross-belt sorters and two GENI-Flex sorters, sorting items from 150mm and 50g to 2,000mm and 60kg.

Fives’ technologies will be equipped and integrated with vertical switches, swiveler wheel diverters, 3.5km of conveyors, almost 40 high-speed induction lines and about 150 chutes, to sort 56,000 items per hour.

“The recent growth of the UK market is one of the fastest in the world. Fives is increasingly investing in the UK, through project execution, visibility, and a sustainable presence. This important investment plan is expected to bring opportunities both from historical customers, such as DHL, and from new potential partners”, stated Vincenzo Guerra, Chief Sales Officer (CSO) at Fives Intralogistics SpA (Italy).