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Tag: cold store

Pallet Shuttle Offers Automated Use in Deep-freeze Storage

Posted on by David Priestman

The leading German Organic vegetable freezing company Westhof BIO has selected easily accessible, plug and play automation in the form of a stow Racking silo served by Movu atlas 2D pallet shuttles. Part of an integrated intralogistics solution from systems integrator Körber, the silo and shuttles play a key intralogistics role in Westhof BIO’s brand new, highly automated production facility, located near Hamburg in Germany.

Due to go live in June, the Movu system provides reliable and efficient automated flow of goods and high density storage in a six-level silo to hold over 5000 pallets of frozen vegetables in the cold store.

Westhof BIO processes around 10,000 tonnes of fresh produce annually providing an organic frozen range. Its new climate- and resource-saving organic freezing plant gives the company room to expand and represents a major step forward for the company. The ultra-modern and automated freezer warehouse stores the frozen vegetables to allow their delivery on pallets to manufacturers of organic food and baby food all year round.

The company looked for a high density storage solution for the vegetables in its minus 24 degrees centigrade cold store that offers reliability and scalability as well as efficient and accurate flow of goods.

The automation solution consists of six Movu atlas shuttles, one of which transports the pallets on each of the six levels of the stow silo, which measures 60 m long x 31 m wide x 17 m high. Providing deep, multi-pallet channel storage, the silo maximises space by minimising the number and width of driving aisles – this installation has just one.

Efficient and quick to set up, the plug and play Movu atlas system fits all buildings to ensure no warehouse is left behind when it comes to automation. Even if a shuttle goes down or requires maintenance, it can be easily removed and replaced with a new shuttle within a day, with Westhof BIO ’s WMS directing goods to one of the other silo levels. The easily scalable atlas system allows the addition of shuttles to increase throughput and store greater quantities of vegetables during harvest peak.

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics said: “We are delighted to have successfully handed over another Movu project to our customer. With the combination of the stow silo and the Movu atlas 2D shuttle, Westhof BIO could trust on consistent high engineering and Project Management standards with a reliable project lead time. The Movu atlas 2D Shuttle is a true example of simple and easily accessible plug and play automation in challenging cold storage environment. It´s scalability provides Westhof BIO with automation that handles peaks and adapts easily to future requirements.”

Berit Carstens-Lask, Managing Director of Westhof BIO, adds: ”We are extremely satisfied with the automation solution that has been realized and with both the engineering and execution of the project. We hope that when we start running, the automation solution from Movu will make a significant contribution to optimising our entire production and warehouse processes, making them much more efficient and flexible.”

Movu Robotics, member of stow Group, is a leading international warehouse automation company that stands out by bringing easier logistics automation solutions to the world’s warehouses. The company operates globally and employs more than 300 employees across Europe and the US. Movu Robotics offers a complete portfolio of automated technologies for efficient warehouses. This includes the pallet shuttle “Movu atlas” for multiple deep storage, the AMR solution “Movu ifollow” for collaborative picking or transport of pallets, the 3D bin storage and fulfillment system “Movu escala” and the integrated picking robot arm “Movu eligo”. All Movu systems are controlled and managed via their own warehouse execution software.

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Movu Robotics Opens HQ and Experience Centre

 

More in Cold Store with Combi-WR

Posted on by David Priestman

Warehouse space does not come cheap, but for frozen and chilled products companies, the cold store costs per m² are even higher compared to ambient facilities. Maximising capacity should therefore be a priority in the existing footprint as well as in new builds, and this is exactly what Jordan International Transport set out to do with the design of its new purpose built storage facility in Moy, Co Tyrone, Northern Ireland. From here the company transports frozen and chilled fish and seafood to all of Ireland, the UK and mainland Europe on a daily basis.

Growth was a major driver for the decision to build the warehouse and switch to a new system, which aimed to maximise space and achieve greater output. In the initial planning stages, Storage and Distribution Manager Barry McIlvanna spoke to materials handling specialist Combilift as well as a racking supplier to identify the most suitable equipment. A combination of automated racking and a Combi-WR pedestrian stacker has enabled substantially more pallets to be stored in a smaller area.

A further consideration was to improve the ratio of stored products and the amount of space needed to access them, as Barry explains: “The freezer system has to work just as hard to cool the relatively unproductive areas set aside for access. With standard racking and conventional forklifts such as the counterbalance and pallet trucks we were previously using, only about half of the space could be used for storage. With the new system, this has risen to 85% so our freezer circuit can operate much more efficiently and therefore more cost effectively.”

In common with all of Combilift’s pedestrian trucks, the Combi-WR features the unique, patented and award winning multi-position tiller arm which enables the operator to remain at the side of the unit rather than the rear. “The operator’s position with this pedestrian version allows a greater level of control over the products when moving them around and as you have full visibility of the loads, the forks and the surroundings it’s safer for operators and other staff nearby, particularly when working in our narrow aisles and tight spaces,” said Barry.

Pedestrian stacker and automated racking maximise space

As well as enabling an almost doubling of pallet density, the performance of the electric powered stacker, even in the demanding cold store environment, has been exemplary according to Barry. “It’s perfect for our set up. Working at -18 degrees over a few hours it never misses a beat. We were initially concerned whether a truck could work equally effectively in such cold temperatures compared to normal conditions, but the team at Combilift had all the right specifications and solutions.”

Barry sums up: “Quick accessibility to products, adhering to deadlines and guaranteeing a high level of service have kept us at the top of our game for over 25 years. We believe being the best means using the best equipment available – and that’s what we have with the Combi-WR. I am sure that any future growth will involve more of Combilift’s products.”

Chilled store installation completed in days

Posted on by Keith McKinley

A specialist safety installation to secure racking frames in a chilled store in Dublin, Ireland, was completed in just four days by expert supplier Rack Collapse Prevention.

Fitted in all environments of ambient, chilled and frozen, Rack Collapse Prevention’s safety system is exceptionally durable, and unlike other racking safety systems, supports from the top instead of reinforcing from the bottom, meaning in a collision event the racking structure remains stable and standing, protecting staff, stock and removing the potential for significant business disruption.

After completing an install for Oakland International’s chilled store operation in Ireland, housing some 3,000 pallets in 2020, following service growth the company extended chilled operations and again commissioned Rack Collapse Prevention to secure the added racking frames, safeguarding in total some 7,500 pallets. Established as a proven safety system in real-world racking impact events, Rack Collapse Prevention’s safety system is designed for any facility where pallet racking is used.

Oakland International Co-Founder and Group CEO, Dean Attwell, said: “We value safety as paramount, and as one of the fastest-moving environments to work in we wanted to ensure complete safety-coverage for our staff.

“We’re keen to eliminate any possibility of weakness in our warehouse safety operations and Rack Collapse Prevention provides the safest possible solution for our team, whilst also protecting our business from the potential for disruption.”

An innovative UK designed racking safety system, Rack Collapse Prevention is helping to reduce the effects of warehouse impact events for a growing number of businesses in the UK, Ireland and across Europe. With over three-decades of food and storage industry experience Rack Collapse Prevention is fast becoming a system of choice, supporting a growing number of companies to remove the dangers associated with pallet racking failure.

Rack Collapse Prevention Founder, Craig Attwell, commented: “Oakland International needed our safety system installed as soon as possible to ensure the extended warehouse was covered, and having installed phase one, they knew our capabilities and had total confidence in our system to provide a safe working environment for their people.”

 

UK cold store electricity costs double in year

Posted on by David Priestman

Electricity spend for the UK’s cold storage facilities has more than tripled between 2021 and 2022, says a new report published by the Cold Chain Federation which reveals the UK cold chain industry’s vital statistics for the first time.

The new analysis in The Cold Chain Report 2022 shows that the cold storage sector’s electricity costs have grown from £560.6m in 2021 to an estimated £1.1bn for 2022. The report also shows that volume of UK cold storage capacity has now topped 40m cu m, increasing 10% since 2021.

Cold Chain Federation Policy Director Tom Southall said: “With energy prices rocketing, the cost of refrigerating cold storage facilities has soared too despite the great progress our industry has made over the past decade in improving energy efficiency and investing in renewables. Cold chain businesses continue to focus on the buying and contract options for fuel, electric and other supplies, and on making sure contracts with customers are sharing the increases in the best and most realistic way possible.”

The Cold Chain Report 2022 brings together new research with existing datasets to present the industry’s key facts and figures, including both cold storage and temperature-controlled distribution.

Southall added: “The cold chain is in the midst of a major transition and access to up-to-date, comprehensive data is crucial to understanding exactly what is changing and how, and in turn to assessing the impacts and making informed decisions for the future. Over the past three years our industry has earned new appreciation and built new relationships among politicians and policy makers, and the new Cold Chain Report will also provide data to support our work to influence decisions and ensure the cold chain industry’s voice is heard.

“The Cold Chain Report 2022 is the first ever report bringing together quantitative information on cold storage and temperature-controlled vehicles, and it marks a real milestone in the Cold Chain Federation’s commitment to research, gather and analyse data that serves and informs our industry. It has also enabled us to identify gaps in useful data and we will work with our members to create these datasets for subsequent iterations of the report.”

Key findings of The Cold Chain Report 2022 include:

  • The East Midlands has the highest number of cold chain facilities (175), followed by South East England (152) and then Yorkshire and Humber (146).
  • The average size of UK cold store is now 95,693 cu m.
  • The total volume of cold storage in the UK has now topped 40m cu m.
  • There are 25 sites in the UK with volume greater than 300,000 cu m.
  • Electricity cost in cold storage has more than tripled from £560.6m in 2021 to an estimated £1637.1m in 2022.
  • More than half of cold stores are more than 20 years old.
  • Diesel cost at full duty rates has risen from £122,280,000 in June 2021 to £322,173,878 in June 2022.

CLICK HERE to read the full report.

Toyota expands reach truck range

Posted on by David Priestman

Toyota Material Handling has announced two further additions to the BT Reflex reach truck range. Following the recent updates to the R, E and O-series of BT Reflex machines, the narrow chassis N-series – an ideal truck for confined spaces – has been further improved, while cold-store versions of the R, E and N-series are also now offered.

The BT Reflex N-series is a compact truck designed for use at sites where space is restricted, loads are block stacked or drive-in racking is a feature.

The upgraded N-series comes in two capacities – 1.4 and 1.6 tonnes – while the lift height has been increased to 10 metres. Meanwhile, the new cold store BT Reflex models can lift to a height of 13 metres and are available in five capacities – 1.4, 1.6, 1.8, 2.0 and 2.5 tonnes.

Designed to deliver optimum performance in temperatures as low as -30°C, the standard cold store version has an open cab, however, an isolated heated cabin option is also available.

Both the new narrow N-series and the cold store trucks benefit from a simple-to-use colour touchscreen display and are ergonomically designed with all controls within easy reach for maximum operator comfort.

Featuring lithium-ion battery technology, the new N-Series and cold store trucks are equipped with Toyota’s I_Site fleet management system.

Gary Ison, Sales Training and Product Development Manager, Toyota Material Handling UK, commented: “The latest additions to our class-leading reach truck range bring further benefits to more customer applications. The new BT Reflex machines guarantee a very intuitive and interactive driving experience and deliver highly intelligent energy-saving solutions.”

 

 

Cool solution for cold store facility

Posted on by David Priestman

McKeown Fine Foods needed to maximise storage density and ensure fast, reliable throughput at its new cold store facility in Northern Ireland. Toyota’s advanced Radioshuttle solution stepped up to the mark.

McKeown Fine Foods is a fast expanding family run food-processing business supplying breaded chicken and other meat products to wholesale, retail and food service organisations across the UK and Ireland.

Established on the family farm in the late 1980s, the company has grown rapidly over the years, taking on a number of cold stores on both sides of the Irish border. With the recent upgrading of its cold store facilities in Rasharkin, Ballymena in Northern Ireland, the business was faced with a decision on how best to rack-out the new building to maximise storage density and ensure smooth, reliable throughput to the production lines.

The new three-chamber cold store, with two rooms operating at temperatures of -20°C and a third at 1°C, has a capacity to hold some 4,400 pallets – quite a step up from the existing manually operated 300-pallet facility on site.

After considering conventional mobile racking, supported by reach trucks, McKeown Fine Foods took the decision to boost performance by investing in Toyota’s state-of-the-art, high-density automated storage solution, BT Radioshuttle.

The Radioshuttle system is designed to automatically store and retrieve pallet loads of product at rates of up to 60 per hour, combining fast and efficient transport of goods with space utilisation of up to 85% of available storage space. The system uses radio-controlled shuttles that are automatically guided along channels within the racking and powered by lithium ion batteries for reliable long-shift operations.

Maximising storage density using Radioshuttle offered significant advantages in cutting the cost-per-pallet stored and in reducing the potential for forklift truck collisions with racking.

Damian McKeown, Managing Director and owner of McKeown Fine Foods, explains: “Our product was stored in several cold stores across Ireland, and we had a small cold store in Rasharkin with drive-in racking which held 300 pallets. I imagined that once the three-chamber store was completed we would have to employ three or four more people, but that wasn’t the case at all. With the Radioshuttle system, one chamber can take in seven lorry loads of pallets a day, easily, with the same number of people that worked in our old cold store. The system is extremely fast and reliable.

“One shuttle can do so much work, it’s quite amazing. Within the time the forklift goes to pick up another pallet from the lorry, the shuttle is back waiting, every time. The forklift drivers just can’t keep up with the shuttle, it’s really efficient.”

McKeown Fine Foods has two shuttles at present, with a third on order, giving the business the flexibility and scalability to increase throughput in step with demand. The process of storing and retrieving pallet loads is simple. The forklift operator lifts a shuttle into the required channel, places a pallet load onto the shuttle and then presses a remote control, sending the shuttle with its load off into the racking. Retrieving a load is just as easy.

Giving an indication as to the scale of the operation at Rasharkin, Damian McKeown says: “We are taking in about nine lorry loads a day into the freezer, which is around 230 pallets per day, and over a week up on 50,000kg of chicken leaves the cold store to feed our production lines. With the Toyota Radioshuttle system it’s all extremely simple.

“The shuttles themselves are very straightforward – they do exactly what you want them to do. They give so little trouble. The lithium ion batteries on the shuttles allow for 10 hours of operation on one charge, and being lithium ion they can be topped-up whenever the opportunity arises.”

For Damian McKeown, the price was not the main issue. “The big thing for me was that it was Toyota,” he says. “My concern with other companies was with service reliability – if a shuttle breaks down Toyota has an extensive service support network. Also, Toyota is on its sixth generation of Radioshuttle, whereas others are only on their third or fourth generation. The company we almost went with, before we found Toyota, was only on their second, and that concerned me. So for me, Toyota was a very safe option… and they’re in GB, which is a very big point for me.”

The professional support from Toyota’s Chris Adamson also played an important part in securing the order. Damian McKeown says: “Chris was outstanding. He stepped in and provided a quote in record time, just a few days, and ensured that the whole process went smoothly.”

Hungarian cold store operator bolstered by Yale fleet

Posted on by David Priestman

Hungarian cold store operator ICE Solution turned to Pagát Gold Zrt to bolster its operations, with the Yale dealer providing four ERP15VT three-wheel electric trucks, four MO20P low-level order pickers, two MR16HD reach trucks, two MS15X-IL platform stackers and one MP25T truck.

Specialising in low-temperature warehousing and logistics, ICE Solution is one of the most modern cold storage facilities in the region. Unique in its field in Hungary, the company has been operating since 2008 and now holds two cold stores, located in Győr, suitable for storing goods at temperatures of -25°C. ICE Solution’s facilities can accommodate up to 11,500 pallets for its customers, which include leading poultry, milk, vegetable and fruit processors, as well as the largest domestic retail food chains.

To help its operations run efficiently, ICE Solution requires equipment capable of performing in the extreme cold. In its search for materials handling equipment, ICE Solution required a reliable, durable, and energy efficient solution from a partner that also offered rapid and reliable parts supply. With an average of 25-30 truckloads of goods handled every day, any delays caused by breakdowns would have a significant impact on the company’s productivity, therefore service was an important aspect of any product offering.

To bolster its operations, ICE Solution turned to its trusted dealer Pagát Gold Zrt – the exclusive dealer of Yale materials handling equipment in Hungary. The company was founded in 1991 and offers forklifts for rental, warehouse equipment, aerial work platforms, mobile forklift ramps and used forklifts. Additionally, it provides equipment service countrywide with 18 service cars and 25 technicians.

ICE Solutions and Pagát Gold Zrt have enjoyed a relationship that has spanned over 10 years. “During this time, ICE Solution has made a number of forklift investments,” said Domonkos Csik, Managing Director at ICE Solution. “In partnering with Pagát Gold Zrt, we chose a company that helps us to procure materials handling equipment that suits our needs and provides continuous service.”

After careful consideration of the company’s needs, Pagát Gold Zrt recommended a fleet of 13 Yale trucks. On discovering the benefits of Yale materials handling equipment, ICE Solution was confident it was the right product offering for them. “We chose a diverse range of Yale forklifts to fulfil our warehouse tasks” explained Domonkos.

High productivity in sub-zero temperatures

“Our equipment has to work in extreme conditions, so it’s important that they are able to deliver the same level of output regardless of the temperature. The Yale cold store solution provides a stable performance – even when working at -25°C in our facilities,” added Domonkos.

The most important task the Yale trucks fulfil is utilising space efficiently throughout the warehouse area. Every day the company needs to handle pallets weighing up to 1 tonne in different shapes and sizes, and processes are dependent on each other for a smooth operation.

ICE Solution’s operation requires a truck capable of performing two-shifts with minimal downtime. Four Yale ERP15VT three-wheel electric forklift trucks transport pallets around the facility, with the narrowed tipping frame enabling the operator to move comfortably between the shelves and overhanging pallets.

The cold storage company also required a pallet truck that was capable of picking up and dropping off several pallets of goods at the same time. As part of the preparation process, modifications were made to the Yale trucks to achieve this. The Yale MP25T pallet truck was fitted with a 2400mm-long fork enabling it to carry a load of up to 2.5-tonnes at a time – allowing the operator to stack pallets side-by-side.

“A great advantage of the Yale MP25T is that it is extremely agile and can work quickly, even under heavy workload,” commented Domonkos.

A combination of two MS15X-IL platform stackers, two MR16HD reach trucks and four MO20P low-level order pickers work alongside the MP25T to provide high efficiency and fast response times.

“The Yale pallet trucks, forklifts and reach trucks combine to create an efficient working environment. Due to the dynamic pace and nature of our business, we expect the same dynamism from our materials handling solutions. Our fleet of Yale trucks not only meet our expectations, they exceed them,” concluded Domonkos.

New High Bay Cold Storage Facility

Posted on by David Priestman

Kloosterboer, one of the leading logistics service providers in Western Europe, commissioned SSI Schaefer with the supply and construction of steelwork for an impressive deep-freeze warehouse located in Port of Rotterdam in the Netherlands. The logistics service provider offers innovative and sustainable supply chain solutions for temperature-controlled storage and distribution of food related products, such as fish, meat, fruit, fruit juice and juice concentrate, milk and potato products. SSI Schaefer has proven to be a reliable partner in past joint projects, which led to the awarded project.

A fully automatic, deep-freeze logistics center will call the City Terminal Rotterdam home – Cool Port 2. SSI Schaefer will supply about 4,100 tons of steel to erect a 6-aisle high bay warehouse with impressive dimensions too; 69 m length, 139 m width and 41 m height. The high bay warehouse consists of a silo design with the lateral walls and roof cover attached directly to the steelwork. Being a steelwork supplier, SSI Schaefer has erected numerous high bay warehouses with this type of silo design worldwide. Since Kloosterboer already did several successful projects with SSI Schaefer, it was an easy decision to award the contract to the reliable intralogistics experts.

The requirements of the British sustainability certificate BREEAM (Building Research Establishment Environmental Assessment Method) are adhered to during the construction. SSI Schaefer has designed the roof construction of the high bay warehouse for a future photovoltaic system for additional energy savings. The roof will be able to accommodate 2,700 solar modules.

With a storage capacity of 60,000 pallets in Cool Port 2, Kloosterboer will serve a variety of customers. The construction of the steelwork has started in fall 2020, the completion is scheduled for summer 2021. The deep-freeze warehouse will be commissioned in January 2022.

Chiller in Manila

Posted on by David Priestman

Efficient and sustainable frozen food logistics is complicated in the Philippines by extreme weather conditions and challenging local infrastructure. A case study reveals how latest technology can
address these problems.

The topic of sustainability is becoming increasingly important worldwide, as resources are finite and need to be used sensibly. Measures must be taken and solutions developed to achieve global climate goals. The ’50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders’ initiative aims to leverage innovation and sustainable business models and gives a platform for making the contribution to achieving the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG) global visibility. Fifty world-leading companies from various industries are gathering to showcase how they are developing activities and evolving business models towards a more sustainable future.

One of the 50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders is SSI Schaefer. “As one of the leading global providers of materials handling solutions, we are an ideal partner for companies that pursue
economically viable and future oriented sustainable goals,” says Steffen Bersch, CEO SSI Schaefer Group. This logistics expert brings extensive experience from many industries and a broad portfolio of innovative products and solutions. A technological, sustainable, and efficient materials handling initiative is essential to reduce energy consumption, CO emissions and costs, while promoting short supply chains and healthy working conditions. SSI Schaefer understands the unique needs of its customers and combines, among others, energy recovering hardware, energy efficiency software, predictive maintenance, recycled and recyclable materials, green building and ergonomic solutions, to balance performance requirements, flexibility, and durability.

Sustainable deep-freeze logistics

SSI Schaefer has delivered an outstanding sustainability project in partnership with ORCA Cold Chain Solutions in the Philippines. This archipelago with 7,641 islands in the western Pacific Ocean is already struggling with the consequences of global warming. Worldwide rises in temperature, along with rising sea levels in the region, lead to greater weather extremes, including dangerous tropical storms, which in turn could trigger storm surges. In addition, the Southeast Asian island state lies on the Pacific ‘ring of fire’, the most geologically active zone on Earth. Around 90% of all earthquakes worldwide occur along this line.

Of the over 100 million inhabitants of the Philippines, 1.8 million live in the capital, Manila, with a further 11 million in the urban area of Metro Manila. Supplying this urban population with fresh food is difficult due to the tropical temperatures and the overloaded transport infrastructure with its frequent traffic gridlocks. In addition, ORCA faces the other challenges of the food industry. Up to 37% of food produced worldwide spoils due to poor packaging, storage and handling.

ORCA Cold Chain Solutions (ORCA) was founded in 2017 as a subsidiary of ISOC Holdings. Faced with the Philippines challenges, ORCA set itself the task of establishing services and infrastructure for temperature-controlled food logistics. The company’s sustainable business objective encompasses the difficult task of maintaining the quality and safety of food in this tropical climate zone, thus helping to prevent food spoilage. Within a very short time, the company has become the leading provider of temperature-controlled logistics, warehousing and complementary services for the food and agricultural industry. Customers include large fast food chains in the Philippines, exporters and importers, as well as small food retailers.

At the heart of this successful corporate development is the establishment and expansion of an efficient and sustainable deep-freeze infrastructure. ORCA currently has two storage locations in the Manila metro region: Alabang and Taguig, with a third, Caloocan, currently under construction. ORCA chose SSI Schaefer as a partner because of their extensive experience in technology, engineering and customer service. In Taguig, ORCA and SSI Schaefer built the first fully automated deep-freeze warehouse with temperatures from -18 °C to -25 °C on a floor space of one hectare. The facility opened in February 2020.

Designed with a focus on energy efficiency and process safety, the facility is strategically located in the heart of Manila and is close to ports and industrial areas to enable quick supply to the country’s various regions. The scope of services provided by SSI Schaefer includes the fully automated high-bay warehouse in silo design with four SSI Exyz storage-retrieval machines and a storage capacity for 20,000 pallets, a conveying system, Advanced Pick Stations (ergonomic goods-to-person picking stations) and the logistics software WAMAS®.

The imposing 45-metre-high deep-freeze automatic warehouse is technically and architecturally designed to meet the special seismic and climatic challenges of the region. To this end, the rack structure is designed to withstand the strong horizontal movements and vertical forces that could be caused by earthquakes or typhoons. The optimised design of the building without additional columns and structures makes very efficient use of the limited space in Manila. “SSI Schaefer made sure that our carbon footprint is smaller than a typical conventional facility would make. A
20,000-pallet facility would normally take three to four hectares of land. But with the technology and innovation that SSI Schaefer provided, we were able to do this type of facility on one hectare
of land,” explains Yerik Cosiquien (pictured), President & CEO of ORCA Cold Chain Solutions.

The ORCA Taguig plant was awarded ‘Pioneer Status’ by the Philippine Board of Investments, a department of the Philippine Department of Trade and Industry, as the first fully automated cold chain facility in the Philippines. Thanks to the automated solution, ORCA can move up to 4,800 pallets per day in two-shift operation. A team of technicians from SSI Schaefer ensures
maximum availability of the system.

Innovative technologies

In the goods receiving area, food is unloaded from the trucks using forklifts, then palletised, shrink wrapped and labelled with QR codes and barcodes for traceability and real-time monitoring. Via a 282-metre conveying system, the pallets are automatically transported to the appropriate assigned zone in the high-bay warehouse, where a constant temperature of -25°C is maintained. In order to guarantee freshness, products are handled with the FEFO principle (First Expired, First Out). With WAMAS logistics software, ORCA has a close eye on stock and ensures that all goods within the warehouse are booked and tracked in real time. This also reduces the risk of theft, which is an issue in the region.

Thanks to the energy-efficient technology and innovative solutions of SSI Schaefer, ORCA could offer its customers end-to-end cold chain solutions with first-class customer service, higher efficiency standards and transparent inventory tracking. Electricity costs have been reduced by almost 35% and human involvement has been kept to a minimum. This ensures the integrity of all goods. “From the very beginning, the vision for ORCA was to be a world-class game changer. That is why we chose to work with SSI Schaefer in order to bring to the Philippines for the first time this type of innovation and automation,” explains Yerik Cosiquien.

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