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Tag: Dematic

Eram to Automate New Distribution Centre

Posted on by David Priestman

As a critical part of its overall strategy to optimise and modernise a large portion of its B2B and B2C storage and distribution operations, Eram Group’s Fashion division has selected Dematic to automate the company’s new distribution centre in Chemillé-en–Anjou in the department of Main-et-Loire.

The family-owned company, based in France and operating internationally, wants to consolidate the flows of its footwear activities for its various brands, including Gémo, Eram, Bocage and Mellow Yellow in its new facility covering more than 40,000 square metres in the Loire Valley region.

“Dematic has demonstrated its strong expertise when it comes to delivering solutions featuring AutoStore™ systems and has also clearly shown us the benefits from Dematic and its fellow KION Group brands,” explains Jean-Louis Borde, the director of logistics activities for Eram Group. In fact, a decisive factor in selecting Dematic’s solution over other proposals was the compact design of the AutoStore system to be integrated into the new centre. The solution offers more space for the same surface area and can be expanded in future if the need arises.

The Dematic solution features several advanced technologies with a compact and scalable design. The automation covers both picking and palletising processes and includes a large AutoStore system to enhance Eram’s Group order processing. The system contains 80,000 bins, 84 robots and 16 workstations for order processing. Additionally, a receiving conveyor with two unloaders will unload trucks or containers and a conveyor will sort packages for palletising.

A robot will open cartons while another robot loads totes into the system. For the order picking process, a packing station with a conveyor forwards orders to the dispatch area. Dematic Software manages all order fulfilment and picking operations to meet transportation and customer satisfaction requirements. It can seamlessly interface with the software currently installed and managed by the Eram Group.

The project is now underway and scheduled to be completed and ready for commissioning in Q4 2026. “We are very pleased to be working with the Eram Group, a major French family-run organisation and an iconic brand. This project marks the beginning of a promising partnership based on common values and a shared vision of excellence,” adds Alain Bussod, President of Dematic France.

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Globalpesca adds Automation to New Cold Storage Warehouse

Posted on by David Priestman

Warehouse automation and software specialist Dematic has recently signed a contract with Globalpesca – a leading Italian provider of frozen foods and food services to the hotel, restaurant, and catering industries – to ensure operational efficiencies at a new low-temperature, cold storage warehouse for frozen goods.

“Important factors in our decision process included knowing that Dematic has many years of experience developing automation solutions for the hospitality and catering industry and it has deep experience in the storage of food items at low temperatures,” explains Andrea Ruffoni, the supply chain director at Globalpesca, adding, “And when it comes to stacker cranes for pallets, we were confident that Dematic was the right company to partner with.”

Headquartered northwest of Milan in Gravellona Toce, Italy’s Piedmont region, Globalpesca S.p.A. is a family-owned business whose roots date back nearly 125 years.

Due to rapid growth in the hospitality and catering industry in Italy, food service companies must be able to manage higher order volumes and be prepared to continuously improve service levels. Globalpesca recognised that automation would support its operations by bringing improvements in two key areas: better planning and managing of its inbound product process and better handling in storage and restocking of its picking areas.

Solution increases storage capacity using the height of the new facility

The Dematic solution is going to be installed in a new warehouse facility adjacent to Globalpesca’s distribution centre in Gravellona Toce. The solution calls for a self-supporting structure designed to meet the load and temperature requirements of the warehouse, the second temperature-controlled warehouse adjacent to the distribution centre.

The 24-metre high new warehouse covers approximately 1,400 square metres. The Dematic solution includes two RapidStore® UL1200 stacker cranes with an option of an additional one for future expansion plans, a pallet transport system using BK25 conveyors, and two Ergopal picking workstations with an option for a third workstation. Installation and commissioning are scheduled to be completed by early 2026.

The Italian frozen foods specialist aims to automate its operations and improve the efficiency of its processes with more precise inventory tracking and improving ergonomics for its operators by no longer needing them to access the facility’s −25°C areas and having them work at better designed workstations for preparing pallets.

During the project’s conception phase, an Italian team from Dematic together with a customer project team led by Ruffoni, worked closely to review various possible scenarios for Globalpesca to determine the best fit with future scalability as one of the priorities.

According to Mauro Corona, the sales director for Dematic Italy, the project is a great example of a strong collaboration. “The extensive automation expertise of Dematic and Globalpesca’s deep experience in their industries came together in a strong cooperative partnering for an efficient solution that will provide a strategic lever for Globalpesca in a demanding business environment.”

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Manutan ASRS Revamp Doubles Daily Orders Processed

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic has recently completed a modernisation of an AutoStore™ ASRS system for Manutan, one of Europe’s leading specialists in the distribution of equipment and supplies for enterprises and local authorities. With 25 subsidiaries across 17 European countries, Manutan selected Dematic to be the integrator of its existing AutoStore solution at its Gonesse logistics site, just outside Paris. The system utilises 60,000 storage bins and 68 robots.

Boosting Productivity and Efficiency

Following a 9,000-square-metre extension of its logistics centre in 2021, which included the installation of an AutoStore system and increased the total surface area of its warehouses to 50,000 square metres, Manutan wanted to continue its transformation when it joined forces with Dematic to transform its AutoStore system by boosting site performance and sustainable practices at the location.

“With the revamp by Dematic, we have doubled the number of orders that can be processed daily. The use of robotics also has contributed to improving the safety of our employees, while allowing them to focus on more value-added tasks,” notes Alexis Royer, the logistics director at Manutan Group. According to both Dematic and Manutan, the project marks the first time in AutoStore™ history that a change in integrators has been made during full production with no operational downtime necessary.

“Our work with Manutan has been exceptional in many ways,” says Alain Bussod, president of Dematic France. “They wanted to modernise an existing AutoStore installation but, ideally, with no downtime, which is never an easy proposition. And then there was the challenge of transforming the overall facility into a more efficient and financially feasible one.” Bussod also pointed to the durability of the Dematic Software package and equipment within the Manutan ecosystem delivered by the automation warehouse specialists. “It is proof of our ability to deliver robust, sustainable solutions.”

The project has allowed the site to be thoroughly modernised and has seen other major improvements as well. A technology upgrade including the migration of server, interface and database changeovers as well as the deployment of warehouse control system (WCS) software, a global milestone for an AutoStore system in full production.

Dematic also installed a new conveyor system, an AutoStore CarouselPort™, a workstation that operates with three rotating arms, each carrying a bin. This has facilitated a more rapid and streamlined order picking process. A 300-square-metre mezzanine has also been added to allow for additional equipment and improve operational flow. The installation has also increased productivity as well with dispatch capacity having risen by almost 70 per cent and direct productivity having increased by 60 per cent.

Results That Align with Customer CSR Goals

The project adheres to Manutan’s corporate social responsibility (CSR) goals. With the optimisation of available warehouse space and the modernisation of its equipment, Manutan has initiated new processes and tasks to reduce any unutilised space and the use of unnecessary materials in product packaging. New settings for the carton closers and greater use of envelopes to replace parcels are helping to cut down on the overall volume of shipments. The transport optimisation, with a reduced number of trucks, directly contributes to Manutan’s FRET21 carbon neutrality objective. The storage solution now makes it possible to offer customised value-added services, such as placing a delivery note on the package’s exterior for a better customer experience.

States Bussod, “I was confident that with our experience in AutoStore installations and our overall expertise in modernising warehouses, we would meet all of these requirements. And the promising start of this initial project with Manutan is an encouraging indicator of the growth prospects for them, which we look forward to supporting both in their geographic and commercial expansion.”

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Dematic Completes Installation for Italian 3PL

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic recently finalised the installation of an automation project featuring an AutoStore system for the Italian 3PL Plurima. The third part logistics provider is one of the leaders in the Italian market for hospital logistics and medical data management and also provides storage services for public and private hospitals. The newly installed system increases operator performance for both decanting and picking while also boosting order accuracy.

“In view of the market challenges we were facing, we already knew that an AutoStore system might be the best fit for us to meet our goals, and when combined with Dematic’s expertise and vast experience in working with the system, we knew this was our ideal partner for the improvements we sought,” explains Fabio Grossi Gondi, the managing director at Plurima.

To better provide outsourced pharmaceuticals and administrative stock management, Plurima turned to Dematic to deliver automation to its distribution centre in Caltignaga, in Italy’s Piedmont region, which supplies hospitals and other medical facilities in the province of Novara.

“Thanks to the advanced functionalities of our software, along with the batch order Put2Light system utilising battery-powered carts and wireless technology, we further optimised the picking processes, making the overall solution even more responsive and sustainable in terms of an ROI perspective,” beams Rosario Filomena, a sales manager in Italy for Dematic.

The modular, automated goods-to-person system was installed in an existing facility, which is approximately six metres high and has a floor space covering 400 square meters. The grid height is approximately 3,700 mm and has a storage capacity of 10,000 bins. The system has a storage volume of up to 758 cubic meters and a ratio of 1.9 m³/m². The 13 R5 robots and their respective battery chargers along with three carousel-type doors ensure the picking and decanting processes are carried out efficiently.

According to Grossi Gondi, Plurima is already reaping the benefits of their newly installed solution. The company has reduced its warehouse storage area by roughly 75 percent and has cut the number of employees needed for order fulfilment down to one-third of what it previously required. Additionally, employee safety has also climbed upward.

Filomena added, “we are convinced that this successful model can be replicated in other distribution centres with similar results in the future.”

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Kion and Eurofork Sign Strategic Partnership

Posted on by Keith McKinley

The KION Group has entered into a strategic partnership with Eurofork S.p.A., a leading manufacturer of pallet shuttle systems. The two companies have signed a cooperation agreement at KION GROUP AG headquarters in Frankfurt am Main, Germany. Under the agreement, Eurofork’s E4CUBE® solution will be distributed through the sales and service networks of the KION brands in the Industrial Trucks & Services segment in the EMEA region with immediate effect.

Andreas Schneider, Senior Vice President Product Management at KION, said: “We are very pleased to enter this strategic partnership with Eurofork, one of the leading players in the market for pallet shuttles. This will enable us to offer our customers an even more comprehensive product portfolio of automated solutions and further strengthen our position.”

Pallet shuttle systems are an efficient form of storage with high flexibility, continuous material flow and high throughput rates. Automated shuttles travel independently on rail systems through the racks and transport palletized goods to the picking station. E4CUBE® can be easily configured with standard modules for individual customer solutions and is operational within a few months. In addition, the system ensures the traceability of goods and offers a high level of operational safety.

Maurizio Traversa, CEO of Eurofork, said: “We are proud to enter this strategic partnership agreement, which marks a new high of our long-standing cooperation with the KION Group. Our pallet shuttle automation adds substantial value for customers and having KION teaming up with us for the distribution of the E4CUBE® will enable access to easy automation for a wide array of companies. This solution delivers value without unnecessary complexity, including from a financial perspective, thanks to our partner’s leasing solutions.”

Eurofork was founded in 2000 in Roletto near Turin, Northwest Italy. The company specializes in the production of material handling devices such as pallet shuttle systems and telescopic forks made in Italy. Thanks to their quality and efficiency, Eurofork products and solutions are used worldwide in the field of industrial automation and intralogistics.

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KION opens Centre of Excellence for Automated Solutions

Posted on by David Priestman

The KION Group has opened the KION Automation Centre Antwerp in Belgium, a Centre of Excellence facility for automated solutions in EMEA. It is the first of its kind and now the primary hub for research and development, testing and customized production of automated solutions in EMEA. Employees from the KION brands will now work and collaborate on automation projects and individual customer requirements.

“Automation is the future for our industry, so I’m very excited about the new facility,” says Ching Pong Quek, member of the Executive Board and Chief Technology Officer of KION GROUP AG. “By bringing various capacities under one roof, we can now respond to market needs and deliver automation projects faster, more innovatively and cost-effectively. The teams design the right automation solutions for our customers and support our regional sales teams.” The new building allows new solutions to be tested and optimized on site and requirements to be addressed individually and quickly. “The Centre of Excellence will enable intensive collaboration across businesses with the aim of serving our customers even better”, says Quek.

Approximately 400 employees with diverse professional backgrounds and 40 nationalities are working at the KION Automation Centre Antwerp. The 11,800-square meter building is well equipped for collaborative work, with a flexible office concept encouraging creative thinking, learning, testing, and training. The building is located near the port of Antwerp in an industrial area that is set to grow and develop further in the coming years.

Cross-departmental collaboration an important success factor at new site

The employees who used to work in the two rented locations in Antwerp and Zwijndrecht have now moved into the new automation centre. It shortens distances and promotes cross-departmental team collaboration. One of the teams is KION subsidiary, automation and software specialist Dematic, which has vacated its previous offices and moved less than 100 meters away to the new building. The team provides centralized services on automated solutions for customers across Europe.

In addition to Dematic, other operating units of the KION Group are also based in the new building. One of them is KION Industrial Trucks and Services (ITS) EMEA, where a team handles customer projects from planning to delivery, including training sessions conducted in the office and test floors. They also focus on the testing and development of custom hardware and software solutions, as well as the production of customized solutions, particularly for industrial vehicles.

Robotic system development will play a major role in the new Centre of Excellence for Automation. The mission of the team is to deliver intelligent, driverless and interoperable robotic products, solutions and services that are easy to deploy, operate, maintain and support throughout their lifecycle in brownfield applications.

Building design focuses on solutions that support sustainability

The KION Automation Centre Antwerp features modern standards of sustainable design, such as advanced insulation, solar panels and a green roof. The goal is to achieve BREEAM sustainable building certification, which is based on a holistic approach to achieving environmental, social and governance (ESG), health and net-zero goals. From energy to ecology, a BREEAM assessment uses recognized performance measures against established benchmarks to evaluate a building’s specification, design, construction and use.

In addition, the KION Group is working closely with the European agency Encon to obtain a WELL Gold certificate from the US-based international WELL Building Institute. The WELL Building Standard is an evidence-based system for measuring, certifying and monitoring building characteristics that affect the health and well-being of occupants.

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Spare Parts Management Solution for new Logistics Centre

Posted on by David Priestman

AgriEuro, a leading supplier of agricultural and garden equipment, recently selected Dematic to install an AutoStore system at its new logistics centre in Spoleto. The facility is scheduled to be built in the coming months and expands the site, which is currently the location of the company headquarters. It is set to focus exclusively on after-sales activities such as the management of spare parts and other small components.

“We were asked to design a scalable, automated solution that can meet current storage and performance needs and be easily expandable to support future growth, raises the level of comfort and safety AgiEuro’s warehouse operators and meets environmental and financial sustainability goals,” notes Rosario Filomena, a sales manager at Dematic.

According to Filomena, the decision to use the AutoStore system allows Dematic to ensure that every customer requirement could be met; along with the design of ‘swing-door’ component, which further optimises the warehouse space and helps to make the overall solution even more sustainable by significantly reducing the floor area in the new building. Additionally, the system’s low energy consumption directly responds to environmental measures the company wanted to see realized. “It completes a fantastic picture which makes it the best response to meet the green challenges of the future,” concludes Filomena.

Thanks to a unique design by Dematic, the AutoStore system enables AgriEuro to make optimal use of space by stacking boxes on top of one another and by storing numerous references within a single box. The system also automatically ‘learns’ over time which products have a higher rotation, positioning the relevant crates at the top of the grid to accelerate processing times. Filomena says it is a fully scalable solution which is perfectly suited to AgriEuro’s needs.

Spare Parts Management Solution

The AutoStore system to be implemented by Dematic calls for the use of 32,000 totes for a total storage capacity of more than 2,000 cubic meters of products. On the surface of the grid, 12 robots are positioned to achieve a handling capacity of 240 movements per hour with five material entry and exit doors operated by AgriEuro staff. The AutoStore solution is based on a “goods to person” process which eliminates the need for order picking and offers an ergonomically-improved work environment for warehouse staff.

AgriEuro’s decision to opt for a solution involving AutoStore to manage replacement processes actually goes beyond the simple need to optimise space utilization; it represents a strategic investment emphasizing after-sales service as a distinctive brand element in the market.

“It renews a centralized approach for our after-sales service management by boosting storage capacity to more than 1,000,000 spare parts for 40,000 machine models. We anticipate jumps when it comes to our customer service levels with respect to accuracy and timing in the shipment of spare parts, as well as the speed in their servicing,” says Roberto Arduini, a logistics manager of AgriEuro.

“The introduction of the AutoStore system is part of a broader investment framework within the construction of our new logistics area here at our headquarters,” explains Filippo Settimi, the CEO at AgriEuro, adding, “We are strongly committed to the growth of our employees and our organization in general and we are confident that the AutoStore solution offers us perspectives and opportunities for the development of new processes that can always help to further improve our service offer.”

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Automation Solution for 3PL Healthcare Specialist

Posted on by David Priestman

Dematic has recently completed the final steps in installing and commissioning a compact automation solution featuring an AutoStore system for Spanish 3PL Grupo Servicio Móvil. The new solution manages the storage of medical supplies for one of Madrid’s largest hospitals.

“This recent collaboration reflects a continued confidence in us after more than 10 years of a fruitful partnership,” states Pablo Garcia, a senior director at Dematic and the country manager for Spain. “By selecting Dematic for this new installation, Grupo Servicio Móvil recognised our ability to provide advanced solutions for their specific needs.”

Indeed, the project represents an ongoing collaboration between the two companies dating back to 2012 when Grupo Servicio Móvil became the first company in Spain to install a Dematic Multishuttle® system at its Negreira site to serve healthcare customers in the region.

The family-run company with headquarters in northwestern Spain has been a leading third-party logistics supplier to the healthcare market in Spain for more than 30 years and has expanded its operations into national governmental sectors and historic archives. Grupo Servicio Móvil has built its reputation on providing high quality standards in the services they deliver and in the service agreements they negotiate. They rely on providing minimum lead times to meet the requirements of the markets served by their customers.

For its healthcare customer in Madrid, Grupo Servicio Móvil installed a warehouse very close to the hospital, which came at a premium real estate cost, so an efficient, extremely compact solution was a top priority. The energy cost reductions associated with AutoStore systems –the robots utilise regenerative energy along with warehouse lights-out operation capabilities – are additional benefits.

To meet the needs of the hospital, the 3PL healthcare specialist needed to automate storage, retrieval and sorting processes as well as improve picking and sorting accuracies, which would lead to improved inventory management and order fulfilment. Additionally, scalability to adapt to changing business needs and growth over time was also a requirement. The Dematic solution covered each one of these aspects.

The compact AutoStore system takes up just 190 square meters of space and includes three CarouselPort™ workstations, seven R5 robots and 5,005 bins. Dematic Software manages the operation of the system. The overall warehouse itself is situated on 15,000 square meters.

“We continuously strive to improve operational efficiency, precision and most importantly, adapt to the specific needs of healthcare logistics. We need to ensure the highest level of reliability, which is why we decided to implement this new intralogistics solution with Dematic,” notes Diego Rey, director of Purchasing and Infrastructures for Grupo Servicio Móvil. He added, “In today’s highly competitive market, having the best professionals on our team is not enough; we must also have the best automation solutions, which is where Dematic brings us value, not only with their equipment and software, but also with a great team of technical professionals who always show commitment and support during both design and implementation.”

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Podcast: Is Micro Fulfilment the Right Fit for Grocers?

Posted on by David Priestman

As customers demand faster and more accurate grocery deliveries, microfulfilment centres (MFCs) are becoming a key part of the solution. In our most recent episode of our podcast, Logistics Business Conversations released on Tuesday, 20th August, host Peter Macleod talks with expert Danielle Dakin of Dematic about why these centres are so important in today’s retail world.

Microfulfilment centres are small, tech-driven hubs that allow retailers to quickly process and deliver orders. During the podcast, Danielle highlights Tesco’s use of nine microfulfilment centres across the UK as a prime example of how leading retailers are adapting to meet growing customer expectations. These centres help Tesco accelerate order processing and improve delivery times, allowing them to stay competitive in a fast-paced market.

The podcast discussion also explores how these new technologies are reshaping the grocery supply chain. With businesses increasingly turning to MFCs, staying competitive means adapting to this new wave of grocery fulfillment.

If you’re curious about the future of grocery shopping, this insightful conversation is a must-hear, offering a clear look at how microfulfilment is transforming the way we get our groceries.

Click Here to Listen for Free

 

Dematic Delivers AutoStore to Key Geodis Site

Posted on by David Priestman

GEODIS has recently commissioned an AutoStore system provided and installed by Dematic at a key site in France.

GEODIS, a leading global supplier of transport and logistics services and headquartered just outside Paris, entrusted Dematic with installing a stand-alone system for its customer, Nexter, which is now part of KNDS Group. This organisation is one of the leading European manufacturers of military land systems based in Germany and France. The solution has been installed in a fully automated warehouse in Moulins, France.

For this new automated facility, Dematic has supplied an AutoStore system with 12,500 bins, four R5 robots and two conveyor ports installed within the 22,000 square-metre (236,000 square feet) warehouse. Nexter, which designs and integrates land defence equipment systems, plans to use the warehouse for maintenance and operational services and can stock around 32,000 items on-site.

“The Dematic solution is proving to be extremely robust and has fully met our expectations in terms of efficiently utilising our floor space. It supports the ramp-up of Nexter activities within KNDS, aimed at maintaining land equipment in operational condition,” explains Thierry Schnepp, the director of business expertise capabilities at GEODIS.

“With the integration of automated and robotic equipment, we are fully supporting the growth strategy of GEODIS. We can also demonstrate our capacity to provide solutions adapted to the needs and constraints of modern logistics while establishing a third-party value chain based on customer experience and trust. It clearly opens the door for new collaboration,” notes Alain Bussod, the president at Dematic France.

The system operates on GEODIS’ own warehouse management software platform, Altesse.

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