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Tag: warehouse automation

Re-organization Initiative for REWE Dry Goods

Posted on by David Priestman

One of the most advanced logistics centres in the German-speaking region is taking shape in Wiener Neudorf, Austria. REWE Group, one of Austria’s leading local suppliers, has awarded the WITRON Group the order to design, implement, and service a highly automated logistics centre for dry goods. The facility with a size of 135,600 square metres will handle more than 600,000 cases daily and supply around 2,500 stores from a product range of approximately 21,000 items. The core element of the project is the latest generation of WITRON’s OPM solution featuring 40 COM machines. The contract between the two project partners was signed in June 2025.

The REWE Group is transforming the site within existing premises into a sustainable and innovative logistics hub, incorporating state-of-the-art warehouse technologies. From there, the company will supply its BILLA, BILLA PLUS, BIPA, and ADEG stores, as well as cooperation partners such as gas station shops, with dry goods. “This project is a milestone for our entire company group. With the new logistics centre, we are creating the infrastructure needed for modern, efficient, and sustainable retailing”, explains Peter Maly, REWE Group Board Member for Logistics and Supply Chain Management.

“In Wiener Neudorf, we are building one of Europe’s most modern retail logistics platforms – a sustainable and resilient backbone for our supply chain,” emphasizes Marcel Haraszti, Executive Board Member of REWE International AG. “We are consolidating our goods flows, reducing transport volumes, increasing supply reliability, and creating new jobs for highly qualified employees in logistics, technology, and IT.”

Efficient module mix with high cost-efficiency

The facility will utilize WITRON’s OPM (Order Picking Machinery) and CPS (Car Picking System) solutions, enabling fully automated, semi-automated, and store-friendly stacking of cases onto pallets and roll containers. A unique feature of the CPS solution is that employees pick items in a path-optimized manner – guided by a pick-by-voice system – from a pick front stocked with layer trays, totes, and pallets. Replenishment is handled by stacker cranes.

Small-volume items will be picked directly from storage totes into shipping totes at eight ergonomically designed workstations using the DPS solution and guided by pick-by-light technology. Here too, the pick front is permanently and automatically replenished by stacker cranes. The individual logistics areas are connected via a conveyor system network. An intelligent consolidation strategy ensures optimal load carrier utilization for stores, resulting in significant transport cost savings.

In total, the entire material flow includes almost 550,000 storage locations for pallets, trays, and totes, more than 100 stacker cranes, and 18+ kilometers of conveyor system. All IT, control, and mechanical components are developed and manufactured in-house at WITRON’s headquarters in Parkstein.

“From the very beginning, our goal was to create a leading-edge logistics platform that combines efficiency, sustainability, and supply reliability. By consolidating logistics in Wiener Neudorf, we are also setting the highest standards in digitization and automation of retail logistics”, says Isabella Handler, Overall Project Manager at REWE International AG, emphasizing the importance of technological implementation.

Construction measures – high sustainability standards

The project is also designed with sustainability in mind. Built exclusively on previously developed land, the logistics centre will become the new core of REWE’s logistics operations in Austria and a flagship project for the company’s logistics strategy. Construction is set to begin in the second quarter of 2026, with operations scheduled to start in 2031. Where possible, the new WITRON technology will be integrated into existing buildings. Demolition work will begin in parallel to pave the way for new buildings – all without additional land.

“In Wiener Neudorf, we are building the infrastructure of tomorrow – fully integrated in our nationwide network in Austria. REWE Group’s key objectives are to strengthen supply reliability and reduce CO2 emissions along the entire supply chain”, explains Christian Hörner, Managing Director of Warehousing & Transport at REWE International AG. The logistics centre in Wiener Neudorf marks a major step toward achieving these goals and will serve as a model for REWE Group’s international retail logistics operations.”

A long-standing partnership

“We are proud to be implementing this project together with REWE – a clear sign that the chemistry between our two companies is just right”, says Markus Lang, Project Manager at WITRON. “REWE and WITRON have enjoyed a successful project partnership since 2012. Currently, WITRON is supporting REWE Germany as an implementation partner in a major re-organization initiative at the Neu-Isenburg site, where a semi-automated Case Picking System with aisle-bound picking vehicles is being replaced by the fully automated OPM system featuring 22 COM machines. The REWE site in Henstedt-Ulzburg has also been equipped with WITRON technology and is considered a benchmark in REWE’s German logistics network.”

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Witron to Build Automated Logistics Centre for German Retailer REWE

 

Warehouse Automation Choice

Posted on by Paul Hamblin

Intralogistics customers partnering with Beumer, a provider of warehouse automation technology, can expect step-change improvement in processes. The wins include space, time and cost efficiencies, with better tracking and security as a bonus. Paul Hamblin meets the team.

For Beumer Group, successful business relationships are about partnership. The company bills itself as the ‘Partner of Choice’, validated by the continuing success of the company’s proven technologies, and delivery on the promises made to its partners.

Gregor Baumeister, Director, Warehousing and Distribution Logistics Systems, tells me he was very happy with the company’s LogiMAT this year, describing “concrete project discussions with budgets and timelines” as part of an overall positive sentiment throughout the halls. This perhaps contrasts with ProMat a week later, where his American colleagues described a more cautious and uncertain atmosphere, no doubt due in no small part to the blizzard of tariff announcements and amendments from the Trump administration in the first part of 2025.

End-to-end Automation Provision

At LogiMAT 2024, Beumer focused on ‘Lights Out’ warehouse technology; this year the company highlighted its capabilities in the delivery of end-to-end automation in DCs.

For Gregor Baumeister (pictured below), the argument that automation represents a damaging replacement of human labour is bogus. “The world talks a lot about automation reducing labour opportunities, but I think it’s more accurate to say that our customers are unable to source that labour any longer simply because it is no longer available. So, in reality, the drive towards higher levels of automation is more accurately an enabler to stay in business. That’s the key difference. And with our systems you can create a fully automatic line of warehouse processes.”

Gregor Baumeister, Beumer

He outlines the Beumer product offering. “If you look at the processes in a DC, typically you’ve got goods receiving, then storage facilities, and retrieval via a shuttle or cube system basically bringing products to people,” he explains. “Beumer starts at the point of bringing those goods to people, then we go downstream from there, either in a pouch system or via a loop or line sortation system, including packaging and shipping to customers.”

The company demonstrated full automation of this process in Stuttgart. A significant advance is the automatic unloadable pouch, with which Beumer provides customers – should they choose to do so – with the facility to remove another layer of human interaction on a product’s journey to the end consumer. “Customer partners have the option of feeding a pouch system either via an operator placed at an ergonomic workstation or by using a robot. We will collaborate with customers to provide them with the most appropriate choice for their needs,” he reports. “The pouch system does its magic and the product can then be directly packaged by machine. If it needs special packaging – stretch-wrapping for high-value goods perhaps – this too is possible. All preferences are at the behest of the customer partner.”

Typically, pouch technology is tailored to smaller items in the 550mm x 420mm x 280mm dimensional category. “You can handle these items very effectively in a pouch,” he continues. “Our system handles items up to 7kg each, which is 40% more than other systems can do, and is particularly popular in fashion and general e-commerce settings. In those categories, 70-80% of parcels or bags are that size. Pouch technology is also developing a growing reputation in what we call ‘e-pharma’ handling.”

He points out further space-exploitation benefits of pouch technology. “By hanging the pouch system from the roof, we can use the third dimension in the warehouse. It is super space-efficient, with very high dynamic pick rates and order fulfilment rates. It’s very efficient overall in terms of space, labour, time, and also in tracking and traceability, because every pouch has a ‘licence plate’, making the whole process fully transparent.”

Stretch Hood Security Technology

Another eye-catching security innovation from the company this year is the Beumer stretch hood, which helps to secure pallets. Gregor Baumeister illustrates: “Consider a pallet delivery to shops and stores containing small, high-value goods: a good example might be razor blades. This is what the stretch hood is for – an enclosed hood made of film which can be pulled down and over the goods snugly. Anyone looking to pilfer goods from the pallet would need to tamper with the film to extract anything and this would be very evident in the breakage of the film. While it’s possible to reach inside an unprotected rack pallet to take out a product, it can’t be done with a stretch hood attached. A rack pallet you can always reach in, but with a stretch hood you cannot. In addition, it also provides protection from the elements.”

Learning from Data

Beumer’s advanced data analytics capabilities enable customers to further exploit the full capability of automation technology.

“Data analytics enables the recognition of patterns, thus facilitating predictive maintenance,” he explains. “But it also performs valuable service in steering operational processes, so that we can proactively advise customers of upcoming situations. In modern business, it’s important to see as far and as early as possible. Our customer diagnostic centres help monitor and manage facilities, offering operational advice if the customer wishes us to do so.”

Beumer’s tools enable the flexibility so essential to today’s logistics needs. “You don’t know what’s coming round the corner,” Baumeister cautions. “You need to avoid roadblocks if you want to stay in business.”

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Beumer supplies individual packaging solutions

 

Podcast: Maximising Warehouse Efficiency

Posted on by David Priestman

In the latest episode of Logistics Business Conversations titled ‘Maximising Warehouse Efficiency’, host Peter MacLeod sits down with Brian Kirst, Chief Commercial Officer at SnapFulfil, to explore the surprising findings of a new survey focused on warehouse automation and efficiency. While headlines continue to emphasize labor shortages and high operational costs, this data tells a different story — and it’s one that every warehouse and supply chain professional needs to hear.

The core takeaway? Labor isn’t the biggest barrier anymore. Instead, integration challenges have emerged as the top issue preventing warehouses from operating at full efficiency. From clunky legacy systems to siloed platforms that don’t communicate, the real drag on productivity lies in fragmented digital ecosystems — and many companies are finally waking up to this reality.

In this wide-ranging conversation, Brian and Peter unpack:

  • Why system integration is now seen as the #1 bottleneck in warehouse performance

  • How mid-sized operators are leading the charge toward automation

  • The most in-demand WMS features according to industry professionals

  • What the shift in mindset means for warehouse tech providers

  • How SnapFulfil is helping companies overcome integration hurdles and adopt smarter, more scalable systems

They also explore how customer expectations, digital maturity, and the pace of automation have evolved dramatically in just a few short years — and what that means for the future of the industry. With actionable insights and data-backed trends, this episode is a must-listen for logistics leaders, warehouse managers, and tech vendors alike.

If you’re looking to improve operational performance, evaluate your WMS, or better understand what’s driving change in today’s warehouse landscape, this conversation offers both clarity and direction.

️ Listen now on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, or your favorite platform.
https://www.logisticsbusiness.com/podcasts/ 

Successful Year for Witron Group

Posted on by David Priestman

The WITRON Group can reflect on another successful business year for 2024. Sales increased by 100 million EUR to 1.4 billion EUR. The company also hired 500 additional staff members, which means that 7,500 people are currently employed by the family enterprise. Another positive development is that 89 young people have decided to start their apprenticeship at WITRON.

Successfully ramped up projects as well as new orders for the design, implementation, and service of highly dynamic food, near-food, and non-food distribution centers for retail customers in Europe, North America, and Australia complement the business year and also allow for a positive outlook.

“Even if investment decisions are sometimes delayed due to the current geopolitical conditions, we should look positively to the future based on our successful company history”, emphasizes WITRON founder and owner Walter Winkler. “The decisive factor will be to optimally cope with the existing conditions. Consequently, this means focusing on the things that we can actively influence: Namely, to design and implement logistics facilities for our customers that are cost-efficient and to underpin our global reputation for delivering premium quality. Then, we will be rewarded with orders even in challenging times.”

New orders from well-known food retailers

The order book shows that this credo is proving true. Although, the number of orders received is slightly below the record figure achieved in the 2023 business year, it is still very satisfying. Contracts signed with well-known food retailers in WITRON’s core markets of Europe, North America, and Australia, have strengthened the reputation of the OPM / COM system as the world’s most successful fully automated storage and picking system for retail units in the food retail sector. The trust placed in WITRON by the food retail industry was based on numerous projects in the dry goods sector (43 percent) and in the perishable / frozen goods area (57 percent) for customers in Germany, Benelux, Scandinavia, North America, and Australia, which were implemented on time and within budget. These include the almost 103,000 square meter omni-channel facility for Swedish food retailer Axfood, which reached full functionality shortly before the 2024 Christmas season and will supply more than 1,500 stores and thousands of click + collect / HomeDelivery customers daily from a wide range of 22,000+ different products. These products are stored in a temperature range of plus 18 degrees Celsius to minus 26 degrees Celsius. On a peak day, the OPM, CPS, AIO, DPS, and OPS modules pick almost 1.6 million units. In addition, a fully automated shipping buffer optimizes the entire dispatch process – all controlled by an intelligent WITRON warehouse management system.

The dry goods logistics center of food retailer Coles in Redbank (Brisbane) implemented by WITRON has even won the prestigious ASCLA Award (Supply Chain and Logistics Association of Australia) in the “Automation, Robotics or Emerging Technology” category. The decisive factor for the 16 judges was the high level of efficiency in the entire supply chain, cost-effectiveness, product availability, occupational safety, and sustainability of what is currently probably the most efficient distribution center of the southern hemisphere.

Based on the success of the Redbank facility, WITRON has successfully ramped up another highly automated distribution centre for Coles in Kemps Creek (Sydney). The state-of-the-art site matches the scope and functionality of the facility in Redbank and also impressively underlines the strength of a joint trusting cooperation. And the partnership will be further intensified in the future. At the end of October 2024, Coles awarded WITRON with the design and implementation of another automated logistics center near Melbourne – with the aim of further optimizing the supply chains based on innovative WITRON logistics technology.

Service continues to grow

WITRON Group’s service business was also further expanded. This is reflected in the integration of eight new OnSite service teams in our customers’ logistics centres. A total of 67 OnSite teams with 4,400 staff members in 12 countries is currently ensuring a permanently high availability of all material flow, IT, and mechanical components.

In the future, their work will be further optimized by an innovation called ‘one device’, allowing service technicians central access to all WITRON service tools via a SmartPhone. As a result, active and proactive maintenance work can be organized even more efficiently. This innovation fits perfectly into “WITRON’s interface offensive”, where workstation dialogs are individually adapted to the requirements of the respective workers in order to ensure maximum usability / UX.

In-house platform production

The company’s product range was expanded in 2024 with the in-house platform production in modular construction. In the future, these platforms will be manufactured in-house in the production facilities of WITRON Stahlfertiger GmbH + Co. KG located in Waidhaus, Germany. Based on end-to-end processes and state-of-the-art operating equipment, all work steps – from design to statics calculation – can be carried out largely without third-party suppliers. The first ‘WITRON platforms’ have already been installed for various US customers.

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Witron Customers Rely on Quality

 

Warehouse Automation Depends on the Right Racking

Posted on by David Priestman

Edward Hutchison, Managing Director of BITO Storage Systems UK, explains why successful automated warehouse solutions require careful consideration when choosing the racking.

The UK’s world leading e-commerce retail sector swells demand and raises expectations for rapid delivery but the sector is also in the midst of dealing with rising labour costs combined with a shallower pool of available skills for its warehouses. This is driving growing interest in automation among many more managers responsible for fitting out these facilities, particularly as the technology continues to become more flexible, bringing it further within reach of many more companies. In fact the UK will, by 2025, be Europe’s largest warehouse automation market at over £3bn, according to market research company Interact Analysis. That will be £0.71bn larger than in Germany, which has traditionally been far more automation friendly when it comes to warehouses. Another market researcher, IMARC Group, which put the UK warehouse automation market at USD 2 Billion in 2023, expects it to reach £4.6 Billion by 2032. That’s a growth rate of over 10% during 2024-2032.

Automation’s modularity, sophisticated control systems, and performance developments can create a more practical and flexible solution for a greater variety of applications – from fulfilling omnichannel retail to supplying line-side manufacturing. Stacker crane based automated storage and retrieval systems, for example, will provide high density storage on a given footprint within a warehouse to offer an efficient and safe goods to picker solution.

However, smooth operation of this software-driven warehouse technology will rely on the racking. Given it plays such a vital role in maintaining the flow for highly accurate and rapid order picking within a warehouse, racking should be carefully considered because the right design will help an automated system to realise its performance benefits. Reliable racking will also minimise maintenance and the subsequent costly downtime for an automated system, helping to improve its productivity and hasten the return on the investment.

Assessing the quality of racking starts with the basic components: the uprights and beams. Fine tolerances in the racking’s manufacture and installation are needed for the stacker crane to run smoothly, with trouble-free operation and maximum safety. Bolted frame components will allow a fast exchange of damaged components. Uprights need to be available in a range of widths and different material thicknesses to allow an ideal upright geometry for frame heights of over 20 metres and bay loads as heavy as 40 tonnes.

Suppliers using state-of-the-art machinery to manufacture racking components will produce all the elements at the exact required size and of a consistent quality and tolerance. This ensures long-term integrity of the racking system.

Ed Hutchison

The quality of the materials used in the racking will determine how an installation will stand up to the rigours of everyday operations. For example, galvanising and epoxy coating ensures high corrosion resistance and guarantees a long service life for all components. Safety is high on any list of considerations and starts with the integrity of the installed system, which is enhanced by stable floor anchoring, while pallet support bars add additional strength.

A supplier that can provide the bins and containers in addition to racking and shelving will offer the advantage of compatibility between these two elements. This will avoid numerous issues that can disrupt smooth material flow, such as bins not rolling properly down carton live flow lanes. It also makes it easier to achieve the maximum density of stock because multiple containers designed to fit precisely with a bay racking or shelving without leaving unnecessary gaps can generate considerable space savings throughout a warehouse storage area.

They will be able to supply specially designed bins and trays that have been adapted to automated racking and stacker crane conditions and meet the requirements of the system. For example, BITO XL series stacker containers, KLT small parts containers, and trays made from steel sheet or polypropylene, all meet the requirements of automated bin storage and are suited for any application.

Racking projects for automation will draw on a supplier’s experience and its ability to work with systems integrators and automation companies in addition to suppliers of other equipment and solutions, such as mezzanine floor and forklift truck companies. Reference site visits are a great way to assess the standard of a product in a working scenario. It is also useful to have a close look at the equipment in a showroom environment wherever possible.

Ultimately, when it comes to storage and order picking solutions, companies are seeking high quality – not just of the physical products, but also of the installation team and service support. As a customer about to make a large investment in automation, you really will need to take a careful look at racking.

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Small Parts Storage Bins “Ideal for Limited Space”

 

Warehouse Automation Quadruples Output

Posted on by David Priestman

Third party logistics operator DSV has implemented a warehouse automation solution at its distribution centre in the Netherlands that has increased output by 300 per cent without needing additional personnel.

The omnichannel fulfilment solution from KNAPP has transformed the company’s existing 60,000 m² warehouse in Venlo, enabling DSV to process fashion and sports orders rapidly and efficiently for a well-known sports goods manufacturer.

Same-day and next-day delivery

On an average day, around 10,000 orders and 100,000 items are shipped to retail, wholesale and online customers across Europe from the facility with same-day and next-day service levels. The solution provides a high degree of flexibility to handle the peaks typical of the fashion sector, while also ensuring sustainability through an automated carton-closing system to optimise shipping volumes.

Goods entering the warehouse are repacked in containers or cartons at the 14 decanting stations, with some being stored on pallets in high-bay racking. The heart of the system at Venlo is KNAPP’s Evo Shuttle, a small parts warehouse with over 257,000 locations for plastic containers and cartons, which are stored triple deep in the 19-level store. A total of 361 shuttles operate within the system, retrieving items on demand and conveying them to the picking stations.

Volume-optimised shipping

Fulfilment is carried out at one of 16 goods-to-person workstations from KNAPP’s Pick-it-Easy series, where orders are assembled directly into shipping cartons supplied by an automatic carton erector. There are a further 28 workstations for value-added services and manual packing. After order assembly and before being conveyed to the 14 shipping ramps, the height of each shipping carton is adjusted to suit its contents and a shipping label is applied in a process that is completely automated.

Warehouse Automation

In addition to storage, retrieval and picking, the Evo Shuttle store takes care of order buffering and sequencing of completed orders. The whole solution is controlled by KNAPP’s KiSoft software, which interfaces with DSV’s inventory control system to ensure that all processes run smoothly and without errors. This software combination takes care of the entire flow of goods in real time, inventory management, all the product master data, order release, quality checking and document insertion. DSV also chose to have a resident service contract with KNAPP, so that engineers are permanently on site to ensure maximum system uptime. See the solution in action here.

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Automation Helps NEXT make Delivery on Time

 

Amplify Cost and Time Savings at Brownfield Warehouses

Posted on by David Priestman

The 2024 supply chain landscape is witnessing a significant shift towards brownfield warehousing, states the report titled ‘Navigating Warehouse Space Challenges in 2024: Unlocking the Value of Brownfield Warehouses’ from Bart De Muynck, LLC, a consultancy providing strategic advice on supply chains including focuses on strategy, leadership and technology.

FORTNA is one leading automation and software company for the full logistics value chain that is leading the charge by automating brownfield processes to enhance cost savings and efficiencies. During the pandemic, there was a substantial investment push for greenfield construction to accommodate the surge of inventory entering the United States. However, with vacancy rates decreasing and the high costs associated with greenfield projects, companies are now turning to retrofitting existing warehouses through brownfield projects to meet current consumer behavior and industry developments.

Bart De Muynck, CEO of Bart De Muynck, LLC, emphasized the importance of brownfield projects, stating, “Brownfield projects are crucial to limiting warehousing costs going forward. FORTNA sits at the cutting edge of warehouse automation to allow for labour costs and efficiencies to be further enhanced.”

“FORTNA is on the precipice of brownfield warehouse automation,” said Jeff Cashman, SVP of Corporate Development at FORTNA. “Our expertise in warehouse execution systems and warehouse automation enables companies to unlock the full potential of brownfield warehouses.”

The report states that in 2023, the United States saw a 25% decrease in new warehouse construction, according to research from Interact Analysis. With greenfield investment projects costing $100 million or more, companies are exploring brownfield projects to minimize development costs, increase operational efficiency and improve the performance of existing facilities.

While brownfield investments come with limitations related to building layout and existing equipment, the benefits often outweigh these challenges. Redeveloping brownfield sites involves lower development costs since infrastructure like roads, utilities, and loading docks is already in place. This significantly reduces the need for additional construction, permits, and architectural involvement.

“Key factors to consider when selecting facilities for brownfield projects include proximity to transportation routes and urban areas, site contamination levels, and access to a skilled workforce,” added Cashman. “Companies, especially in the retail sector, can convert underperforming stores into e-Commerce fulfillment centres or ‘dark stores’ that offer ample space and are located near populated areas.”

Technology plays a crucial role in optimizing brownfield warehouses, according to the report. Gartner states by 2028, 80% of warehouses and distribution centres will deploy some form of warehouse automation. Brownfield sites are particularly suited to point solutions that automate specific workflows, such as mobile robots and automated storage and retrieval systems, which maximize storage density within a smaller footprint.

Warehouse execution system (WES) software is paramount at brownfield sites, serving as the brain behind warehouse operations. A WES optimizes order fulfillment processes, minimizes idle time, maximizes resource utilization, and integrates old and new automation technologies. This is especially important in smaller, space-constrained brownfield facilities where every square foot counts.

A knowledgeable WES partner like FORTNA works with companies to determine inventory, throughput, service level agreements, and other requirements. Advanced algorithms simulate different types of equipment and technology to predict success in a brownfield environment.

“By seamlessly integrating with automation technologies like mobile robots and robotic arms, FORTNA optimizes workflows and reduces manual intervention,” concluded Cashman. “This is particularly beneficial where space optimization is critical for vertical storage and seamless order fulfillment.”

One of the added benefits of redeveloping brownfields is sustainability. By reusing existing land, companies avoid utilizing additional resources. Automation technologies can incorporate energy-saving designs to reduce consumption, enhancing the energy efficiency of brownfield warehouses. Improved inventory management and order fulfillment accuracy minimize waste and reduce the environmental impact of excess inventory. Additionally, optimized transportation routes and schedules reduce fuel consumption and emissions.

The demand for adaptable, cost-effective, and efficient warehousing solutions continues to evolve, making brownfield initiatives a strategic imperative. Brownfield warehouses provide flexibility and customization, aligning warehousing strategies with evolving inventory management goals. With proper planning and execution, brownfield warehouses can become significant sources of storage solutions in 2024 and beyond.

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Cost-efficient Brownfield, Retrofit Solutions

 

Podcast: Warehouse Automation – Can you afford not to?

Posted on by David Priestman

Warehouse Automation – Can you afford not to? is the latest episode of our Podcast service, ‘Logistics Business Conversations’. It is now available to listen to on Spotify, Acast, Amazon Audible and other podcast distribution platforms – just search for ‘Logistics Business Conversations’.

Peter MacLeod speaks to Malcolm Porter and Daniel Wood, Automation Sales Managers at Linde Materials Handling. They discuss thoughts on the future of manual forklifts versus the importance of automation, providing you with an understanding of when each should be used. As usual we touch on the impact of labour shortages and the common misconceptions Dan and Malcolm face.

Warehouse automation – can you afford not to?

Hear answers to key questions from these experts, including: how disruption is minimised when introducing automation; what the minimum return on investment is to justify automating; what are the challenges and misconceptions being overcome; what can and cannot be done; what is the total cost of ownership; what are the viable options; what repetitive and mundane tasks can be replaced by automation; what lithium and fast-charge technology is available; how can you plan and simulate before deciding; where to find a good demo site; is automation relatively inflexible.

Listen to any of our Podcast episodes here.

Malcolm Porter, Linde Materials Handling
Dan Wood, Linde

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Logistics Business Conversations, are monthly, topical and exclusive talks with key informative spokespeople from the supply chain industry. Contact us if you would like to appear as a guest or to discuss a bespoke episode for your company.

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Podcast: Fleet Insurance: Strategies to Control Costs

 

 

 

Automation Lifecycle Management

Posted on by David Priestman

Joe Morris (pictured) played a pivotal role in the success of TJ Morris, trading as Home Bargains. In this interview, by Kirsty Adams, he discusses his new company, ARMS Innovations, which is revolutionising the approach to asset lifecycle management. We also cover important trends impacting UK retail.

Where did the idea for ARMS Innovations come from?

Joe Morris (JM): “TJ Morris was an early adopter of automation. I’m an engineer who came from a robotics background and was eager to introduce automation when I joined my brother’s business as Operations Director in 2000. To me, ‘owning’ the automation — managing the engineers who maintained the equipment ourselves — was crucial. It meant that we, rather than the OEM (Original Equipment Manufacturer), had full visibility of the system data. This ethos has heavily influenced the ARMS Innovations approach.

“The ARMS Innovations story begins with the software —a task management system—developed by Jonathan Lane, who, at the time, was the Engineering Manager at the Amesbury TJ Morris site.
Jonathan created software solutions and a system that, instead of sending errors to a control room, triaged them automatically, directly to the engineers. Once digitised, a new engineer, via mobile handset, has all the information required to carry out their job, as efficiently as an engineer that has worked with the equipment for 10 years or more.”

And how did it help improve the TJ Morris Operation?

JM: “Digitising tasks enables efficiency improvements of 10-20% in automation, control room, facilities, cleaning, contractor, and operational functions. The total labour saving for TJ Morris was £1,800,000 per annum, per site. The continuous improvement journey, over time, brings a 5-10% improvement in system availability. For TJ Morris the 5% improvement achieved equated to £170 million per year in extra capacity. Fully digitising these tasks is a big job, but there is big payback and benefits. Following the success of the system at TJ Morris, we launched ARMS Innovations in 2022. Now, the system is being rolled out to warehouse operators, including major UK retailers. We also provide the onsite engineering teams for customers.”

What trends are significantly impacting the UK retail sector?

JM: “E-commerce has added instability to retail operations. It demands perfection, which adds a lot of pressure to the operation and demands very high system availability. You need to have the people and systems in place to get it right the first time. That’s why you automate, that’s why you have no option but to digitise. A second trend is the loss of ready and keen labour. Prior to Brexit the retail industry became complacent, the abundant supply of labour made it much easier. But many of those people have now left the UK, labour costs are rising rapidly, driven by double digit minimum wage inflation, so the only way to get the product out of the door is to automate.”

Ok, what about the early adopters who are eager to extend the life of their assets?

JM: “The typical life of an automated distribution centre is 15-20 years. If you can extend this by 5-10 years, you can achieve a 30-50% extra return on investment. Early adopters of automation are facing this challenge now. Current investors in automation will face this challenge in the future. They need to think about it now. As well as its software, ARMS has developed a documented process for asset lifecycle management, the ARMS QMS (Quality Management System), to cover all of the process required to design, build and operate a highly automated distribution system.”

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Witron to Design and Build DC for Fast-Growing UK Retailer

 

Stamh and Movu Robotics Together in Southeast, Central Europe

Posted on by David Priestman

As part of its goal to ensure no warehouse is left behind, Movu Robotics has entered a strategic international partnership with STAMH Group, which brings new competitive advantage to businesses in Central and Southeastern Europe by making warehouse automation more flexible, scalable and affordable.

With both companies embracing the move to goods-to-person intralogistics, this collaboration provides a more easily available and much shorter automation path for many successful businesses in a large number of countries in Eastern Europe, including Romania, Serbia, Greece, Croatia, Bulgaria, North Macedonia, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Albania and Montenegro. No longer part of the distant future, autonomously performing technologies are a practical reality today. For Movu it’s important to count on a reliable integration company in the region and STAMH relies on leading technologies in warehouse automation that provide simple solutions for handling growing volumes and faster throughputs.

With more than 14,000 successful integrations, 23 years of experience and storage systems performing in 22 countries around the globe, STAMH continues to prove its commitment to integrate tailored automation solutions. Responding to the increasingly demanding market requirements in the region, Movu provides STAMH with strong and reliable partnership to offer robotic solutions and future-proofed automated systems to perfectly match the automation needs of a variety of logistics hubs, fulfillment centers, warehouses and distribution centers in Central and Southeastern Europe.

Sharing a common vision

Stefan Pieters, CEO of Movu Robotics said: “Strategic partnerships with integrators are an important part of the Movu Go-to-Market strategy. Movu and STAMH share the view that both small and larger warehouses can be effectively optimised in terms of useful storage space and intralogistics processes. Whether for large facilities handling palletised loads or the more recent innovation of micro and nano fulfillment centers serving large cities, automated solutions will allow smooth and effective performance without errors, round the clock, every day of the year. Making warehouse automation easier than ever, the long-term partnership between Movu and STAMH is an international commitment to help business to scale up step-by-step, at the speed of their own development.”

STAMH Group’s international engineering, automation and software teams are ready for the intralogistics automation challenges facing businesses. Robotic solutions for palletised loads, such as Movu atlas and its specially designed Racking System, are already being installed in distribution centers across Southeastern and Central Europe.

Through reducing width and the number of driving aisles, Movu atlas brings seamless space optimisation. The bi-directional movements of the new robotic shuttles on the X-axis are controlled by intelligent software, reducing unnecessary movements and achieving optimal operations. It selects the most convenient robot to effectuate the next storage and retrieval task. Customers can start with one robotic shuttle and increase the number if needed.

The integrated charging station, and the autonomous on-the-fly charging of the shuttles further reduces manual operations. Atlas shuttle robots charging by themselves removes another thing for customers to think about.

Partnership for ecommerce

An increasingly vital aspect of logistics, eCommerce often involves multiple orders requiring preparation in seconds. With the proportion of e-shoppers growing from 55% in 2012 to 75% in 2022, according to the latest Eurostat data, modern fulfillment and distribution centers have become crucial economic drivers for any online business, looking to scale and grow. Solutions such as Movu escala are being integrated in new fulfilment centers to achieve robotic storage and extraction of picking totes, combined with on-the-fly industrial battery charging, autonomous handling and three-dimensional (X- and Y-axis) operations.

From AGVs to AMR solutions

STAMH and Movu offer proven and future-proof AMR technology to reduce the requirement for manual transportation of goods over large distances in modern distribution centers. The latest AMR systems, such as Movu ifollow, are light, fast, secure and smart. They do not require complex guiding systems integration or infrastructural changes in the warehouse. Controlled by plug-and-play software to effectively navigate around static and moving obstacles as they transport heavy loads. Movu ifollow AMRs are the perfect tool for collaborative picking and perform even in low temperatures found in cold stores.

Constantly innovating, STAMH Group embraces these impressive technologies and, through co-operation with Movu, will enable the integration of automated warehouse systems and technologies that will take intralogistics in Central and South-Eastern Europe to a completely new and optimal level. This results for any growing business in the region will be increased competitiveness and velocity of operations as well as greater customer satisfaction.

To tackle the challenges of sustainable development, both Movu and STAMH apply their principles with the common goal of a better tomorrow. STAMH Group remains firmly behind the respect, support, and protection of human rights, following high corporate and working standards. Movu is working to ensure healthy lives and promote well-being for all people of all ages.

Both companies share, encourage, and develop energy-saving technologies, and strive to achieve sustainable and modern energy for all. While AI is an integral part of their software systems, STAMH and Movu recognise the talent in their companies and can count on the best and highly specialised teams in the complex intralogistics fields. This is the philosophy behind every new success and every new integration and is why STAMH and Movu’s international teams can understand every single automation and intralogistics need.

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