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Tag: warehouse automation

Arvato opens Hamm DC

Posted on by David Priestman

Arvato and Douglas, a European omnichannel provider for beauty, have jointly officially opened their new location in Hamm, Germany. The new distribution centre with its state-of-the-art automation technology is a lighthouse project for both companies and marks the next step in their long-standing partnership. With a total area of 38,000 sq m, Arvato will handle all logistics for store deliveries and Douglas’ fast-growing online business in the DACH region – including returns management. The new logistics centre will create up to 400 jobs in Hamm.

After commissioning the logistics centre in August last year, Arvato initially began processing orders for online customers in Germany, Austria and Switzerland. In the meantime, all Douglas stores in the DACH region are also supplied from Hamm.

With the new logistics centre, Arvato has tripled warehouse capacity for Europe’s leading omnichannel beauty provider, whose online sales have grown by an average of more than 20% per year over the past five years.

“We have created a forward-looking concept in Hamm that optimally supports not only growth but also the Douglas ‘Let it Bloom’ strategy,” said Julia Börs, President Consumer Products at Arvato, underlining the importance of the project.

“Efficient logistics is one of the most important pillars for any omnichannel retailer. With the new and state-of-the-art logistics centre in Hamm, we have reached a decisive milestone in linking store business and online store in the DACH region even more closely – also and especially to the benefit of our customers and suppliers,” said Sander van der Laan, CEO of the Douglas Group.

Arvato’s digitisation strategy perfectly supports Douglas’ cross-channel business model. The supply chain and e-commerce service provider has specifically designed the DC in Hamm as an omnichannel warehouse with high-performance automation technology and a cloud-based IT solution, in which Douglas’ various sales channels and country orders are brought together.

At the heart of the omnichannel solution is a state-of-the-art shuttle system from Austrian supplier KNAPP, with whom Arvato has been working for many years. The system of the latest 2D generation (OSR Shuttle Evo) has more than 130,000 storage locations, 32 ergonomic workstations and a storage and retrieval capacity of 12,500 totes per hour. At the same time, the more than 500 shuttles can not only move within an aisle, but also change aisles if necessary, thus reaching all items on one level.

This increases flexibility enormously and reduces the effort required for conveyor technology outside the shuttles. The shuttle is part of a sophisticated overall system which, with the connected automatic carton and tote erectors, three cross-belt sorters, pick-by-light picking stations for samples and large-volume items, and automatic carton sealing machines, interlocks perfectly.

Subsequent sorting then takes place in the goods issue and dispatch departments.

Börs said: “In total, we have invested more than €70m in state-of-the-art automation technologies at the Hamm site. This is the largest investment in a single site to date.”

In full operation, up to 114,000 packages per day can be shipped from Hamm. Fast delivery to customers in the DACH region is supported by the very good location of the DC in the eastern Ruhr region and the connection to several highways. “The location is also fundamentally equipped for further growth, as together with Douglas we already took into account possible capacity expansions in various functional areas during the design phase,” explained Börs.

Dexory partners with Linkline

Posted on by David Priestman

Dexory has partnered with Northamptonshire warehousing and logistics 3PL Linkline to unlock operational efficiencies using real-time data at its warehouse in Kettering, with a view to further roll-out to the wider estate.

Linkline already uses various automation solutions, and plans on building a large, automated hub in 12–18 months’ time to support its growth plans and ambition to drive greater efficiencies for its customers. This drive and innovative approach further demonstrates a commitment to invest in technology, making this an ideal partnership for Dexory.

Dexory’s solution addresses the urgent need for improved space utilisation and increased efficiencies, combining powerful analytics with autonomous robots capable of capturing rich image and sensor data from across any warehouse. This powerful combination provides comprehensive and actionable visibility across warehouses of any size, as well as connecting warehouses across the global supply chain through Dexory’s digital platform, DexoryView.

Linkline aims to introduce its data collection autonomous robot Dextor (the name the Linkline team have given the robot) to the Kettering site next week (w/c 11th September). Dextor will then operate every night, scanning the full 250,000 sq ft warehouse, integrating into the day to day warehouse operations, working alongside the operations and warehouse teams. Progress can be followed on the Linkline Transport LinkedIn page during this first week.

James Bowes, Chairman of Linkline, commented: “We’re hugely excited to start putting Dextor to use in our warehouses. We’re always looking at technological solutions to drive more value for our customers and Dextor will do just that. We anticipate strong time savings for our warehouse operators who currently have to manually stock check at regular intervals throughout the week whereas now this process will be completed at night by Dextor.”

Oana Jinga, Chief Commercial Officer & Co-founder of Dexory, added: “Dexory is really excited to have Linkline on board and really seeing the value of data-driven technology for their operations. Integrating DexoryView into their Kettering warehouse, will allow them to unlock greater efficiencies and proactively prevent any errors resulting from stock inaccuracy, delivering on the best point of service for both themselves and their customers.”

Complete or Phased Approach to Warehouse Automation?

Posted on by Keith McKinley

With labour hard to find and performance at peak under scrutiny, businesses may be tempted to opt for a complete, turnkey warehouse automation project to solve all their problems in one move. But might a stepped approach make more sense? Dan Migliozzi, Head of Sales at independent systems integrator, Invar Group, considers the options.

There can be little doubt that automation is the future for all but the smallest of warehouse operations. New affordable technologies are now within reach of most small to medium sized businesses (SMEs) and these technologies, often involving robotics and AI, are transforming performance across intralogistics processes.

Driven by poor labour availability and increasing customer demands, many businesses will be thinking about a comprehensive review of their operations, and may be tempted to go for a full turnkey approach – introducing a whole raft of systems at the same time. However, whilst this may be appropriate for some companies, others may be exposing themselves to unnecessary levels of risk, and a more considered approach could yield greater gains.

For a major corporation with the luxury of multiple warehouses or distribution centres, and facing challenges or changes to their current operational model, it may be practical, even desirable, to take facilities off-line one by one and rebuild them. For smaller businesses though, this could be a highly risky strategy and may be unviable – a considered, step-by-step approach to the end goal of significant automation may be preferable, both financially and operationally.

Financial benefits

Financially, moving towards automation in planned stages limits the need for often significant up-front capital expenditure, a particular concern for start-ups and other companies in a phase of rapid growth when other demands on working capital can be considerable. A stepped approach that quickly takes advantage of ‘low hanging fruit’ can achieve an early Return on Investment and bring many other benefits – potentially helping to fund subsequent phases of automation.

But even if capital funding isn’t an issue, the risks of an ‘all-in’ approach are significant. Some degree of disruption is inevitable during installation, and even with the most careful planning, highest quality equipment and dedicated vendors and integrators, it’s rare for everything to work straight out of the box. The risk of a major delay or disruption could have a far-reaching impact on the business and may lead to lost sales and reputational damage.

A further consideration is, with a complete turnkey approach it’s usually not possible to revert to the old ways of working while the fixes are actioned. There is no redundancy in this situation.
So rather than playing with the entire operation in a giant sandbox, better by far to identify and address the most urgent or compelling challenges and opportunities as they arise. That way, processes can be better defined and understood, employees at all levels trained and other necessary capabilities – maintenance, for example – built up at a manageable pace.

Planning a phased migration

‘Step-by-step’, however, does not mean ‘piecemeal’. The planning for a stepped migration to more automated operations is just the same as it would be for a turnkey project – indeed the ultimate goals will be just the same – it’s merely a question of how to get there.

Firstly, and obviously, the company needs to know its objectives and requirements. Is automation needed because the business is in, or is anticipating, a period of rapid growth? Growth is good, but for many companies, perhaps in a mature or niche market, higher volumes and throughputs may not be the issue – greater efficiencies, lower costs and perhaps particularly better use of scarce labour may be the imperatives.

The company needs to map and understand its processes from cradle to grave, including processes which are unlikely to be directly addressed by automation. Where are the biggest wins, the greatest challenges, the most acute pain points? Address these first – paradoxically, trying to optimise a process that you know to be already very good often carries a larger downside risk.

Consider scaleability

But the automation plan can’t just address short term issues. The business may need to consider the extent to which the automation is scaleable – can a robotic installation, for example, be scaled up for future growth just by leasing more units, or will there be a point at which the racking and other physical attributes of the warehouse require major change? And if so, should that be done now, even though it may not be needed for some years?

The plan also needs to consider the pace of technological change. Evolution in fields such as robotics is lightning-fast. There is no shame in buying last year’s model if it does the job, but there are risks that equipment and systems may become ‘obsolete’, or worse, unsupported, much quicker than expected. This means that some of the steps in the automation road map may need to cover replacing or upgrading earlier and relatively recent investment steps. Robust continuity planning, in partnership with reputable vendors and integrators, is key.

Planning a stepped approach to warehouse automation cannot be just a top down, or a bottom up, process. It really does require the involvement of every stakeholder in the business. Clearly it needs high level strategic direction to ensure that the plan is aligned with the company’s goals, its financial capacity, and its appetite for risk. Operational input – will the proposals actually meet the requirements of, for example, seasonal peaks. Engineering – does the business have, or can it expect to establish, an adequate maintenance capability or will this have to be outsourced. HR may have views on how staff can be trained, and whether new staff with new skills need to be hired.

Technical capabilities

And then there is installation. Even quite modest steps in automation are likely to involve systems and equipment from multiple manufacturers and vendors and will require some level of integration, both with each other and with existing equipment and systems. ‘Plug and play’ is a much-vaunted term, but it’s hard to find evidence that it really exists in the modern warehouse!
Therefore, it’s important to find a reliable, independent integrator that has the necessary technical capability and in-house software skills to deliver a project successfully over several planned stages – an integrator that supports you every step of the journey.

Warehouse Automation Through Partnership

Posted on by David Priestman

Today, Addverb, a leading provider of warehouse automation and robotics solutions for the supply chain and logistics industry, announces its partnership with Amazon Web Services (AWS) to improve the efficiency of its warehouse automation solutions. The partnership with AWS will allow Addverb to leverage the cloud platform‘s machine learning, analytics, and Internet of Things (IoT) connectivity capabilities to enhance the capabilities of its robotic solutions.

In response to the increasing disruptions and delays faced by the global supply chain, Addverb is committed to meeting the growing demand for faster and more efficient service. Through its collaboration with AWS, Addverb can now test and deploy hardware and software up to 50% faster than ever before – a game-changer in expediting services and minimizing supply chain interruptions.

“As part of our unwavering commitment to innovation, Addverb sought a solution to expand our software and hardware innovations without the need for a complete architectural overhaul,” shared Sriram Sridhar, Chief Revenue Officer at Addverb. “AWS emerged as the clear choice due to its seamless integration capabilities with our existing infrastructure. AWS’s cloud services have not only enhanced our operational efficiency but also minimized downtime, ultimately delivering greater value to our esteemed customers.”

Using AWS services, Addverb shortened its development cycle from 3-6 months down to 2-3 months. AWS’s analytics tools provided more accurate testing environments through warehouse simulations, helping developers analyse data and optimize operations in real-time. Addverb also leveraged AWS’s security and reliability features to ensure data privacy and minimize the risk of downtime, resulting in increased efficiency, reduced costs, and improved customer satisfaction.

Addverb is using AWS’s comprehensive suite of services, with an emphasis on RoboMaker and IoT Greengrass. RoboMaker empowers developers to run test templates and log software events, resulting in enhanced evaluation and reporting and an 80% reduction in testing time. Meanwhile, IoT Greengrass has enabled Addverb to leverage shipping containers for expedited robot delivery and real-time remote monitoring.

“By harnessing the power of AWS, we have laid a concrete infrastructure that will soon enable us to deliver robots as a service,” emphasized Kathi Raja Ravindra, leader of Addverb’s cloud DevOps team. “AWS seamlessly integrates with the tools that have made our existing development process reliable and robust.”

NEXT Streamlines Order Processing

Posted on by David Priestman

Geek+, a global leader in mobile robots for logistics, and NEXT, the British multinational clothing, footwear and home products retailer, have announced the success of their automation collaboration in NEXT’s Dearne Valley Pallet fulfilment centre. In 45,000 sq m of warehouse space, 250 Geek+ robots handle both goods-to-person picking and order sorting processes for NEXT’s e-commerce operations.

Faced with high demand and operating in the volatile fashion industry, NEXT decided to streamline its processes and scale up efficiently to meet new customer requirements. To achieve this goal, it  has sought efficient solutions including selecting Geek+ as its robotic warehouse automation partner. The hybrid “Pick-and-Sort” solution is the result of the successful co-development process between the two companies.

Liam Jenkinson, Site Manager at NEXT, said: “Working with Geek+ has been a positive experience for us, both from the start and with the ongoing support provided. The flexibility offered by Geek+’s picking and sortation system is critical to our operations, and the integration between our Warehouse Management System and Geek+’s Robot Management System is seamless. As our business continues to expand, we are planning to extend the warehouse and replicate the success of this project in the new space.”

NEXT Manages Wide Variety of Products

The process begins with the Geek+ P800 picking robots, which retrieve the pallets from the pallet transfer area and move them to the storage area for picking. Once a picking order is initiated, the robot transports the rack to a multifunctional workstation that is utilised for both the picking and sorting procedures. Once the picking is completed, the operator deposits the item onto the S20T sorting robot. The S20T robot then transfers the goods to the designated chute for the depot, while the parcel heads downstairs for packing. The flexibility of the Geek+ solution enables NEXT to manage a wide variety of products that differ in size, weight, and velocity of sale.

With this solution, NEXT can process 16,000 units per day. According to NEXT, the efficiency of the automated process is twice that of manual picking.

Brian Lee, VP of EMEA Region at Geek+, said: “NEXT is a visionary customer that placed their trust in us. We are proud to have fulfilled our promise and provided NEXT’s warehouse with our intelligent and flexible warehouse automation solutions. We are eager to replicate it in more warehouses across the UK, Europe, and around the global.”

This improved efficiency has not only enabled NEXT to handle a record volume during the last Christmas season without requiring additional labour, but it has also allowed it to push the cut-off time from 18:00 to 22:00 while still meeting its next day delivery promise. One of the advantages of the Geek+ solution is its scalability. To meet its growing demand, NEXT introduced 50 additional S20T robots earlier this year.

 

IFOY Test Report: AGILOX ODM

Posted on by Keith McKinley

In the run-up to the handing out of the IFOY Awards in Dortmund on June 22nd, we run through all the 2023 finalists and share the verdict from the IFOY test conducted during the evaluation by an expert jury in March. Our first entry (alphabetically speaking) is the AGILOX ODM from AGILOX.

Category: AGV / AMR

IFOY test verdict

Summary: The new AGILOX ODM omnidirectional dolly mover is an intelligent logistics robot for small load carriers. Thanks to the proven X-Swarm Technology by AGILOX integrated in the vehicle, it independently finds the fastest route through the production or logistics environment in real time.

Description: The new AGILOX ODM ensures the production supply with small parts. From now on, users can transport small load carriers such as containers or dollies with dimensions of 600x400mm and a maximum weight of 300kg from one station to the next and fill rails. As with other products in the AGILOX range, there is no need for additional infrastructure or navigation aids such as magnetic strips on the floor. Freely navigating and completely autonomous, the ODM enables production lines to be supplied flexibly. In this way, users set a new standard of agility in their production or logistics. With its omnidirectional travel system, even trips through the narrowest aisles are no problem for the AGILOX ODM.

Innovation: The new AGILOX ODM is part of an entire product group, which means that even driving with other vehicle types of the AGILOX family in combination is possible without any problems. Compared to similar products on the market, the AGILOX advantage is that it does not require additional infrastructure or navigation aids. Furthermore, our product innovation impresses with its omnidirectional drive system, which allows not only forward and backward movements, but also turning at a standstill or parallel movements. Numerous safety sensors ensure 360-degree personal safety.

Market relevance: The AGILOX ODM is particularly relevant for the pharmaceutical and electronics industries. Monotonous tasks no longer have to be performed by (over)qualified employees, but can henceforth be handed over to the intelligent logistics robot. The company is thus closing the gap from partial automation to full automation. AGILOX estimates the market potential for its own company at around €30 million.

Main customer benefits: AGILOX relies on the motto “Plug&Perform”. The first AGILOX can be put into operation in less than twelve hours, and each additional vehicle in just 15 minutes. Increasing demands should be child’s play for the intelligent intralogistics robot, which is unique in a market comparison, according to AGILOX.

The name says it all. AGILOX takes changing environmental or process conditions lightly.  Sounds exciting, and it is. After all, an AGILOX can also operate at different levels if it is connected via a lift. And even narrow aisles or oncoming traffic cannot harm the all-rounder. The advantage is obvious. Operating space costs money, and customers want to spend it on more sensible things.

IFOY Innovation Check

Market relevance: The new ODM vehicle developed by AGILOX automates the transport of floor rollers in the 400x600mm or 600x800mm format, on which stacked containers or comparable load carriers are transported. The market for this type of transport, correctly located by AGILOX itself in the pharmaceutical and electronics industries, is highly relevant there. However, transports with floor rollers and containers are by no means used in all companies, which is why the market relevance is only rated as balanced.

Customer benefit: The high manoeuvrability of the very compact vehicle and the software, which is designed to be easy to use, provide a high benefit for the user. The software demonstrates the provider’s extensive experience with autonomously operating vehicles, which are also well coordinated by the software as a fleet of different vehicle types from AGILOX on the same operating area.

Novelty / Innovation: In the vehicle class for transporting ground scooters with containers, solutions already exist, but the extremely compact design combined with the surface mobility of the ODM is definitely to be assessed as new. Since the technical solutions and the functions are already known from other vehicles of the same supplier and its market companions, an evaluation as extraordinarily innovative is not possible.

Functionality / Type of implementation: The presented vehicle offers relevant functions for the user, in particular autonomous functions for avoiding obstacles on the route or for reacting during load pick-up if load carriers are not precisely provided. A precise approach to the defined target positions is also possible during load delivery. In the demonstration, the functions mentioned were impressively and reliably demonstrated.

Verdict: Vehicles like the ODM have a market but transports with floor rollers in the 400x600mm or 600x800mm format are far from being used in all companies. The high manoeuvrability of the vehicle and the software, which is designed for easy operation, deliver a high benefit for users. In this extremely compact form combined with the surface manoeuvrability, the vehicle is new and offers relevant functions for the user.

Market relevance Ø
Customer benefit ++
Novelty / Innovation +
Functionality / Type of implementation ++
[KEY: ++ very good / + good / Ø balanced / – less / — not available]

Fives Modernises La Poste Group’s Network

Posted on by David Priestman

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

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

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

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

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

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

Scalable solution

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

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

 

Construction Supplier Commissions Dematic Solution

Posted on by David Priestman

F.lli Zangrillo Materiali da Costruzione, one of the largest wholesale distribution companies in the Italian hardware and building materials industry, has recently commissioned a Dematic automation solution managed by Dematic software and designed specifically for two warehouse sites.

The project features stand-alone AutoStore cube storage systems at two Zangrillo locations in Lecce and Formia. With the facilities now operational, the family-owned company has taken the first steps toward automating its production sites.

According to CEO Aldo Zangrillo, the new Dematic solutions allow the company to achieve faster deliveries, which will help secure their position in the market. Additionally, the new solutions will enhance warehouse space to expand product range in the future. “We are in a position where we must be able to increase logistics capacity to support rapid growth and increased market share,” says Zangrillo. “We set an aggressive goal of reducing delivery times to our customers from an average of about 72 hours down to 24 hours.”

Founded in 1974 in Formia, south of Rome, the company had been looking to improve the performance of several of its processes, including picking and storing small parts, while improving safety and productivity of goods-to-person staff. According to Zangrillo management, they selected intelligent automated solution provider Dematic based on its strong analysis produced in the project design phase, its ability to pull resources from a global structure and network of professionals, its experience in supplying extensions to existing facilities, and the overall professionalism of the Dematic team.

For the Lecce location, the Dematic solution features an AutoStore system with an 8-level grid for storage and order fulfilment processes, three picking carousel ports, conveyor, eight R5 robots and 8,000 bins. Dematic Software manages the overall solution.

Meanwhile, at the Formia location, the Dematic solution features an AutoStore system with a 16-level grid for storage and order fulfilment processes, three picking carousel ports, conveyor, 12 R5 robots and 20,000 bins. Again, Dematic Software manages the overall solution. “It has been gratifying to contribute to improving Zangrillo’s logistics processes and to support them in their initial and most important step in implementing automation in their production sites,” says Flavio Este, CEO at Dematic Italia.

Rosario Filomena, the Dematic sales manager responsible for the negotiations of the two solutions, adds, “With our solution now in place, we are confident Zangrillo can achieve their goals with these compact, scalable, easily expandable, high-performance storage systems which require minimal energy consumption and provide a high degree of security and employee safety.”

Dematic designs, builds, and supports intelligent automated solutions empowering and sustaining the future of commerce for its customers in manufacturing, warehousing, and distribution. With research and development engineering centres, manufacturing facilities, and service centres located in more than 35 countries, the Dematic global network of over 11,000 employees has helped achieve approximately 8,000 worldwide customer installations for some of the world’s leading brands. Headquartered in Atlanta, Dematic is a member of KION Group, one of the world’s leading suppliers of industrial trucks and supply chain solutions.

Swisslog to show Robotic Automation at LogiMAT

Posted on by David Priestman

Swisslog is set to make a big impression at LogiMAT 2023 in Stuttgart from April 25 to 27, with its latest innovations in robotic automation taking centre stage. Intralogistics specialist Swisslog will be showcasing flexible robotics and intelligent automation in action and demonstrating the power of its SynQ software platform and SAP EWM solutions.

Discover ACPaQ fully automated mixed case palletizing solution

LogiMAT visitors will have the opportunity to discover the fully automated robotic mixed case palletizing solution, ACPaQ, which is at the heart of drugstore chain dm-drogerie markt’s award winning distribution center in Wustermark, near Berlin. The solution uses high-end robotics to relieve people from heavy workload, make material flows more ergonomic and more economical and optimize shop replenishment. It can be scaled for small, mid-size and large distribution centers with a throughput of up to 500,000 packages per day.

See ItemPiQ robotized small item picking at work

Visitors to the Swisslog booth also will have the chance to experience the latest evolution of Swisslog’s ItemPiQ fully automated robot order picking system. Using Artificial Intelligence, ItemPiQ robots are capable of picking a wide variety of small unspecified items, they then use machine learning to adapt their gripping techniques for increased efficiency. ItemPiQ robots are easily integrated with other systems and feature a new gripper which has significantly increased the range of products they can handle.

e-grocery leader shares logistics automation knowhow

Swisslog’s flexible, data-driven and robotic solutions enable businesses to meet rapidly changing customer demands while allowing them to leverage new technologies as they emerge. As online ordering continues to grow across retail, Swisslog will share its latest automated warehouse solutions for e-grocery fulfillment. These solutions help enterprises to move beyond manual picking, whether by using Micro Fulfilment Centres, a hub-and-spoke arrangement, a bolt-on store automation approach or regional-fulfilment centres.

Rebranding at LogiMAT

In addition to its latest innovations, Swisslog’s stand will also present the company’s rebranding, launched in March of this year to reflect its leading position in the digital and dynamic world of intralogistics automation. Visitors will be the first to see the new branding and are invited to join the Swisslog team for a celebratory party on April 26 from 5pm.

“We are very much looking forward to participating in the most important trade show in Europe for the intralogistics industry, where we can introduce visitors to our latest innovations, especially in robotized automation,” says Swisslog CEO EMEA Jens Schmale. “It’s also the perfect opportunity to showcase our revised digital branding that truly reflects us as a provider of innovative, highly digitalized and data-driven robotic solutions.

Swisslog at LogiMAT 2023: hall 1, stand B41

Packsize Collaborates with Walmart over Right-Sized Packaging

Posted on by Keith McKinley

Packsize, a market leader in sustainable right-sized packaging on demand, has unveiled the Ultra5, a right-sized, on-demand box machine built around its recently announced X5 technology. The Ultra5 was built exclusively for Walmart and has already been installed in multiple fulfilment centres including the first of Walmart’s next-generation FCs.

As is the case with Packsize’s X5 machine, the Ultra5 can produce up to 600 boxes per hour, and provides the highest packaging throughput in the industry for its class, while contributing to less waste and fewer emissions. The Packsize solution reduces packaging waste caused by oversized boxes, negates void filler like plastic air pillows, reduces shipping emissions, and improves the end-consumer’s overall unboxing experience. By right-sizing boxes, the technology minimises the costs and environmental impact of extraneous and unneeded corrugated boxes. It also improves parcel logistics, enabling retailers to fit up to 33% more boxes on freight and delivery carriers – ultimately getting more orders to customers daily.

“By working with Packsize to develop the Ultra5 machine, we created an innovative packaging solution that tailors each box to the items we are shipping to customers, eliminating unnecessary waste and improving the unboxing experience once the package arrives,” said Prathibha Rajashekhar, senior vice president, innovation & automation, Walmart US. “In keeping with our commitment to becoming a regenerative company, the Ultra5 solution is a win for our customers, the business and our planet.”

In addition to its environmental benefits, the Ultra5 is also an incredible e-commerce asset for Walmart’s fulfilment network. Its industry-leading speeds contribute to faster throughput, with the ability to have orders packed, labelled, and ready to ship in as little as 30 minutes. The Ultra5 also includes a unique “Flaps Down” feature, allowing boxes to seamlessly flow through the packaging process by placing a paper band around the flaps to secure them to the sides of the box.

“Walmart’s fulfilment network and addition of four next-generation FCs are not just a game-changer, but a testament to the ever-evolving landscape of e-commerce,” said Rod Gallaway, CEO of Packsize. “They have embraced cutting-edge and innovative technology, like our Ultra5 machine, and taken bold steps to streamline their fulfilment processes.  Packsize is proud to work with Walmart to help set a new standard for customer convenience, satisfaction, and e-commerce order fulfilment.”

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