Who needs to keep an eye on a warehouse when everything is automated? Viastore offers a warehouse monitoring system that not only informs the control center when something goes wrong, but also provides solutions. See it at the next LogiMAT (March 19-21) in Stuttgart. 

Photo: Kardex Mlog/Rubix

Automotive logistics provider Emil Frey recently launched an AutoStore system for spare parts in Kassel and Lehrte, while in Wolverhampton, UK, a hazardous materials warehouse with shuttles and compact buffers from Kardex was put into operation. Modernization projects are also trending – at Kardex, these are now under the direction of Sven Pitz.

Until now, Güde, a manufacturer of spring washers, wire bending parts, screw and shaft locking devices, only used manual forklifts and racking systems. Now, Jungheinrich is equipping the Sauerland-based company with 12,480 storage locations in a two-aisle automated small parts warehouse. 

The largely automated facility, designed for up to 35,000 packages, went into operation in Wohlen just in time for the Christmas season. The new system, covering 10,000 square meters, handles 240,000 containers, each holding between 500,000 and 700,000 products. 

Dematic will be exhibiting at Logistics & Automation in Bern on January 24th/25th with its sister company Still at a joint booth to present Autonomous Mobile Robots, the proven Multishuttle and the interaction of the systems, including through 3D simulations.

Those who can read and write have an advantage. The Italian book wholesaler Messaggerie Libri recently invested €40 million in one of the most modern book fulfillment centers in Europe. The company delivers around 50 million titles annually to 4,000 retail outlets. 

Digital thermal transfer printing now offers the possibility of integrating colors and custom designs, multi-colored logos, and lettering directly into the manufacturing process of containers in photo quality and without separate work steps. Bito is leading the way. 

T. Gabriel

Most recently, he was Head of Sales at SSI Schäfer in Neunkirch, and now Ferag has brought him on board. Gabriel gained extensive experience as a warehouse supervisor and logistics manager before moving into sales and project implementation in industry, production, trade, and e-commerce. 

 C. Fernandez

At AutoStore, a new R5 Pro robot is now navigating the channels with, according to the manufacturer, up to 15% higher efficiency. Instead of the now "conventional" Li-ion power supply, it uses a lithium titanate oxide (LTO) battery, which is more corrosion-resistant at the electrodes and also charges faster. 

At the logistics provider Arvato, a robot equipped by Boston Dynamics called "Stretch" unloads floor-loaded trucks, thus saving employees the physically demanding work. It can handle boxes weighing up to 23 kg and work for up to 16 hours. The system has potential for further development. 

Before the end of the year, Walmart plans to begin construction of a new milk processing plant in Valdosta, Georgia, which will use five Vectura pallet stacker cranes, Kuka palletizing robots and Swisslog's SynQ software to ensure new quality.

In its largest project to date based on Autonomous Mobile Robots (AMR), Dematic integrated 299 intelligent machines for an omnichannel retailer in Groningen, Netherlands, to process e-commerce orders in the textile sector. 

Companies not only need to choose a vehicle supplier that works in the current situation, but also consider how the equipment can be adapted in the future. Yale is promoting new simulation and visualization tools that can better manage future scenarios and upgrades. 

Flow racks and shelving systems haven't suddenly become obsolete just because highly automated high-bay warehouses, shuttles, and robotic solutions are much more impressive. The pharmaceutical manufacturer Merck, for example, still relies on tried-and-tested systems in its single-pack warehouse in Darmstadt. With success – and with Bito.

"So mookt wi dat" ("That's how we do it") is the motto of proactive individuals in northern Schleswig-Holstein. This approach is now proving beneficial to the food retailer Bartels-Langness, one of the largest in Germany, thanks to Swisslog. With Swiss assistance, a new automated high-bay warehouse is being built.