REWE, one in every of Germany’s main grocery retailers, has automated the recent meals operations at its logistics facility in Oranienburg, which provides the metropolitan area north of Berlin.
Working intently with Cimcorp, a pioneer in intralogistics automation, REWE has automated fulfilment of recent produce orders for over 370 supermarkets and 580 shops within the larger Berlin area. Robotic techniques on the distribution centre in Oranienburg, roughly 50 km north of Berlin, have secured transformational advantages for the retailer, together with unprecedented ranges of effectivity, reliability and office wellbeing.
Cimcorp’s intralogistics resolution supplies correct, quick and dependable fulfilment for recent fruit and greens in plastic crates. As well as, the automated system supplies a secure and ergonomic working setting for logistics workers. Excessive system availability is ensured via complete customer support for the positioning, supplied 24/7 by Cimcorp.
Pace means freshness
As much as 650,000 models of produce transfer via the Oranienburg facility every single day, with velocity being of the essence to make sure freshness for customers. “In recent meals logistics, each minute counts and each supply is crucial,” explains Matthias Menzel (pictured, under), Common Supervisor on the Oranienburg DC.
“Lacking the supply window means a major monetary loss. That’s why we invested in automation that delivers absolute reliability, real-time management and the capability to serve Berlin and the encircling areas.”
Accuracy and traceability
Cimcorp’s ‘Dreamfield’ resolution on the Oranienburg DC integrates cutting-edge robotic techniques, conveyor applied sciences and modern software program. The automation ensures quick and seamless materials flows, leading to dependable, on-time deliveries to REWE’s shops. With the end-to-end Dreamfield resolution, each unit of produce is traceable and each course of is managed for effectivity and high quality. “Our clients count on that our reliability will increase yearly,” says Menzel. “As shops be taught that they will belief our deliveries, it brings enchancment not simply to our logistics, however proper via to the client expertise within the retailer.”
On the coronary heart of this reliability is Cimcorp’s Warehouse Management System (WCS), which integrates the robots, conveyors and stock administration to make sure system-wide transparency. This superior software program manages all the pieces from inbound barcode scanning and depalletizing, via stock and choosing, to express outbound labelling and delivery – all of the whereas maximizing transparency, security and system uptime. Consumer-friendly dashboards and error-management instruments give operators full visibility and speedy response capabilities, additional lowering the danger and affect of errors.
Robotic choosing
Crates of recent produce are picked by gantry robots, which type the spine of Cimcorp’s Dreamfield resolution. A key good thing about utilizing this know-how is that the open-floor design, with out the necessity for racking, means simpler cleansing and enhanced hygiene.
Inbound items arrive on the DC on Euro pallets, that are mechanically registered and scanned. Handbook unwrapping and high quality checks make sure that solely compliant items enter the system. Cimcorp’s robots then depalletize stacks, buffer them and handle their storage utilizing FIFO (First In, First Out) or FEFO (First Expired, First Out) stock methods.
The absolutely built-in Cimcorp WCS orchestrates choosing – managing workload balancing among the many robots – and coordinates outbound pallet constructing and dispatch. The system is designed with redundancy, with twin robotic cells and switch vehicles guaranteeing steady operation, even in uncommon outage situations.
Mitigating labour shortages
Crucially, the Cimcorp resolution addresses labour shortages and office ergonomics for REWE. Labour availability has change into a major problem for a lot of retailers right this moment. “Discovering workers for the bodily demanding jobs in warehouses, particularly in terms of the heavy lifting wanted for fruit and greens, is getting more durable yearly,” says Menzel.
Cimcorp’s techniques handle the heavy lifting, resulting in a safer and extra productive work setting. With automation, strenuous guide choosing is changed by system oversight, course of administration and high quality checks. By supporting office wellbeing, ergonomic working additionally helps with worker recruitment and retention.
“With this resolution, our folks can concentrate on work that’s safer, extra rewarding and fewer exhausting,” says Menzel. “We’re not combating to fill extra time hours; as a substitute, our workers are excited to work with new know-how and see the advantages of automation of their day by day roles.”
Sustainable resolution
Sustainability is a basic factor of REWE’s enterprise technique. By streamlining each course of, automation is intrinsically eco-friendly. As well as, optimised truck loading means supply automobiles have higher area utilisation, leading to much less site visitors and consequently decrease environmental affect. Plus, a quicker provide chain means longer shelf life for recent produce, resulting in much less meals waste. Then the service settlement with Cimcorp enhances sustainability by extending the lifetime of the system.
Scalable automation
Being modular in design, the Dreamfield resolution might be simply expanded to fulfill rising order volumes. The answer is appropriate for optimising materials flows within the recent meals, liquid dairy, bakery and beverage sectors and REWE is one in every of numerous clients benefiting from the improved effectivity and profitability that Dreamfield delivers. The answer is powering recent meals logistics for Alimerka and Mercadona in Spain, in addition to Edeka and Netto in Germany. These flagship amenities aren’t merely shifting groceries however redefining what’s doable in meals retail logistics.
