Recent Success Stories in Warehouse Automation

This project is part of Nucor's strategy to increase its automation projects by leveraging its expertise for rack-supported buildings where temperature, precision, and engineering are critical.

The project will connect to an existing structure that's also a cold-storage environment. Due to the height of the building, the new system must be flexible to allow for both structures to work independently while ensuring the safety of the structure and its temperature-sensitive products.

With more than 7,600 pallet positions planned for this warehouse, the AS/RS will also include two, three pallet-deep cranes as well as pick tunnels to allow for human intervention for fast picking and loading onto trucks as needed.

The project is expected to deliver on-site as the building begins construction in the summer of 2024.

EPG’s Leading-Edge WMS Streamlines Ops and Workflows for UAE Healthcare Leader Arabian Ethicals

UAE-based healthcare distributor Arabian Ethicals has successfully deployed Ehrhardt Partner Group's (EPG) LFS Warehouse Management System (WMS) across its territories.

With the implementation of LFS, Arabian Ethicals (AEC) has streamlined and upgraded its operational processes across all divisions, spearheaded by its National Distribution Center at Dubai Silicon Oasis and including other satellite locations. As the foremost UAE healthcare distribution specialist, AEC relies on state-of-the-art automation systems to allow it to ensure its portfolio, including pharmaceutical, consumer, and veterinary health products, meets the demanding needs of its governmental and private customers. AEC serves hospitals, clinics, pharmacies, and supermarkets across the entire country, making speed, accuracy, and efficiency critical to customers.

AEC's existing, locally-made system was no longer fit to meet the flexible requirements its customers needed. EPG's WMA system was chosen due to its quality, comprehensiveness, ease of implementation, and experience and reputation. AEC said that LFS provided the best cost-effectiveness and ROI, despite not being the cheapest offering available.

“The beauty of LFS is that it is modular, enabling us to fit the customer’s wishes precisely by selecting from a matchless suite the capabilities which best suit their business needs," said Ghouse Katiri, EPG Head of Customer Projects.

LFS speeds up, simplifies, and optimizes warehouse workflow and operations through its modular suite that can be customized to suit each customer’s specific needs. The automated system works hand-in-hand with manual resources to ensure all inventory is received, identified, stored, moved, and dispatched reliably and timely.

The project was successfully rolled out in three phases between Q3/2022 and Q2/2023.

“The EPG team worked hand in hand with our supply chain to assure the new platform seamlessly integrated with our existing systems and they continue to do so as we look forward to rolling out additional modules in the near future," said AEC General Manager Stephan Stauffer.

PalletTrader and PopCapacity to Digitize the Pallet and Warehousing Industry

PalletTrader, a leading online marketplace for buying and selling pallets, and PopCapacity, the first true digital marketplace for warehousing and fulfillment space, are partnering to streamline pallet matching to simplify pallet procurement for businesses of all sizes.

“Pallets are seen in every warehouse, yet the evolution of pallet technology has been lacking in recent years,” said Matt Fain, CEO of PopCapacity. “PalletTrader has provided the industry with a modern way to source and sell pallets. Similar to PopCapacity, PalletTrader leverages technology to improve the industry's ability to access these very important assets. By working with PalletTrader to digitize this often overlooked sector of the industry, we're simplifying and improving the way pallet procurement is done.”

PopCapacity uses AI and virtual touring technology to accelerate and enhance the way brands and warehouses directly connect on pallet opportunities. This integration with PalletTrader empowers businesses to reduce transportation costs and eliminate complexity by identifying warehouse capacity convenient to operations.

PalletTrader and PopCapacity are paving the way for a future where efficient and sustainable movement and storage become the norm.

HWArobotics Supplies Advanced AS/RS to Canadian E-commerce Specialist Darwynn

HWArobotics is making a splash in North America, supplying advanced shuttle ASRS technology to e-commerce logistics specialist Darwynn.

Shuttle systems pioneer HWArobotics is attracting attention in the region with the recent adoption of its technology by Canadian e-commerce fulfillment specialist Darwynn.

Third-party logistics provider Darwynn, needed to streamline order fulfillment operations at its site in Toronto, Canada. The company chose HWArobotic's robotic automated storage/retrieval systems (Shuttle AS/RS)—comprising a multilevel shuttle system of 24 carts, 10,368 storage locations, and 6 goods lifts.

Darwynn provides sellers with localized warehousing, logistics, and after-sales services through an integrated e-commerce platform, modularized intelligent warehouse, and integration with multiple logistics platforms. It was looking to meet the demands of its business expansion as the number of SKUs within its facilities increased, in addition to enhancing service quality, efficiency, safety, and sustainable development capabilities.

With 20,000 individual SKUs handled by the new facility, the Shuttle AS/RS “goods-to-person” system was able to increase throughput for Darwynn to 2,400 bins/hour. In the first phase of the project, storage is configured as 3 double-deep aisles and 8 levels for the parallel operation of multiple shuttle carts.

The solution, with picking stations and WCS systems, was easily integrated into Darwynn’s end-to-end fulfillment operations via HWArobotics' speedy onboarding process. It has delivered a series of benefits for Darwynn and its customers, including:

• Optimized inventory management
• Enhanced operational efficiency
• Higher throughput
• Improved warehouse space utilization
• Expanded storage capacity
• Reduced overall business costs
• Lower error rates
• Reliability and ease of maintenance

Complementing Darwynn’s real-time inventory tracking and e-commerce offering, the system is future-proofed with a total inventory capacity of 200,000 items, the capability to meet peak business needs, and the scalability to match Darwynn’s growing demand.