1. Issue 1
POSITIVE APPROACH
Pick more with Negative-PUT picking
L GISTICS BUFFER STORAGE
REVIEW
Sequencing stock for high rate picking
PRODUCT REVIEW
Logistics technology & software update
NEXT: UK
Ergonomic Fashion &
Apparel Distribution
FERDINAND GROSS:
GERMANY
The World’s First Multishuttle
Goods to Person Solution
NEWEGG.COM: USA &
ELGIGANTEN: SWEDEN
High Performance
E-logistics
COCA-COLA AMATIL: AUSTRALIA
DEMATIC DELIVERS
RECORD PICK RATES
FOR COCA-COLA
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW
Creating Logistics Results

2. WELCOME
TO YOUR WINDOW
TO WORLD’S BEST
PRACTICE LOGISTICS
Welcome to Dematic Logistics Review.
We hope you find this publication and interesting
and valuable resource for keeping up to date
with the latest logistics and supply chain news,
case studies, research, product, technology and
software developments from around the world.
I am delighted to introduce the first issue of our Dematic Goods to Person delivers the goods
new global magazine Dematic Logistics Review. With systems already in operation and many more
Dematic has provided many impressive logistics underway, Dematic is challenging convention
solutions and in this issue you will find examples with the development of ‘Goods to Person’ (GTP)
of best practice logistics. I am confident that order fulfillment strategies and technologies for
through innovation and our proven track record high volume distributors.
we will to continue to deliver outstanding logistics
results for our customers throughout the world. Our Dematic Multishuttle® automated storage
buffer, picking and sequencing system interfaced
Investing in innovation with ergonomic workstations delivers safe, accu-
As a platform for growth, we are increasing our rate, high-rate, high-productivity picking across a
investment in Research and Development. wide range of industries and applications.
Dematic sees significant innovation potential in Case studies on retail clothing giant Next from
order fulfillment and will continue to focus R&D the UK and German industrial supplier Ferdinand
investment in this area. Gross demonstrate the amazing accuracy, pro-
ductivity and throughput possible with GTP.
If GTP is new to you, make sure you see our exclu-
sive GTP feature article, which outlines what GTP
is, how it works and Multishuttle’s role in picking,
buffering and sequencing stock to optimize order
assembly efficiency and accuracy, while eliminat-
ing travel and reducing the physical impact of pick
and pack operations.
2 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

3. Contents
Cover Story: Coca-Cola Amatil, Australia 4-6
Technology Feature: Goods to Person 7-9
Case Study: Ferdinand Gross, Germany 10-11
Case Study: Next, United Kingdom 12-13
Case Study: Newegg.com, USA 14-15
Case Study: Elgiganten, Sweden 16-17
Case Study: Leche Pascual, Spain 18-19
Case Study: Zuellig Pharma, Malaysia 20-21
Product, Technology & Software Review 22-23
About Dematic
Dematic is one of the world’s leading suppliers of logistics automation sys-
tems and solutions. As a systems integrator, Dematic delivers a full range
of technologies and services, from individual products and systems to
complete turnkey solutions as a general contractor, as well as complete
after-sales support and service. Dematic provides automated material
handling products, systems and solutions for retail and wholesale distri-
bution, consumer direct, grocery, food and beverage, and manufacturing
industries. Dematic’s products and services are based on a tradition of
industry expertise that the company has acquired over decades of com-
mitment worldwide. Globally the company employs around 3,000 people.
Innovative E-business order fulfillment The DC features the world’s first application of De-
We also profile how two leading e-retailers on matic’s patented Negative-PUT technology and
either side of the Atlantic – Newegg.com from software for maximizing the efficiency and opti-
the USA and Sweden’s Elgiganten – tackle the mizing the safety of mixed pallet order assembly.
challenge of high-volume, high-service direct-to- By pairing like orders, Negative-PUT allows pick-
consumer distribution in the booming e-business ers to fulfill two or more picks with one, enabling
sector. It is interesting to compare how Dematic’s high productivity rates of 1400 picks/hour to be
solutions for customers differ significantly in the achieved through ergonomic workstations.
design and technologies applied, to best suit World’s first SAP software integration for SFS
local market dynamics and each company’s busi-
Dematic has also developed the world’s first
ness needs and budget.
interface to SAP EWS (Extended Warehouse
Accuracy and traceability key drivers of System) and MFS (Material Flow System) for
pharmacy DC design Swiss industrial supplier SFS Unimarket, elimi-
nating the need for middleware, making SAP’s Roar Isaksen,
Picking orders accurately and keeping track of President & CEO,
them at all stages of the supply chain are key R/3 Enterprise Resource Planning system a true
‘end to end solution’. Look for details of this ex- Dematic
drivers in pharmacy distribution. The small
quantities required for many orders adds to the citing breakthrough in the next issue of Dematic
challenge. Logistics Review.
Dematic’s integrated order fulfillment system for Our success illustrates the importance of knowl-
Malaysia’s largest distributor, Zuellig Pharma, edge, innovation and the ability to deliver a ro-
achieves the accuracy, productivity, throughput bust solution. Our team of logistics professionals
and traceability required through the use of smart is second to none in the industry.
technologies, software and controls. With our unique mix of innovative products and
How a negative approach is achieving record solutions, superior planning and project manage-
productivity for Coca-Cola ment competence, we are confident Dematic will
continue to grow and help our customers prosper
Our cover story reports on how Coca-Cola is
now and into the future.
achieving record picking rates at its new Route
Trade distribution center (DC) in Sydney. Roar Isaksen,
President & CEO, Dematic
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 3

4. COVER STORY
COCA-COLA AMATIL SYDNEY, AUSTRALIA
Dematic’s
David Rubie with
CCA’s Major
Projects Manager
Grant McClean.
RECORD
PRODUCTIVITY
FOR COCA-COLA
Pickers at Coca-Cola Amatil’s new distribution center at Eastern
Creek in Sydney are achieving phenomenal rates of more than
1400 picks/hour thanks to Dematic’s new Negative-PUT concept.
Industry recognition for Dematic’s world Negative-PUT: Killing two birds with one stone
“
breakthrough Dematic’s new Negative-PUT process optimizes
Coca-Cola Amatil (CCA) was presented with the case picking productivity in mixed pallet order
prestigious Manufacturing Logistics Award at the assembly by pairing suitable orders and fulfilling
Supply Chain & Logistics Association of Australia’s them through ergonomically designed ‘Goods to
recent national awards ceremony in Melbourne. Person’ pick modules. Dematic’s patented
Negative-PUT software re-sequences orders to
The award recognizes the achievements of CCA’s generate the highest quantity of negative pick
supply chain remodeling program, Project Jupi-
ter, which has substantially improved order fulfill-
The net effect of opportunities and the optimum order fulfillment
sequence for any batch of orders, creating sub-
ment efficiency, reduced distribution and trans- Negative-PUT stantial productivity gains.
port costs, and cut greenhouse gas emissions. is that around
“Around 70% of the DC’s orders pass through the
A key element of Project Jupiter was the construc- 20% of the Negative-PUT module, with about 35% of the or-
tion of a new distribution center (DC) at Eastern
Creek to service CCA’s 14,000 Route Trade cus-
cases for mixed ders complete when they exit,” explained Grant
McClean, CCA’s Major Projects Manager.
tomers in New South Wales from Bega to Coffs pallet orders
Harbour, an area covering about 1000km. “The net effect of Negative-PUT is that around
are dispatched 20% of the cases for mixed pallet orders are dis-
Route Trade customers range from corner stores without ever patched without ever being picked,” he said.
and convenience shops to service stations, small
grocery and fresh food outlets, as well as an in- being picked. Other key Dematic solutions include:
creasing number of liquor shops and wholesalers, Grant McClean, Inbound Logistics: RO-RO auto truck unloading
and account for close to half of CCA’s throughput Major Projects
during the summer peak.
Within just eight weeks of operation, CCA was
achieving record-breaking productivity rates of
more than 1400 picks/hour at the Eastern Creek
DC thanks to an innovative new order picking
“
Manager CCA
More than 95% of the stock is delivered from CCA’s
Northmead production plant. To ensure efficient
goods receiving and minimize forklift operations,
the DC features three roll-on, roll-off (RO-RO) au-
tomated ‘skate-type’ truck unloading docks, each
capable of unloading 22 pallets in under 15 minutes.
methodology developed by Dematic. Pallets are automatically scanned, check-weighed
and transported by integrated pallet conveyor to
a pick-up station near their reserve storage put-
away location.
4 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

5. NEGATIVE-PUT PICKING: HOW IT WORKS
Inbound Logistics: Three RO-RO automated
truck unloading docks provide rapid
turnaround of vehicles delivering to the DC.
The integrated pallet conveyor delivers full
pallets with picking stock and empty pallets
to the Negative-PUT pick module operators.
Dematic’s new Negative-PUT system optimizes case picking in mixed
pallet order fulfillment by taking advantage of a practice used by expe-
rienced pickers to reduce their workload.
Smart pickers occasionally notice that among the orders they have a
couple with which they can ‘kill two birds with one stone’, or, in this
case, complete two orders with one pick.
However, the practice tends to be opportunistic and a systematic ap-
proach can identify all negative pick opportunities. The productivity
gains which can be made by matching like orders and picking them in a
high rate pick module are very substantial.
Dematic’s patented Negative-PUT software uses a number of complex
algorithms to re-sequence orders to generate the highest quantity of
negative pick opportunities and the optimum order fulfillment sequence
for any batch of orders.
Each time a new order is to be picked, integrated pallet conveyors au-
tomatically deliver two full pallets (donor pallets) and two empty pallets
(put pallets). Large screen workstations provide clear visual instruc-
tions for the operators, with Dematic’s Negative-PUT software direct-
ing the picker to take a quantity of cases from the first donor pallet
and place it onto the first put pallet. They may then be asked to take a
further quantity of stock and place it onto the second put pallet.
They may then be instructed to remove a quantity of cases from the
second donor pallet and place them to the first and second put pallets.
In this example, the Negative-PUT process has completed four work or-
ders with the minimum possible number of case movements. The stock
quantity on the two donor pallets now matches that required to fulfill
two orders, while the cases on the put pallets form the base pallets to
which any remaining items required for the two orders will be picked
conventionally.
Check-weighers confirm the operator has picked the correct number of
pallets, and the conveyor transports the pallets to the outfeed station.
Large screens direct the pick module
operators to transfer stock from the
‘donor’ pallets to the ‘put’ pallets.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 5

6. Outbound Logistics: Faster, safer truck loading
“The Auto Dispatch System (ADS) gives CCA the
ability to pre-pick, assemble and stage orders,”
explained Dematic’s David Rubie.
The ADS features a Pallet Runner satellite stor-
age system with 144 lanes, each capable of stor-
ing up to 12 pallets, the typical capacity of CCA’s
Route Trade delivery fleet. “This means the ADS
can stage the orders for up to 144 truckloads at
any one time, which provides a buffer of around
16 hours during peak periods,” said Mr Rubie.
“Staging orders takes order assembly off the crit-
ical path, ensures efficient, reliable truck load-
ing, and minimizes truck turnaround time in the
busy dispatch area.”
Completed orders are taken to the ADS by OH&S Initiatives: A safer workplace
forklift and pallet truck. Once loaded onto the The DC incorporates a number of innovative Voice directed
ADS infeed, all pallet handling is automated. storage design features including wider than computing is used
The ADS features a 144 lane Pallet Runner normal aisles, a higher first beam level plus for all other case
satellite storage system, enabling CCA to additional space between and around pallets. picking activities.
stage orders for up to 144 truck loads at any Wider aisles ensure safer forklift and pallet
one time, providing a buffer of around 16 truck flow and more space around the pick face
hours during peak periods. which provides quicker and easier access to
stock whether it is at the front or rear of a pallet,
reducing the potential for the picker to trip or
stumble while reaching for and lifting cases.
The remodeling of CCA’s supply chain has in-
volved capital expenditure of $180 million and
provides CCA with the ability and capacity to
store and deliver forecast volumes until 2015.
CCA opted for the semi-automated Pallet
Runner for its outbound logistics because of
its inherent flexibility, with throughput easily
increased with the addition of extra Pallet
Runner carts and forklift operators.
Benefits
CCA’s Eastern Creek DC has substantially improved the efficiency of CCA’s
mixed pallet order fulfillment. As well as reducing distribution and transport
costs, CCA expects the DC to provide consistent productivity and throughput
gains of around 20% to 30%. Other key benefits and savings include:
• Elimination of 20% of all physical case picks
• Improved customer service through increased pick and invoice accuracy
and pallet build quality
• Fewer errors, reduced returns and damage
• Substantial reduction in truck mileage from old supply chain to new, with
significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
• Automated RO-RO truck unloading with integrated pallet conveyor infeed
• Innovative, ergonomically-designed, high-rate Negative-PUT module
• Wireless Bluetooth-enabled voice-directed computing for order picking
• Faster, safer, more efficient order staging and truck loading with ADS
• Numerous OH&S initiatives aimed at maintaining a safer workplace
• Integrated IT including WMS, Negative-PUT and voice-directed computing
• Satisfies CCA’s NSW supply chain requirements until 2015.
6 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

7. TECHNOLOGY
GOODS TO PERSON ORDER FULFILLMENT
Most order pickers actually spend much more
time travelling between picks than they do picking
– even if they are equipped with forklifts or pallet
trucks – adding significantly to distribution costs.
DEMATIC GTP F0R
FASTER, SAFER
ORDER FULFILLMENT
“
Goods to Person order assembly High Rate Put Stations for fast movers
So imagine how much more efficient, productive Dematic High Rate Put Stations can be an ideal
and safe your order picking team would be if solution for fast moving product lines. Directed by
the goods they needed to fulfill orders came to Pick-to-Light (PTL) or Voice, pickers fulfill batches
them, instead of them having to go, find and of orders without having to leave their workstation.
transport the goods. This is only possible where sophisticated sequenc-
Directed by PTL ing software and controls seamlessly supply the
The principle of Goods to Person (GTP) picking is
not new. But changes in government regulations,
or Voice, pickers right stock to the Put Station, precisely when it is
fulfill batches of needed to match a corresponding order. Human
combined with advances in technology and soft-
errors are virtually eliminated and productivity is
ware, are increasingly making GTP a very attrac- orders without optimized, with pick rates of up to 1,000 items per
tive option for many distribution operations.
leaving their hour possible. This is suited to high volume ap-
Dematic’s innovative semi-automated GTP distri- plications where the same product line is needed
bution solutions comprise two key sub-systems:
workstation.
to fulfill several orders, such as for retail grocery,
This is only apparel or publishing outlets.
• Ergonomically designed, manually operated
Pick and Put Stations for high rate order fulfill- possible where High Rate Pick Stations for slower movers
ment (1,000+ picks/hour across several hundred sophisticated The High Rate Pick Station is also suited to the re-
line items): and
sequencing quirements of slow moving product lines within a
• Automated buffer storage systems which se- software DC. Fed by Dematic’s new high throughput Multi-
quence and transport the required items to shuttle storage and retrieval engine, these stations
Pick and Put Stations in the correct order to and controls can deliver pick rates of up to 700 lines per hour.
facilitate efficient order assembly. seamlessly This means one person at a pick station can do
Ergonomic Pick and Put Stations supply the right the work of up to ten people in a traditional picking
environment. Furthermore, the space efficiency of
Dematic has developed and implemented Ergo- stock to the the GTP solution means the building footprint may
nomic Pick and Put Workstation configurations workstation, be reduced by up to 50%.
capable of fulfilling multiple orders concurrently.
precisely when How Dematic Pick and Put Stations work
Workstations can facilitate split case picking, with
it is needed Empty order totes and full inventory totes carrying
designs including the use of Pick-to-Light (PTL)
displays or voice-directed computing to further to match a the goods for picking are transported by an inte-
improve accuracy, productivity and throughput.
“
corresponding
order.
grated conveyor system, arriving concurrently at the
workstations in the exact sequence required to
fulfill the next order(s). Minimal manual handling and
effort is needed by the operator to pick and place
the required items to the order(s) being picked, with
the conveyor system transporting order totes to
dispatch and the inventory totes back to storage.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 7

8. TECHNOLOGY
GTP ORDER FULFILLMENT
Dematic Multishuttle®:
Automated storage buffer and order sequencing
Picking goods efficiently through Ergonomic Work-
stations is one thing; supplying the goods needed
to fulfill orders in the correct sequence to facilitate
order assembly is the other half of Dematic’s Goods
to Person (GTP) solution.
Dematic’s Multishuttle is a new generation solution
for automated storage and retrieval of cases, totes
and trays. Designed to enhance the interface be-
tween bulk storage and functions like order assem-
bly, the Multishuttle dramatically increases speed,
accuracy and throughput.
With sophisticated controls and performance en-
hancing software, the Multishuttle can interface
with a wide range of storage media and handling
containers. Its inherent flexibility enables it to be
easily adapted to any shape or size of building, in-
cluding existing facilities.
Multi-function Multishuttle
Dematic’s Multishuttle extends the range of appli-
cations possible with automated storage systems,
allowing a completely new range of automated so-
lutions to be developed.
The Multishuttle differs from conventional ASRS
The Shuttle Cars DEMATIC MULTISHUTTLE
(automated storage and retrieval systems) in that
instead of a single crane per storage aisle, the The shuttle car is a SYSTEM OVERVIEW
transportation device
Multishuttle uses intelligent self-propelled carts
designed to store and
throughout different levels of the storage system. retrieve goods in multiple
The carts ‘shuttle’ goods in and out of the very levels of storage racks.
space-efficient storage system, interfacing with an Each shuttle car runs
on rails and is equipped
integrated conveyor system, which transports and
with grippers used to
delivers the goods to the pick face in exactly the handle a wide range of
correct sequence to facilitate efficient order as- cartons, trays and totes.
sembly and load building. An incremental encoder
and sensors ensure highly
Dematic Multishuttle: How it works accurate positioning and
The Multishuttle buffer storage system houses all collect power from running
rails via a bus bar.
of the stock required to assemble the next batch of
orders. As items are being picked and sent to the
pick face, new items are automatically inducted to
replenish the storage buffer.
It provides a vital interlink and buffer between bulk
storage and order fulfillment, ensuring the necessary
stock to fulfill orders is always on hand, improving
order fill rates and customer service levels.
The Multishuttle can operate in two configurations
– Captive and Roaming.
8 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

9. Multishuttle differs Dematic Multishuttle Captive for high volume,
from conventional high throughput
ASRS in that instead The “Captive” format is ideal for high throughput
of cranes servicing applications such as order picking and order con-
each aisle, intelligent solidation buffers. A dedicated shuttle is used at
self-propelled cars each storage level in every aisle so that retrieval
‘shuttle’ goods and put away are handled simultaneously, with up
in and out of the to 600 double cycles per aisle per hour possible.
system, interfacing
with an integrated Intelligent controls enable complex sequencing,
conveyor system. which contributes to flexibility and building store-
friendly orders.
Dematic Multishuttle Roaming for low to medium
throughputs
The efficiency of the Multishuttle design is such
that the performance of a conventional ASRS can
be equaled with just a few shuttles.
Dematic’s Roaming Multishuttle meets the needs
of low to medium throughput applications while
providing maximum flexibility. In the roaming con-
figuration, shuttles are not dedicated to a single
storage level, but can move between different lev-
els via shuttle lifts. As throughput requirements
increase, the system capacity can be boosted
with the addition of extra shuttles.
Real time logistics and software integration
Tote Lift
Scheduling and sequencing stock to fulfill a large
Dematic high speed lifts are located
in front of each aisle. In the Captive number of orders at the same time requires smart
system they have the function software and integrated controls.
of picking up goods from buffer
Dematic’s DC DIRECTOR interfaces with the
conveyors and delivering them to the
outfeed level. By handling two at a user’s host computer system, typically a ware-
time, each lift offers double throughput house management system (WMS) or enterprise
and optimal system performance. resource planning (ERP) software suite.
In the Roaming system the lift transfers
shuttles between levels and the infeed/
Order information downloaded from the host is
outfeed conveyors. processed and sequenced by DC DIRECTOR to
ensure the goods required to assemble orders
Infeed and Outfeed Conveyors
arrive at the pick face in the correct sequence. This
includes reverse stacking of containers or pallets
Goods are fed into and taken to ensure the heaviest goods are located at the
away from the Multishuttle
bottom, or in reverse drop sequence for delivery of
by highly efficient conveyors
that can be located at a single mixed orders to multiple locations.
level or, when throughput Dematic Goods to Person (GTP) solutions
demands, at multiple levels of
the Multishuttle system. Dematic is progressively developing the GTP con-
cept with several of the world’s leading manufac-
turers, retailers and distributors implementing sys-
tems with varying degrees of complexity. For real
life applications, see the following case studies
on Germany’s Ferdinand Gross and UK clothing
retailer Next.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 9

10. FERDINAND GROSS
LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDINGEN, GERMANY
MULTISHUTTLE
DELIVERS FOR
FERDINAND GROSS
Leading German fastener and connectivity technology supplier
Ferdinand Gross has transformed its supply chain performance
following the installation of Dematic’s new Multishuttle
Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS).
Multiple benefits of Dematic Multishuttle® Transforming the Kanban supply chain
Incorporating both types of Dematic’s Multishut- Customers utilizing Kanban have benefited the
tle for the first time Worldwide, Ferdinand Gross most from Ferdinand Gross’ enhanced supply
has achieved remarkable service improvements chain, with order fulfillment times being cut from
including: an average of one week to a single day.
• A reduction in order processing times, from up Previously, customers’ shipping containers had MULTISHUTTLE
to three and a half hours to as little as 30 minutes a fixed label, showing article number, article de- ROAMING
scription, amount and customer name. Once the FERDINAND GROSS
• The ability to extend daily order cut-off deadlines
customer emptied the container, Ferdinand Gross LEINFELDEN-ECHTERDIN
by three hours
would collect and return it to the DC, ready to be
• Reducing order fulfillment times for Kanban cus- refilled and shipped out again.
tomers from one week to one day.
With the new system, customer containers can
Multishuttle helps deliver new levels of now be relabeled for filling with any product rather
customer service than waiting for the original empty container to re-
Improving customer service was a primary ob- turn to trigger the order. Consequently, return trips
jective of Ferdinand Gross’ logistics systems up- with empty boxes can now be bundled, reducing
grade at its distribution center (DC) in Leinfelder- the number of trips to and from the customer, fur-
Echterdingen, Germany. ther cutting transport and handling costs.
The Multishuttle brings the total number of shelf Dematic Multishuttle
storage locations within the DC to 120,000, which Dematic Multishuttle is a versatile new technology
is necessary to house the company’s massive for fast, accurate, automated picking within high-
product range of 72,000 standard parts, 24,000 density storage systems, making it ideal for sup-
customer specific parts and 11,000 tools perma- porting a wide range of manufacturing and lo-
nently in stock. gistics applications, from kitting and product as-
MULTISHUTTLE
Being able to extend the incoming order cut-off sembly to order picking and distribution. Instead CAPTIVE
time by three hours provides customers with con- of using cranes in each aisle to pick and trans-
siderably greater ordering flexibility, and reduced port goods, Multishuttle uses multiple intelligent
distribution costs. self-propelled carts, which can roam throughout
the different levels of the storage systems.
At a delivery deadline established by the customer, Increased throughput is achieved by adding extra
all pending orders in the system are bundled into carts. The carts automatically ‘shuttle’ goods in and
a single shipment. out of the densely packed storage system, inter-
The later order dispatch window made possible facing with an integrated conveyor, which delivers
by Multishuttle allows better bundling of individual the picked items in exactly the correct sequence
orders, reducing the number of packages to be to facilitate and significantly improve the produc-
consigned, and associated transport and other tivity and accuracy of product or order assembly.
costs.
10 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

11. Thomas Erb, Chief Executive Officer, Ferdinand Gross,
Thomas Erb, Chief Executive Officer, Ferdinand Gross,
Ferdinand Gross XXXXXX, XXXXXXXX XXXXXX,
Inset: A schematic overview of the Multishuttle system.
Inset: A schematic overview of the Multishuttle system.
Multishuttle roaming Ferdinand Gross implements world-first Multishuttle Captive
applications are designed Dematic Multishuttle
for low to medium The Multishuttle Captive area manages order pick-
throughput and offer The Multishuttle at Ferdinand Gross has highly ing of items from the Roaming section, shelf stor-
the advantage of flexible dynamic picking with unsurpassed flexibility, due age system and picking-related logistics.
NGEN, GERMANY
growth when required. to its unique installation. This project features the Here, each level in the aisle is equipped with its own
world’s first installation of Dematic’s two Multi- shuttle. The shuttles retrieves tote boxes from stor-
shuttle versions – “Captive” and “Roaming” – in age positions and convey them to a lift at the end of
a single storage system with identical shuttles the lane. The lift vertically transfers the boxes to the
in both areas. Up to 30 shelf levels are provided outfeed conveyors, which lead to ergonomically-
within the high density Multishuttle, which is con- optimized picking stations. Here, sequencing to
tained in an area measuring around 12m high, customer specification is possible, i.e. delivery of
20m wide and 30m long goods from inventory in the precise sequence that
The Multishuttle consistently provides picking per- they are needed for picking for the order.
formance in excess of 1,000 picks per hour, typi- A total of 12 shuttles are operational in the Captive
cally processing around 40 tons each of incoming area, servicing 5,000 storage positions at a rate of
and outgoing goods each day. 514 double cycles per hour.
Multishuttle Roaming Multishuttle Benefits
The Multishuttle Roaming system is dedicated pri- • Space-efficient expansion of storage capacity
marily to the fastest moving items, improving avail- by 60,000 positions
ability and flexibility. • Improvement in order fulfillment times,
Ideal in very high
throughput applications, The Roaming system delivers significant optimiza- extending order cut-off deadlines by three hours
Multishuttle captive has tion and cost-savings compared to conventional • Improved service performance thanks to the
shuttles located
automated small parts picking systems. In the additional Multishuttle Captive lane
at every level in all
aisles, serviced by
Roaming area, 20 shuttles service 59,000 stor- • Automated sequencing to customer
high-speed lifts. age positions at a throughput rate of 615 double specifications and individual labeling
cycles (parallel put-away and pick operations) per
• Ergonomic order assembly workstations for
hour. Every aisle contains one shuttle, with the
improved operator performance and safety
carts transferring between levels via a lift in a mat-
ter of seconds. The self-propelled shuttle carts • One employee processes the entire order,
run on rails to the selected storage position, and improving accuracy and traceability
put-away or retrieve the required goods. • Modular concept, allowing for future expansion.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 11

12. NEXT
YORKSHIRE, ENGLAND
NEXT & DEMATIC
PIONEER NEW ERA IN
ORDER FULFILLMENT
Next, one of the UK’s leading retailers, has achieved a dramatic
increase in distribution productivity and capacity at its distribution
center (DC) in South Elmsall, West Yorkshire following the
commissioning of a new Goods to Person order fulfillment solution.
12 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

13. 300% improvement in pick rates The High Rate Put Stations, in contrast, minimize
Designed and implemented by Dematic, the High the time taken by staff travelling between store
Rate Put Stations have delivered a near-threefold orders. Operators are fed with a continual supply
increase in order picking rates, along with far of products, and the ergonomic design of the sta-
greater peak capacity to meet changing business tions ensures that high productivity is combined
requirements. with minimal physical demands on operators.
High Rate Put Stations: Ergonomically optimized Thanks to Dematic’s innovative design, Next’s op-
for performance erators now achieve pick rates up to 1,000 items
per hour depending on the order profile. An addi-
One of the first such systems to be implemented tional benefit of supplying stock to pickers is that
in the UK, the High Rate Put Stations at Next rep- errors are substantially reduced, improving accu-
resent a step change in order picking efficiency. racy and customer service levels.
Dedicated to the company’s fast moving clothing, Optimizing operator management
footwear, accessories and home product lines, 20
stations fulfill orders for up to 24 stores each. Dematic’s Labor Management software plays a
critical role in ensuring the full potential of the sys-
At each High Rate Put Station, an operator is di- tem is realized. Individual operator performance
rected by pick-to-light (PTL) displays to fulfill a figures are expressed as a ‘percentage efficiency’,
series of orders, fed by a seamless, sequenced where 100% efficiency is calculated dynamically
supply of product from storage. by the software using standard times for each
Product is automatically delivered to the station’s task undertaken by the operator.
central picking point from Dematic’s existing auto- The software is also used to manage a bonus pay-
mated storage and retrieval system. ment scheme, which rewards operators for per-
Each station holds up to 24 order totes destined formance in excess of 100%, thereby addressing
for one of Next’s 500 plus retail outlets. the tendency for operator productivity to ‘level off’
when it reaches designated performance targets.
The PTL displays at each location indicate how
many items must be put into each of the order Equally, the software ensures that managers and
totes, allowing a single operator to work on up to supervisors have the real-time information ne-
24 store orders at the same time. cessary to intervene quickly where individual staff
members are falling below expected standards.
When an order tote is full, the display instructs the
operator to push it on to a take-away conveyor for Benefits
transfer to dispatch and loading onto vehicles. • 300% increase in pick rate
Tripling picking productivity per operator • Up to 1,000 items per hour per operator
Before the introduction of the High Rate Put Sta- • Fast, responsive system
tions, Next employed a manual order picking sys-
tem for its fast moving product lines. • Very high accuracy
Given the scale of the company’s product range, • Ergonomically optimized picking
operators had to travel significant distances be- • Improved OH&S
tween static pick locations. Seasonal peaks in de-
• Enhanced operator management.
mand could only be met by significantly increasing
the number of pickers employed.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 13

14. NEWEGG.COM
EDISON, NEW JERSEY, USA
BUILDING A NEW DC
FOR NEWEGG.COM
INTERNET RETAILING
With up to 600,000 visitors each day to its website, consumer
electronics and communications products online superstore,
Newegg.com is the United States’ second largest online-only
retailer, generating net sales of more than $2 billion per annum.
“
Newegg.com Efficient distribution facilitates rapid growth
Newegg’s success is largely based on providing “Our business had grown so dramatically over the
its customers with a superior purchasing experi- past couple years that we needed a new DC to
ence. It offers: keep up with it,” said Bob Zelis, Vice President Lo-
gistics, Newegg.com.
• The industry’s broadest product selection of more
Dematic’s
than 40,000 items “The New Jersey DC consolidates two smaller op-
automation erations into one large automated facility to better
• A very user-friendly website
solution covers service the eastern states, where we have a sig-
• Fast and efficient order processing, with 98% of nificant customer base.
orders shipped within one business day. our entire
“To optimize fulfillment for our customers, we now
The company has been ranked within the top ten operation from have inventory placed in three DCs throughout the
retailers in the US for customer service, with more picking through country. By locating our DCs in California, Tennes-
than eight million shoppers rating Newegg as one see and now New Jersey, we are able to service
of the best online retailers in the world.
to shipping.
all of our US customers by way of ground service,
Internet retail distribution at its best
Everything and get them the best possible shipping cost. Or-
Inventory capacity, accuracy of order fulfillment
goes through ders received by 3:00pm local time are handled
same day enabling customers to receive their
and speed of order processing are critical to main- the conveyer goods within three business days.”
taining Newegg’s high-profile market position, with system except
its latest distribution center (DC) in New Jersey Dematic’s end-to-end logistics solution
representing Internet retail distribution at its best. for larger,
“After an intensive review of our needs and suppli-
A showpiece of state-of-the-art logistics, the bulkier items ers, we settled on Dematic to handle the design
33,660sqm DC incorporates some of the industry’s like televisions. and system integration for all of the materials han-
most efficient high-speed materials handling sys-
tems, including energy-efficient conveyors, pick-
ing systems with pick-to-light and zone routing,
pop-up sorters and serialized tracking.
Designed by Dematic, the DC supports Newegg’s
“Bob Zelis, Vice
President Logistics,
Newegg.com
dling equipment,” added Mr Zelis.
“We wanted the latest technology to move our
products through the DC, so we could capitalize
on the fastest and most efficient systems. Demat-
ic’s automation solution covers our entire opera-
tion from picking through to shipping. Everything
existing DCs in California and Tennessee. The
company also operates five DCs in China. goes through the conveyor system except for larg-
er, bulkier items like televisions.”
14 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

15. Newegg operates on a ‘just in time’ inventory “Newegg is very tuned in to the comfort of the peo- Left: Bob Zelis, Vice
model. It does not accept back orders. Once it has ple who work in its DCs,” said Dematic’s Stewart President Logistics,
sold out of a product, it instantly takes that item Resnick. Newegg.com
down from its website. Inventory is closely tracked “Ambient noise was a concern, but our new con-
all the way through the system using serialized veyors are very quiet compared to conventional
tracking. If a customer has a problem with a prod- systems. Modularity, interchangeability of parts,
uct, Newegg can track that specific item right back ease of maintenance, and low energy usage were
to the receiving purchase order. additional features that Newegg liked.”
Fast efficient order fulfillment and tracking Integrated warehouse control
Orders are also tightly tracked through the system. Integrating with Newegg’s Warehouse Manage-
They are received through the company’s main ment System (WMS), Dematic’s warehouse con-
server in California, and routed to the DC closest
trol system (WCS) - SortDirector, provides ad-
to the delivery address. After an order gets to the
vanced graphic systems monitoring for the entire
New Jersey DC, it is assigned to a barcoded tote.
conveying, zone routing and sortation operations.
The tote is automatically transported through a dig-
ital zone-routing pick system equipped with pick- A full graphical layout of the system clearly dis-
to-light (PTL) technology, only stopping in zones plays the operating condition of the system com-
where goods are required for the order. ponents using color coding, giving operators
highly detailed and accurate, real-time control of
With the PTL system, the operator scans the bar-
product movement and reporting.
coded tote. Digital displays located in front of each
stock location from which items are required light At a glance, users can identify system status
up, letting the operator know which stock keep- and easily diagnose any material handling equip-
ing units (SKUs) to pick and how many, optimizing ment issues.
productivity and accuracy, and improving occu- Benefits
pational health and safety (OH&S).
• High volume order processing capacity with
High-efficiency, low-noise conveying further scope for expansion
The DC utilizes Dematic’s latest energy-efficient • Fast order processing – 98% of orders shipped
conveyor design, which significantly cuts opera- within one day
tional noise and maintenance requirements, and
also reduces reliance on oils/lubricants and com- • High accuracy and improved customer service
pressed air. The conveyor system also has the • Enhanced delivery – 98% of shipments received
functionality to automatically turn itself off when it within three days
is not needed, reducing power consumption by up
• Better productivity and workplace safety.
to 30%, and further cutting maintenance require-
ments and costs.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 15

16. ELGIGANTEN
JÖNKÖPING, SWEDEN
HELPING SWEDEN’S
Elgiganten’s
Daniel Lundby
& Andreas
Thimour.
ELGIGANTEN
MANAGE E-GROWTH
The sale of electronics over the internet is booming, especially
for Elgiganten, with a new pick and pack solution from Dematic
helping Scandinavia’s leading electronics retailer keep on top of
50% annual growth rates in its e-retail business.
Dematic’s integrated solution for Elgiganten The e-business boom in electronics poses signifi-
Dematic’s integrated logistics solution enables El- cant order fulfillment challenges.
giganten’s central Nordic warehouse in Jönköping, Rather than processing mostly multi-product ord-
Sweden to gain close to 100% pick accuracy and ers for traditional distribution, Elgiganten now
meet increasingly rigorous demands for picking handles a constantly increasing volume of single
efficiency and quality. customer orders for just one or a couple of items.
The warehouse distributes over 4000 products to To accommodate Elgiganten’s ever growing pro-
the group’s 247 megastores in Norway, Sweden, duct range and rapidly changing distribution re-
Denmark, Finland, Iceland, Greenland and the quirements, Dematic’s integrated logistics solution
Faroe Islands, and also fulfills the rapidly growing provides the necessary flexibility to meet the com-
volume of direct-to-customer orders. pany’s expanding e-business and support its ag-
gressive growth plans, which include significantly
increasing the number of outlets in the Nordic re-
gion over the coming years.
16 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

17. New flexible pick and pack solution Vocollect voice picking integrated by Dematic
“Our e-business channel has been growing at a rate The Vocollect Voice terminals maintain wireless
“
of 50% per annum, and our product range is also real-time contact with the voice control system
expanding rapidly. We initially contacted Dematic and warehouse management system (WMS). The
with a view to developing a Split Case Module to bet- terminal reads out the location and quantity to the
ter handle these types of orders,” explained Elgig- picker, who confirms the completed assignment
anten’s Development Manager, Andreas Thimour. by reading the last three numbers of the product’s
The Dematic Split Case Module is an ‘island of au- The areas EAN code. This ensures the correct product is
tomation’ within the 100,000sqm warehouse. picked, virtually eliminating picking errors.
Dematic was
It is a zone-routing system in which order cartons “The last detail is important because many products
responsible for are valuable and, in some cases, will be dis-
are conveyed to the relevant picking zones where
products for the orders are located. Zones that work perfectly. patched directly to the end customer,” explained
Andreas Thimour.
do not have product required for the order are They have
skipped. To improve the speed, efficiency and re- Voice picking has delivered wide-ranging benefits:
sponsiveness of order fulfillment, the warehouse
been extremely
• Productivity up to 35% over paper or RF picking
is divided into several picking zones. professional,
delivered high • Almost 100% picking accuracy
Fast and slow movers are picked in separate areas
so that the system and organization can be geared quality, and • A reduction in the time spent training new staff
differently to optimize productivity. • Greater job safety and reduced staff turnover.
were quick
Voice-directed computing
to respond to Flexible use of manpower
Warehouse staff are verbally directed to pick items “Since implementing the system in May 2008, we
such as mobile phones, MP3 players, curling irons
challenges as
have continued to optimize and improve its effi-
and digital cameras by voice-directed computing. they arose. ciency,” said Project Manager, Daniel Lundby.
The pickers wear a small belt-mounted voice ter-
Daniel Lundby,
minal and headset with microphone. They receive
clear vocal commands and confirm tasks verbally
via a Voice terminal. Voice picking lets the pickers
keep their hands and eyes free at all times, making
it faster and easier to pick the right products in the
right order, and safer by letting the user concen-
“
Project Manager,
Elgiganten
“The areas Dematic was responsible for work per-
fectly. They have been extremely professional, de-
livered high quality, and were quick to respond to
challenges as they arose,” said Mr Lundby.
“Productivity and efficiency is maximized with
Dematic’s order fulfillment system enabling ware-
trate on product handling. house staff to be easily redeployed to other duties
Gone is the need for pick lists or RF terminals, in other parts of the warehouse,” he said.
which require pickers to use their hands and eyes “We can also increase throughput by increasing
to read, navigate and confirm tasks. the number of pickers in the zone routing system
during peak periods like Christmas.”
Elgiganten’s tips to consider when
implementing new warehouse
solutions
Elgiganten’s Daniel Lundby and Andreas Thimour highlight five key
considerations when implementing new warehouse solutions:
1. Chart and analyze the product structure beforehand
2. Be especially aware of system integration between the PLC
and WMS interfaces. Establish early dialogue and aim for
the simplest interfaces possible
3. Be clear about what you want to achieve and the stability of
the work situation
4. Be sure to communicate relevant information to operators.
This can be done by training ‘superusers’ on all shifts and
by ensuring that they are actively involved in the project
from start to finish
5. Establish as clear a transition as possible from the
implementation team to daily operation, by involving the
operational organization.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 17

18. LECHE PASQUAL
ARANDA DE DUERO, SPAIN
NEW LOGISTICS
PLATFORM FOR
LECHE PASCUAL
Dematic and the project team at Grupo Leche Pascual have
implemented an innovative, three-pronged integrated logistics
solution to boost the dairy distributors’ supply chain performance
and provide a platform for growth.
18 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

19. Leche Pascual Together the three automated warehouses provide
Ever since UHT milk in cartons became available, a total storage capacity of more than 50,000
the history of Grupo Leche Pascual has been one pallets.
of innovation and quality. Today the group has 12 All three facilities are linked by a mixed system of
production plants, almost 3,000 employees and, roller track conveyors, plus a total of 76 carriers
in addition to its activities in Spain, has a presence moving along a monorail circuit.
in over 60 countries.
Management of the physical flows of pallets,
Aranda Operational Logistics Platform storage and retrieval at the silos, and movements
Leche Pascual, which celebrated its 40th anniver- between them via the cart system, is controlled by
sary last year, has implemented innovative new Dematic software.
logistics and data management systems to physi- Dual picking circuit
cally link all storage and planning activities prior
A dual picking circuit has been implemented for
to order preparation and distribution at its new Benefits
order provisioning: the first automated picking
Aranda Operational Logistics Platform.
system (APS) is located on the upper level of the • Concentration of
Distribution activities are performed within three platform, with the second semi-automated system all order picking,
warehouses, two picking circuits and a dynamic on the lower level. previously spread
warehouse plus loading bays. across various
Both picking circuits feature a series of double-
The various systems are connected by an auto- fixed tables, where complete pallets are set down
facilities, into a
mated transport system, with the efficient concept and from which orders are picked. The carts of the
single platform
replacing the use of forklifts. lower circuit and the overhead monorail carriers • Optimization of
Given the complexity of the movements involved, feed the tables with new pallets, arriving from any warehouse space
overhead monorail circuits were selected as the one of the automated warehouse facilities. • Real time inventory
ideal solution, complemented by 50/70 floor-level In the APS upper level, the storage and retrieval management
conveyor belts and elevators. of pallets, as well as picking, is automated. This • Simplified
50,000+ pallets: three automated warehouses picking circuit prepares multi layer orders using product loading
dynamic layer picking robots, irrespective of the
The automated warehouse for yogurts and and unloading,
order scope or layer configuration. The objective
desserts (104m wide, 30m deep and 28m high), minimizing
is to absorb workload peaks and minimize the
provides a storage capacity of 20,000 pallets logistics costs and
need for manual handling.
across two zones. The first is equipped with four response times
transelevators and operates at room temperature. The lower level also features a dynamic ware- • Better control of
The second also has four transelevators, and housing section with 15 lanes of double tables and stored products
operates at 5ºC. a holding capacity of 2,100 pallets. Its purpose
• Enhanced quality
The new 14,500 pallet capacity buffer warehouse is to act as a buffer between provisioning and
of processes and
(55 x 21 x 35m), located between the UHT ware- loading the picked pallets and half pallets.
customer service
house and the yogurts warehouse, absorbs any 21 high capacity loading bays
storage overflow from these products, as well • Improved
The main loading and unloading area on the lower overall working
as products coming from other plants within the
floor has 21 unloading bays, eight of which are environment,
group. It is equipped with three double-depth
equipped with an automated loading system (ATLS) eliminating the
transelevators, two operating at room temperature
to enhance productivity and the efficiency of potential for
and the third in a refrigerated area.
goods receipt/dispatch. human error.
The 15,600 pallet capacity UHT milk warehouse
(76x35x21m) has a further eight transelevators.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 19

20. ZUELLIG PHARMA
SELANGOR, MALAYSIA
Maikel Kuijpers,
Chief Operating
Officer, Zuellig
Pharma Malaysia
TRACEABILITY &
ACCURACY KEY FOR
ZUELLIG PHARMA
To help Zuellig Pharma, one of Asia Pacific’s leading pharmaceutical and healthcare
product distributors, and the largest in Malaysia, meet growing throughput and
service level requirements, Dematic implemented an order fulfillment system at its
24,000sqm DC situated at Bukit Jelutong, outside of Kuala Lumpur.
Zuellig’s order fulfillment challenge Dematic’s integrated logistics solution
Since the new order fulfillment system has been The key to Dematic’s integrated logistics system
operational, Zuellig has achieved a dramatic in- is its PickDirector software, a fully integrated
crease in picker productivity together with signifi- order fulfillment system that seamlessly interfaces
cant improvements in accountability and inventory with Zuellig’s host computer system. PickDirector
traceability. Today, Zuellig handles more products uses wireless mobile terminals to direct split case,
and orders, more accurately, at less cost. full case and pallet picking.
Zuellig Pharma has experienced significant busi- It also manages an automated conveying system,
ness growth in Malaysia in an industry which de- which provides zone routing through split case
mands accuracy, traceability and speed. picking zones, together with check weighing and
sortation of outbound shippers.
Zuellig’s distribution is dominated by split case
picking for a very large number of small orders, with Accuracy improved with paperless picking
many for only one or two items. Picking and ass-
The use of paperless picking technologies for or-
embling small order quantities like these is labor
der fulfillment has virtually eliminated picking er-
intensive and costly, and presented the biggest
rors throughout the operation, improving custom-
opportunity for Zuellig to gain significant improve-
er service and reducing distribution costs.
ments in productivity, accuracy and accountability.
With PickDirector, operators are instructed to fol-
“In healthcare, it is vital that errors are kept to an
low picking paths that minimize travel.
absolute minimum. The extremely high level of
accuracy provided by Dematic’s order fulfillment Hand-held and wearable RF terminals are used to
system has allowed us to greatly improve our scan and validate each item and its batch number,
overall distribution operations and customer serv- ensuring the highest levels of productivity, accur-
ice levels,” said Maikel Kuijpers, Chief Operating acy and traceability during picking.
Officer, Zuellig Pharma Malaysia.
20 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

21. Intelligent conveyors keep goods on the move
The space efficient multi-tier split case picking
area consists of several picking zones serviced by
an integrated conveyor system, which interfaces
with PickDirector.
The intelligent conveyor system transports, routes
and diverts orders to only those zones where
items are required, bypassing those with no pick-
ing requirements, reducing picker travel and order
processing time. Picked orders are automatically
transported by the conveyor system to the down-
stream checking, packing and dispatch areas.
Global order induction boosts productivity
and throughput
Dematic’s PickDirector supports global induction,
which enables operators to start an order any-
where within the system. This enables operators
to “pull” work to them, rather than waiting for it to
arrive, improving operator utilization, productivity
and throughput.
Pick locations for fast moving split case products
are arranged in compact zones of high-density car-
ton flow racks, which provide a large online buffer
of picking stock and separates pickers from re-
“
plenishment operators. Improvements in bulk
When picking in the zone is complete, the picked Full pallet and full case picking instructions are dis-
items are placed into totes, which are pushed onto tributed to operators working in the bulk area via
a powered takeaway conveyor. RF terminals. PickDirector automatically batches
full case picking requirements by delivery route
Slower moving products are stored in shelving loca- In healthcare, into pallet-sized picking tasks.
tions on the mezzanine level, achieving efficiencies
by clustering multiple orders together for concur- it is vital that By picking the requirements for several orders with
rent picking. errors are kept a single pass of the pick face, picker productivity
is improved. Dispatch labels required for tracking
Weighing-in with outstanding accuracy to an absolute and delivery purposes are automatically printed in
Totes on the conveying system are automatically minimum. the correct sequence and applied, scanned and
transported over an in-line weigh scale, with Pick- validated during picking.
The extremely
Director checking that the weight of the contents
in each tote is correct and recording it for account- high level Real time tracking and management information
ability purposes. Totes failing the weight check are of accuracy Apart from accuracy and productivity improvements,
diverted to a Quality Control (QC) station for fur- Zuellig also benefits from the real time information
ther inspection.
provided by and management tools provided by PickDirector.
Efficient and accurate dispatch
Dematic’s It allows workload progress monitoring and pro-
vides the ability to “drill down” and track:
Beyond the weighing and QC station, totes are trans-
order fulfillment
system has • The progress of each order
ported to a packing area, where operators pack
items into cartons or bags for dispatch. allowed us to • Order and container contents
A PickDirector terminal is used to print dispatch greatly improve • Every pick performed by each operator.
labels and track the items packed into each ship- This provides visibility and traceability across the
ping container. our overall
entire operation, enabling Zuellig to accurately
Completed shipments are placed on a takeaway distribution record and monitor operator performance and
conveyor and transported to the sorter, where operations other KPIs.
they are automatically scanned and diverted into and customer Benefits
decline conveyor lanes leading to security-caged
dispatch areas. service levels. • Up to 50% increase in picker productivity
The sorter is installed overhead so that the space Maikel Kuijpers, • Increased throughput capacity
below can be used for operational activities. “
Chief Operating
Officer, Zuellig
Pharma Malaysia
• Better space efficiency
• Higher accuracy
• Inventory traceability
• Supply chain accountability.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 21

22. PRODUCT, TECHNOLOGY
& SOFTWARE REVIEW
DEMATIC MIXED CASE
PALLETIZING SOLUTIONS
AMCAP: Auto Mixed Case Palletizing Dematic offers
automated and
Automated mixed case palletizing (AMCAP) manual mixed case
automatically builds mixed-product pallets, palletizing solutions.
addressing the latest requirements by companies
particularly in the retail, grocery, food and ErgoPall: Manual
beverage, and manufacturing industries. Mixed Pallet
With a sophisticated gripper, AMCAP can handle Assembly
over 10,000 different items including small boxes, ErgoPall enables
cans, and jars in cardboard trays, open and operators to
closed cartons, beverages and sacks. ergonomically build
Integrated software and materials handling mixed product pallets
equipment control the constant cycle of feeding, or rollcages.
grabbing and placing articles, achieving Incorporating the
impressive throughput rates. Intelligent software same software and
calculates the way the pallet needs to be built to controls as AMCAP,
suit customer requirements. sequenced cases are
Dematic’s PalletGenDirector uses 16 different delivered to operators
attributes of the product (length, width, height, who simply slide the
weight, crushability, etc.) as well as specific cases into position.
delivery requirements (i.e. aisle position) to Lifting is virtually
determine the build sequence for each pallet. eliminated and, as
The necessary goods are picked, buffered and each layer of cases
automatically delivered to AMCAP in the exact is completed, the
sequence to facilitate pallet building, with the pallet or roll cage
robots operating at a rate of more than 1,000 automatically drops
mixed-SKU cases per hour. down, allowing
Once stacking is complete, the completed pallet assembly of the
is lowered through the mezzanine floor with a lift, next layer to begin,
and has a label applied as it comes out on the significantly improving
outbound conveyor. safety and throughput.
22 DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW

23. Your system can be upgraded with new versions
of controls and software
Modernization programs for material
handling systems, facilities, & operations
Dematic has introduced upgrades. For facilities,
a suite of modernization the suite offers re-
products and services lamping or lighting
designed to increase upgrades, arc flash
productivity and analysis, and energy
reduce operating management. For
costs. The offering operations, the suite
includes a wide variety includes operations
of solutions arranged assessments,
in three categories: maintenance audits,
material handling preventative maintenance
Optimizing manual case picking with Laser Trucks+Voice
systems, facilities and services and resident Automating warehouse trucks and pallet movers with the latest laser guidance
operations. For material maintenance programs. technology can significantly improve warehouse productivity and safety.
handling systems, the For more information,
suite includes sorter go to the Customer Dematic’s Laser Trucks+ eliminate many of the non-value adding tasks asso-
repair/rebuild kits, Service page at ciated with case picking. Pickers don’t need to constantly get on/off or drive a
replacement rollers, www.dematic.us, and warehouse truck, letting them focus entirely on the task of picking.
motorized roller retro-fit reference “Modernization Laser Trucks+ automatically retrieve new shipping pallets and deliver them to
kits, powered pulley & Upgrades, Products the picker, and take away completed pallets to dispatch.
upgrades, conveyor & Services.”
Within the pick aisle, Laser Trucks+ automatically move with the operator to
replacements and
the next pick location, enabling fast and safe mixed case order assembly.
software/controls
When combined with voice-directed computing, Laser Trucks+ have the
potential to more than double picking productivity.
DEMATIC LOGISTICS REVIEW 23