Dematic automating Americold warehouses serving grocery retailer
Dematic recently secured an automation project for two temperature-controlled warehouses with Americold, a temperature-controlled infrastructure and supply chain solutions and services company, to improve efficiency for a major grocery retailer in the US.
The Dematic integrated solution includes goods-in receiving, automatic delayering, tray handling, sortation, automatic pallet building, dispatch trailer sequencing and ergonomic case picking. The solution will feature a Dematic high-bay unit load AS/RS for pallets and the Dematic Multishuttle for case buffering and sequencing. The combination of these technologies, managed and operated by Dematic software, creates the most effective compact mixed-case handling solution on the market, the company maintained.
“At Americold, we have a unique lens into the temperature-controlled supply chain,” said David Stuver, executive vice president of supply chain solutions at Americold. “To help us offer world-class service to our customers, we were seeking an automation partner to facilitate the future hyper-connected, enabled supply chain in retail fulfillment.
“With large-scale global capabilities and innovative automation solutions, Dematic is an ideal partner to help us create state-of-the-art facilities that will help Americold transform the supply chain.”
The new facilities will be true four-wall automated solutions with automated mixed-case palletizing systems to ensure cube optimization improvements, Dematic added. Highly efficient packing will mean fewer trucks needed for delivery, and shelf-ready pallets will allow for the quickest possible stocking of store shelves.
“The Dematic Center of Excellence for Grocery worked in true partnership with Americold to develop the right solution,” said Bernard Biolchini, CEO of Dematic Americas. “These fully automated facilities, powered by Dematic iQ software, will provide immense operational flexibility, supporting an omnichannel experience and multi-channel growth.”
