The autonomous warehouse

Opportunities at an autonomous & automated distribution center

Are you looking for an autonomous or automated distribution center?
Distribution and supply chain is in our blood. We are a young start-up that grew out of the DNA of the Colruyt Group and therefore have the necessary knowledge in house ranging from design, construction to testing of complete distribution systems where efficiency and the employee are always central.

All our assignments are tailor-made, in which we examine together with you what degree of automation suits your organization and where we seek a balance between budget (economic fit) and your business ambitions.

 

 

01

Automation Analysis

The opportunities to automate storage, order picking and consolidation processes are more numerous today than ever. From high-bay warehouses with tens of thousands of storage spaces and fully automated order picking to small-scale robot solutions that provide smart improvements in efficiency, safety and ergonomics of logistics employees. From our years of experience with various technologies, we know that automation is always customized.

We are happy to examine together with you which solutions best fit your specific environment and needs. We are your partner in this, from the first idea to support after installation.

2 personen met plan in logistiek centrum

02

Process Design

Automation cannot be separated from a thorough knowledge of the processes: What are the typical characteristics of products and orders? Which resources and information flows support the physical flows? Where are the bottlenecks today and are the current processes ready to respond to future challenges and opportunities?

We are convinced that analyzing and studying the logistics processes leads to a clear insight into the most important bottlenecks and opportunities. From this information, we look at where automation can play a crucial role or where improvements are possible through smaller-scale adjustments to processes and infrastructure.

03

Packaging

If your products need to be packed or repacked, automation can be a huge time saver for you and your organization. Smart Technics can make recommendations based on the volume and requirements (different types of shapes and sizes).

04

Liquid Ice Containers

Transporting frozen or fresh products must be done in the right temperature conditions. Did you know that Colruyt Group does this in an ecological way and already uses more than 8,000 liquid ice containers to transport its temperature sensitive products to its stores?

The 6 major advantages of LIC (liquid ice containers) :

  1. More loading space: because each transport unit can be individually cooled to the required temperature, we save 12% in loading volume and can thus transport more cooled products.
  2. Reuse: the melted liquid ice is injected with frozen liquid ice in the distribution center. The old, liquid ice is then taken into the system and cooled. Not a drop is lost.
  3. Long service life: we guarantee between 48 hours for fresh products and 32 hours for frozen products which gives a large autonomy in the logistics chain.
  4. Fast cooling: “warm-return” containers are cooled quickly(<30 min) and quickly used again in the logistics process
  5. User-friendly: we use a handy click system on the door so that it cannot fall shut
  6. Environmentally friendly: at least 73% less impact on the climate compared to other solutions!
  7. Higher product quality guarantees: there is no risk of freezing through delicate products.

05

Scallog: Scalable Solutions

Scallog’s goods-to-person solution uses autonomous robots that are responsible for the supply and removal of mobile storage cabinets. This allows a wide range of items to be stored in a limited area and will reduce walking distances during order picking. Because robots, cabinets and workstations can be added or removed independently from each other, this solution can move along with your activities during its life span, which makes it easily scalable.

Together with Smart Technics, we will look for a design tailored to your needs and we will examine how this solution can be integrated into your business processes.

06

Product Recognition

Product recognition technology is developing rapidly, not only in stores but also in logistics. Within Smart Technics, we are working on all kinds of applications and technologies with product recognition and flow monitoring in logistics centers that can save time and resources. Depending on expectations, these can also be integrated into the solution offered.

07

Digital Twin

Data as a building block in the shop of the future

In a supply chain environment, it is important that the flow of goods is done in the most optimal way. By adding track-and-trace solutions and IoT sensors to the supply chain processes, for example, we can monitor much better where bottlenecks occur and how we can prevent them. We can monitor the state of our warehouses in real time and make adjustments where necessary. But it doesn’t stop there. By keeping track of data over time, we can also think about how we can optimize certain processes, often with artificial intelligence. And by building a digital twin, we can also run simulations, creating more than ever an environment where efficiency emerges.

Start a project together? Contact us