Third-party logistics specialist Penske Logistics has deployed an automated order fulfilment solution at a bakery distribution facility in Illinois, US.
Provided by Cimcorp, the solution automates the movement of baked products from manufacturing through to delivery to retail outlets. Before its installation, workers manually unloaded, stored and picked bread trays, including stacks exceeding 2 metres in height.
The integrated solution combines Cimcorp’s MultiPick gantry robots with its warehouse control system (WCS), bringing buffer storage and order picking together within one automated workflow. Products are now picked at tray level, delivering 100% order accuracy.
By removing the need for manual handling, the warehouse automation system is expected to raise throughput while creating a safer working environment.
Steve Chambers, vice president of operations, distribution center management at Penske Logistics, said: “By implementing this system, we expect to see increased throughput efficiency and order-picking accuracy as well as safety benefits from eliminating the manual handling of tray stacks.”
Cimcorp reports that the automated process has cut labour requirements by 50%, enabling Penske Logistics to deploy its workforce more strategically across the operation.
Its modular design also allows the system to expand during seasonal demand peaks and support the bakery’s long-term growth plans.