Witron

Last week, Rewe Group launched a new distribution centre in Magdeburg Rothensee with automation technology from Kuka subsidiary Swisslog. Up to now, the retail group has mainly relied on Witron for the automation of distribution centres, whose automation technology largely operates without robotics.

Rewe Group is installing automation technology from Cimcorp in its regional distribution centre in Oranienburg. The system from Finnish specialist picks fruit and vegetables-crates. In this way, the retailer aims to efficiently deliver fresh produce to its stores and combat shortage of staff.

Spar Austria has significantly expanded on its use of fully automated picking with Witron technology. The retail company has completed the fourth construction phase of its central warehouse in Wels and started full operation.

Australia's Coles Group has opened the world's largest Witron-automated dry goods distribution centre for more than 18,000 different SKUs in Redbank, Queensland.

Dutch grocery retailer Jumbo is developing a new distribution centre for fresh foods at its Nieuwegein site with automation technology from Witron. The facility is scheduled to start operations in early 2024.

Walmart reacts to the pressure from Amazon: Also in Canada, the world’s largest retailer starts a multi-billion investment, predominately into technology. Two new distribution centres will be automated: One by Witron and one by Vanderlande. In its stores, Walmart aims for innovative inventory management, additional product information and innovative checkout processes -- partly based on computer vision.

In dm Drogeriemarkt’s new distribution centre in Wustermarkt, Swisslog-controlled robots pack pallets fully automatically. To make this work, however, the cases are first separated and stored in a shuttle system with an 265,000 storage spaces.

According to forecasts, the Swiss retailers will come through the lockdown well – not at least because they are well positioned online. With the full integration of nonfood picking for stores and online orders with Witron automation, market leader Migros will take another important step in omnichannel fulfilment next year.