Warehouse robotics firm Exotec has introduced the commissioning of two new Skypod programs in Japan with Mitsubishi Shokuhin, a significant meals distributor, and Trusco Nakayama, one in all Japan’s main industrial distributors.
Deployed in partnership with IHI Logistics Industrial Techniques, the brand new programs additional strengthen Exotec’s presence in one of many world’s most superior markets for logistics automation.
Mitsubishi Shokuhin has commissioned Skypod at its new Meals Service Distribution Centre (FSDC) in Soka. The location manages virtually 13,000 product references, together with meals merchandise, alcoholic drinks {and professional} provides.
With labour shortages and the necessity to enhance working circumstances in its warehouses, Mitsubishi Shokuhin carried out Skypod to cut back operator journey distances, enhance selecting effectivity, automate ambient temperature operations and preserve a excessive degree of customer support.
The challenge is a part of a broader technique to construct a logistics infrastructure able to supporting the corporate’s development by 2040. The deployment marks an vital milestone, as it’s the first implementation of Skypod in Japan’s meals distribution sector.
Trusco Nakayama additionally strengthened its industrial logistics capability with the Exotec Skypod system being absolutely operational on the group’s new Planet Aichi logistics centre, its largest logistics facility.
Masking roughly 89,000 sq. meters, the positioning was designed to help the continued development of the variety of saved product references, which is predicted to exceed a million SKUs within the coming years.
Skypod was carried out to automate order fulfilment operations for instruments, consumables, security gear and industrial provides. The deployed system contains almost 32,000 bins, 37 robots and 4 selecting stations to enhance productiveness, selecting accuracy and space for storing utilisation.
Each tasks spotlight the rising adoption of warehouse automation applied sciences in Japan to handle shared challenges, together with labour shortages, rising throughput necessities, improved productiveness and higher working circumstances for warehouse operators.
Romain Moulin, CEO of Exotec, says: “Japan is likely one of the world’s most demanding and modern markets relating to logistics. The brand new programs at Mitsubishi Shokuhin and Trusco Nakayama exhibit Skypod’s potential to fulfill very completely different necessities whereas offering a concrete response to the challenges of productiveness, labour availability and repair high quality. We’re proud to help these two main corporations as they rework their logistics operations.
“Following the success of our tasks with Mitsubishi Shokuhin and Trusco Nakayama, we’re excited to proceed increasing in Japan and supporting organisations with demanding logistics efficiency necessities.
“Each tasks, spanning the meals and industrial distribution sectors, exhibit Skypod’s power and adaptableness in enhancing logistics operations. We stay up for constructing on this success and increasing our presence throughout Japan.”
Skypod is an automatic storage and retrieval system (ASRS), however it’s fairly completely different from the standard shuttle-based ASRSs you’ll have seen or heard of earlier than. Exotec itself describes Skypod as a “cellular ASRS”.
The vital distinction is that Skypod doesn’t have separate robotic shuttles sitting on every degree of the rack. The Skypod robots themselves carry out each the horizontal transport and the vertical retrieval.
