Automated DC for Canada dry goods
August 1st 2007 Investment in state of the
art warehouse and picking
technology from Witron will
enable Canada's second
largest grocery retailer,
Sobeys, to optimise its
planned new distribution
centre. The DC will tighten
Sobeys supply chain and
improve service for dry
grocery delivery to its 360
stores.
Planning and
implementing the new DC is
Witron's responsibility –
from delivery through
installation and start-up of
all material flow
components. Automation
equipment includes 11
AS/RS pallet cranes that
service 38,000 locations and
32 AS/RS miniload cranes
with access to 340,000 tray
locations. As systems
integrator, Witron manages
all processes below Host
level with its own IT,
material flow and control
applications.
Witron claims the new DC
is 'unique' in that the
majority of case picking will
be completely automated
through its proprietary order
picking machinery (OPM)
system. Order pallets will be
automatically assembled by
16 picking machines that
are installed on two levels
within the warehouse. They
will be fed by the tray AS/RS
system, which will also be
constructed on two levels. A
three-aisle pick to pallet
system with voice control
and automated
replenishment supplies the
system to handle peak
volumes and bulky goods. More articles from Witron Engineering: | 
