Global logistics services provider Rhenus Logistics (Rhenus) has deployed autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) at its warehouse in Switzerland as part of its automation of goods-to-person picking operations.
The self-driving shelf system was designed to let the AMR select the shelf holding the product to be picked. The bot then takes the goods to workstations where employees can take out the items.
This is the first installation of this technology at the warehouse in Basel, which is in northwestern Switzerland, and contains 13,320 shelf spaces.
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Two of the sites’ major customers are toy wholesalers Waldmeier AG and Max Bersinger AG, both of which are set to benefit from the recent automation, according to Rhenus.
Philipp Bittner, COO at Rhenus Logistics AG, said, “After receiving the positive feedback from our colleagues in Hong Kong, it was very easy for us to follow suit.
“The AMRs not only optimise our processes but also help us to reduce energy consumption.”
Adding to this, Alexander Quercher, project manager at Rhenus Logistics, said: “Thanks to good teamwork and fast communication, all challenges in the project could been handled efficiently.”
Rhenus hopes to strengthen its partnership with AMR supplier Geek+ by embarking on additional projects to automate its global network of warehouses, with the next scheduled collaboration reportedly taking place in Switzerland in 2024.
