Dublin-based pharmaceutical distribution firm United Drug has invested in automation at its distribution centre in Baldonnel, County Dublin with the deployment of 21 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from Locus Robotics.
The LocusBots will be primarily focused on ‘mproving customer order fulfilment productivity and United Drug is also expecting the AMRs to enhance pick accuracy and workplace safety.
Like many other companies, United Drug is facing the challenge of meeting increases in demand from online orders whilst grappling with the lack of available labour. It believes that automation will be key to combatting these challenges and is confident that the deployment of these AMRs will enable the distributor to ‘meet growing wholesale and consumer demand for quick, accurate, and cost-effective order fulfilment’.
Paul Malone, head of operations for UDD (distribution) and UDC (consumer) at United Drug Ireland, said: “This partnership reflects our ongoing commitment to deploy innovative logistics solutions that use advanced technology to address increasingly complex fulfilment challenges.
“In a tight labour market, the Locus solution helps us to efficiently optimise productivity across our existing labour force so that we can enhance our customer service levels.”
The Baldonnell facility is a 118,000ft² purpose-built temperature-controlled logistics and warehousing site opened in 2019 in addition to the first facility in Citywest, Dublin. The LocusBots are being used to support the Consumer side of United Drug’s business.
In April this year, United Drug announced that its parent company would be known as PHX Ireland Group Limited. The group consists of United Drug, LloydsPharmacy Ireland, and TCP Homecare.
