Swisslog’s ACPaQ fully automated mixed case palletising solution – of which the first installation globally was in New Zealand – has won a major German logistics award for delivering new levels of efficiency to German retail leader dm-drogerie markt

Global logistics automation leader Swisslog has featured in a major international award for its fully-automated mixed case retail palletising solution, ACPaQ, which is also currently delivering heightened efficiencies for Coca Cola Amatil in Australia and New Zealand.

Swisslog’s ACPaQ solution was the key component in an automation solution that won retail chain dm-drogerie markt the prestigious German Logistics Award 2020 for delivering new levels of efficiency to dm-drogerie markt’s new distribution centre in Westermark, near Berlin.

The same ACPacQ technology has already been implemented Down Under by Cocal-Cola Amatil in Auckland, and is widely applicable to logistics, distribution, food and beverage and retail applications in Australasia.

dm-drogerie markt is a leading German retail chain that sells cosmetics, healthcare items, household products and health food. Their innovative new distribution centre is part of the group’s investment in automation and robotics with a focus on sustainability and competitiveness.

Swisslog’s ACPaQ technology is an evolution of the company’s advanced automation technology, which combines robotics solutions for palletising and depalletising with Swisslog’s CycloneCarrier shuttle technology to create a fully automated process that facilitates high throughput and reliable picking of orders.

After the distribution centres in Waghäusel and Weilerswist, the new building in Wustermark is already the third major logistics project that Swisslog has completed for dm-drogerie markt.

Using the “Load Build Manager” functionality from Swisslog’s “SynQ” software, the robots perform palletising in a sequential packing order – individually adapted to the depalletising or shelf-filling routes in each dm store, according to the last-in-first-out principle.

Overall control of the ACPaQ system is handled by Swisslog’s “SynQ” software.

Coca-Cola Amatil ACPaQ installation

The world’s first Swisslog ACPaQ installation was in New Zealand, where it is helping beverage giant Coca-Cola Amatil enhance efficiency, speed and accuracy.

Coca-Cola Amatil New Zealand has collaborated with Swisslog on automated storage and receival systems for more than a decade, and sought to make further improvements to their customer service and costs, to meet rising demand for its products.

“Swisslog’s ACPaQ automation solution replaces a manual, voice-directed picking system, and will link with the existing automated pallet store to create a seamless operation,” said Mr Sean Ryan, Head of Sales and Consulting, Swisslog Australia & New Zealand.

The focus of Coca Cola Amatil’s expansion requirements was handling cases and building customer order pallets as efficiently as possible. Additionally, the new order picking system had to fit in the existing Auckland distribution centre and be integrated closely with Coca-Cola Amatil’s warehouse and distribution operations.