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Automation

Warehouse Automation

With the digital transformation, automation and robotics are becoming increasingly important in logistics. When it comes to complex fulfilment processes, high peak volumes, increasing delivery speeds and more individual customer needs, more and more companies in the logistics industry are turning to innovative warehouse technology and automation.

As recurring and constant processes such as the storage and retrieval of goods or order picking can be handled more efficiently, Arvato is also driving the automation of its sites.  On the way to being the international supply chain management company with the highest customer focus and the strongest IT and data expertise, warehouse automation is the next logical step.

Therefore, as part of the company's comprehensive digitalisation strategy, warehouse automation solutions are increasingly being implemented for various locations and customers.

Individually assembled Warehouse Automation

Arvato increasingly relies on standardised modules that can be individually combined into an overall concept for each project. In this way, the customer benefits on several levels:

  • On the one hand, Arvato has standard solutions from leading providers such as KNAPP, SSI Schäfer or AutoStore. This means that know-how within the company can be accessed and solutions that have already been implemented can be used as a blueprint.
  • On the other hand, these individual solutions are put together individually for each customer to form a complete solution. In this way, the best possible warehouse technology can be guaranteed for each project.

Massive Investment in the Future

Various automation solutions have already been successfully installed at several locations in the past year or are currently in the planning stage. "We are investing a mid-double-digit million amount in our distribution centres alone. In Harsewinkel, we are investing in a shuttle system, and at other international locations we are putting three state-of-the-art AutoStore solutions into operation," explains Thorsten Winkelmann, President Healthcare at Arvato. The aim of the new technologies is to optimise processes with complete transparency, to increase productivity and at the same time to further minimise the error rate.

 

Automation of Logistics gains in Importance

Warehouse automation is becoming increasingly important and is one of the major focus areas at Arvato. For this reason, there are a wide variety of projects across all industries that are intended to drive warehouse automation forward and thus raise it to a new level. Andreas Barth, President Tech, explains in an interview which developments are driving automation at Arvato, how digitalization is helping and what the next important steps are.

To the interview

Automation technologies and solutions

Expansion in Harsewinkel: New shuttle warehouse with picking system

In Harsewinkel, a new multi-client capable shuttle warehouse with picking system was implemented. Not only has capacity been significantly increased to handle high volumes, but the site in the district of Gütersloh has also become the most modern healthcare site in Europe as a result.

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Modernization in Gütersloh: New Shuttle System for the VVA

Together with its strategic partner SSI Schäfer, Arvato has modernized and expanded VVA's distribution center in Gütersloh. Thus, an innovative, highly dynamic warehouse and picking system was built, which now significantly expands capacities and covers VVA's increasing business volume.

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Massive investment in high-performance AutoStore solution.

With the AutoStore system, we can not only handle the increasing volume in e-commerce efficiently and quickly. But at the same time, we are raising our warehouse technology to a completely new level. The highly efficient automation solution has already been implemented at several locations.

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Bagsorter

In the area of returns management, Arvato is also increasingly relying on automated warehouse technology to increase not only the efficiency but also the transparency of the processes. The pocket sorter ensures significantly improved processing of returns and fast availability in the sale of returned products. Read here how this form of warehouse automation works and which processes it optimizes.

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Automated Packaging Solution

Maximum flexibility and the acceleration of operational processes are important goals as part of the extensive warehouse automation at Arvato. The new packaging solution, which has been implemented both at the site in Dorsten, Germany, and in Pleasant Prairie, USA, makes an essential contribution to this. Read more about the functionality of this warehouse technology and its use in the day-to-day operations of our warehouses here.

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Best Practices - Automation

New Fully Automated Distribution Center in Hamm, Germany

Arvato is building a new fully automated distribution center at the Hamm site for its long-standing customer Douglas. Primarily planned to handle online retail volumes, the new warehouse will be able to manage Douglas' significantly increased order volumes more flexibly and efficiently.

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Standardization creates new opportunities

As part of Arvato' automation strategy, standardization within warehouses plays a crucial role. Does standardization then rule out individual concepts? Not necessarily! Bernhard Lembeck, Head of Future Warehouse at Arvato, explains in an interview why these concepts complement each other perfectly in the design of the supply chain and how we create an individual overall concept for each customer. Read more about our standardization strategy here.

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Automated Guided Vehicles (AGV)

At several Arvato sites, Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs) now ensure that goods are transported to their pallet locations. As a result, they can be retrieved more quickly and the delivery process noticeably accelerated - especially since the AGVs are operational 24/7. Find out here what other advantages this warehouse technology offers and how it is used by us.

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On the road to operational excellence

In the Healthcare business unit, new state-of-the-art automation solutions are being implemented at several sites. New AutoStore systems are being installed in Gennep (Netherlands), Hamburg (Germany) and Memphis (Tennessee, USA), a new shuttle system is integrated in the processes in Harsewinkel. Automated guided vehicles are being used and further adjustments are being made in the cold and ambient areas. Read more about automation projects in the Healthcare business unit here.

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Logistics Engineering

Efficient Management of large Projects

Arvato bundles its competencies in the Logistics Engineering division to find the right warehouse automation solution for each customer and each project. In doing so, we work quickly, in line with requirements and independently of manufacturers. We provide both in-depth expertise in operational logistics as well as profound know-how on current automation technologies.

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Latest News

Press report

Arvato expands healthcare business with new Memphis location

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Press report

Arvato expands e-commerce business for Rituals Cosmetics

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Press report

Arvato expands business in Italy with acquisition of logistics service provider Quickly

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Press report

Arvato begins AutoStore operations in Dortmund for fashion clients

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Press report

Arvato implements automated packing solution in Dorsten/Marl

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Press report

Arvato invests in BSI customer service solution for e-commerce

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Press report

Driverless transport system implemented at Harsewinkel location

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