Swisslog supports its clients to fulfil their customer expectations by providing material handling and order fulfillment solutions that achieve maximum productivity and minimum downtime.
Swisslog employs over 2,300 employees in more than 20 countries worldwide. Customers from different industries trust in Swisslog, with over 1,000 projects around the globe across multiple industries; from e-Commerce to manufacturing, food & beverage to electronics. We have a wealth of knowledge analyzing markets, discussing options and proposing the best automation solution for different sectors. Each solution is bespoke. If it does not already exist, we will create it. Each installation is flexible and scalable, backed up with tailored maintenance to ensure maximum availability and uptime.
WLN – As the Warehouse Optimisation category experts, how has the category been performing in the last 12 months? What are the major trends and developments?
It’s been a busy 12 months for us. We’ve experienced a fairly active market in the UK, as the major players gear up for increases in demand and respond to growth areas, particularly in e-Commerce. The desire for flexibility is a continuing theme, as well as the ability for customers to work across multiple channels, with smaller order sizes from a wider product range.
The requirements of our existing customers continuously evolve. Over the last 12 months, we have continued to work closely with them to address the new and future demands of their businesses; in particular how their intralogistics solution can be optimized to meet future challenges head on.
WLN – What are your core products and services: what are you best known for providing?
As a company we are best known for providing intralogistics solutions where we support businesses either by installing new automation technology or maintaining existing facilities. We have a large number of proven UK references handling everything from small items up to large car body parts. We take great pride in our projects and, with our 360 degree service, we are committed to designing and realizing solutions that deliver long-term results for our customers.
WLN – What makes you the ‘go to’ supplier in your area of expertise?
We have a reputation for high quality, reliable solutions. Customers also value the expertise of our technical support teams and the feedback we get indicates that they consistently go the extra mile.
WLN – Have you launched any new products and services in the past year? How are they performing?
E-Commerce has been a major growth area and we have recently added CarryPick to our Click&Pick solutions portfolio. CarryPick is an automated storage and goods-to-person order picking system specifically designed for the intralogistics requirements of e-Commerce businesses where product variability, delivery time and cost efficiency are daily challenges. By adding it to the Click&Pick solutions portfolio we are making it easier for new businesses to take their first steps into automation. It’s early days, but we are very pleased with the response to date.
WLN – Which industry sectors are your customers in?
We have customers across many areas, from banking and retailing, to one of the UK’s largest ports. Wherever companies need reliable automation solutions you tend to find us. Our core industries are e-Commerce, Pharmaceutical and Temperature Controlled Food, but we are seeing growing interest across the board.
WLN – Can you name some of your major customers and tell us about the work you do for them?
Much of our work is commercially sensitive but we already provide automated intralogistics solutions for major brands including Asda, TJ Morris, Ocado, P&G and Unilever. This is further bolstered by our work with leading brands overseas, including Coca-Cola Amatil, Wal-Mart and Target.
WLN – Can you tell us about your latest major projects, and what they involve?
We’ve been delighted with our latest AutoStore projects which were instrumental in Swisslog winning the UKWA Innovation Award for Innovation this year. Our latest installations provide additional capacity in a relatively small space whilst working in harmony with Swisslog’s WMS software. Customers are able to accurately and quickly access all inventory data with exteme precision and confidence.
We are currently working on a new distribution center for TJ Morris, trading as Home Bargains, one of the United Kingdom’s fastest growing discount retailers. The project comprises pallet and light goods cranes and conveyors, including software, and racking. At the heart of the solution lies Swisslog’s CaddyPick semi-automated case order-picking system. The integration of CaddyPick will revolutionize the working environment for TJ Morris, offering simplicity of picking and a clean, quiet atmosphere for operators. The integration is due to be completed in 2015.
We have also secured a major order for a new distribution center from the Varner Group, a leading retailer of strong fashion brands in Scandinavia. With this order, Swisslog strengthens its position as a leading provider of automated intralogistics solutions for the retail and e-commerce industry. The order comprises cranes and conveyors for pallets and light goods, a cross-belt sorter, a hanging garment solution and Swisslog’s proprietary warehouse management software and controls systems. Handover to the customer is planned for summer 2016.
WLN – What was your company’s single biggest achievement in the last year?
We passed a major milestone with the sale of our 1,000th AutoStore robot. Market acceptance of the AutoStore solution as a whole has given us great cause for optimism. E-Commerce and automation appear to be very much in the zeitgeist, which is exciting for the future.
WLN – What are your plans for 2015? Are you planning to bring out any more products or services, move into new markets or enter new countries?
The nature of our work means looking after existing customers is paramount. So customer service will remain a vital element of our future plans.
Based on customer’s existing installations we work together to identify how their solutions can be optimized to stay ahead of competition. Our core competence stems from a deep understanding of the needs of our customers, future trends and challenges, as well as industry expertise. It’s about translating our knowledge into highly productive systems and reliable and accurate order fulfilment. Part of that work currently involves looking at predictive systems. To that end we will introduce a new generation of our condition monitoring system in 2015
WLN – Are you exhibiting at any major trade shows in 2015?
We will exhibit at Promat and LogiMAT in 2015. Swisslog will unveil a live demo of CarryPick at LogiMAT, the latest component of our Click&Pick e-Commerce portfolio of solutions. The new automated goods-to-person system significantly reduces walking distances, as well as search and orientation times, and is primarily intended for online picking operations with product lines above 3,000 SKUs.
WLN – What are your predictions for the industry in 2015?
Big data, the continued growth e-Commerce, condition monitoring and the further integration of omni-channel ordering, processing and its impact on delivery systems will all have a role. How they play out will, in many ways, be dictated by the needs of customers and the growth of the wider economy. The trend certainly seems to be in our favour.
WLN – What other headline news from your company can our readers look forward to reading about in Warehouse & Logistics News in 2015?
You’ll definitely hear something from us about strengthening our solutions management team to provide more focus on our core industries of e-Commerce, Temperature Controlled Food & Pharmaceutical. Plus we have a number of exciting projects in the pipeline – we look forward to sharing concepts with you next year!
Phone: 01527 551 600
Email: inspiration.wds@swisslog.com
Web: www.swisslog.com
Twitter: @SwisslogInspire
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