Swisslog delivers data-driven & robotic solutions for your logistics automation alongside reliable, modular service concepts. Collaborating with forward-thinking companies, we are committed to setting new standards in warehouse automation to provide future-proof products and solutions. As part of the KUKA Group, our customers trust the competence of our passionate employees – more than 14,000 people working across the globe.
Managing Director at Swisslog UK
Future-ready warehousing and distribution solutions enable you to stay ahead of the competition. As a growing global company, we have a presence in more than 25 countries, supporting our customers to meet their business goals. In partnership with KUKA, we cover the entire automation value chain with robotic and data-driven automated solutions that create exceptional value for your business.
James Sharples, Managing Director at Swisslog UK spoke to Warehouse & Logistics News.
What are your best-known products/solutions/services?
As a company, we deliver data-driven and robotic solutions for logistics automation alongside reliable, modular service concepts. Collaborating with forward-thinking companies, we are committed to setting new standards in warehouse automation to provide future-proof products and solutions. Here in the UK, some of our most popular solutions are our flexible automated storage and retrieval systems, PowerStore and AutoStore, coupled with our modular and intelligent SynQ software.
Which industry sectors are your customers in, and which ones are growing fastest?
As experts in global industries such as retail, e-grocery and e-commerce, food and beverage and pharmaceuticals; we help businesses grow by finding the best possible solutions for specific logistics operations. Our consulting and system knowledge is backed by years of experience and the robotics know-how of KUKA. The e-grocery sector needs to maintain its flexibility and adaptability to meet ever-evolving consumer demands. As consumers start to favour grocers offering farm to fork traceability and same-day delivery options, we are seeing an increase in interest in e-grocery automation.
What sets your company apart as a supplier in your category?
Swisslog is more than just an integrator, we develop our own products and have the capabilities to provide a one-supplier approach to automation projects of all sizes. With more than a decade of experience, we have 180 customer support staff in the UK alone and many more across Europe. Swisslog operates globally, allowing us to offer support wherever customers are located, and offering an advantage should they have an international presence or plans to expand into new market.
What are your most recent product innovations?
We have witnessed a growing interest in automation within the food retail and cold chain sectors and our latest robotic innovations are transforming the logistics and order fulfilment landscape. ACPaQ offers a universally applicable solution for fully automated mixed case pallet order picking, using a combination of Swisslog technology and KUKA robots to create store-friendly pallets efficiently. It’s scalable for mid-size and large distribution centres, handling between 50 and 250,000 cases per day, and excels in customisation for in-store replenishment.
ItemPiQ revolutionises item picking with its robot cell designed for e-commerce, retail, and pharmaceutical industries. It operates 24/7, reducing long-term operating costs and addressing staff shortages. The intelligent vision system and multi-function gripper enable precise picking of various items, offering flexibility, reliability, and a pick rate of more than 500 items per hour.
What are the major trends and developments affecting your category and your customers, and how are you responding?
In response to the evolving retail landscape, rising inflation, escalating energy costs, and labour availability challenges, we are proactively adapting our approach. Our focus is on making automation more modular and readily deployable, enabling our customers to efficiently scale their operations and navigate these dynamic market conditions. This strategy not only addresses the immediate challenges but also ensures long-term sustainability by streamlining the retention of skilled labour and providing the agility needed in this ever-changing business environment.
How were business levels in 2023 compared to previous years?
Amid the ongoing recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic, we have seen some projects being postponed to next year. However, in response to our customers’ needs, our business is rebounding and growing even stronger than in previous years.
What is your strategy for succeeding in 2024 and how do you plan to grow your business?
At Swisslog, people always come first. We prioritise recruiting and retaining top talent, offering apprenticeships, and developing trainees to invest in the growth of our people. Our commitment extends to initiatives that empower employees to reach their full potential. At the same time, we are dedicated to sustainability, implementing initiatives that minimise our environmental impact, reinforcing our responsibility to create a better future for both our team members and the planet.
Are you helping customers boost the level of automation in their business?
Yes, absolutely. We have automation solutions available for businesses who want to make small incremental changes to their warehouse operation. Equally, we have systems more suited to those looking for a more revolutionary change. We encourage new customers to automate to match their current needs whilst also preparing for future growth. Smaller improvements can impede innovation, making them fall behind when competitors transform their own operations.
Do you help customers maximise the use of their existing warehouse space?
The entire Swisslog portfolio aims to make optimal use of space and warehouse capacity. Our space-saving solutions can be set up in our customers’ existing warehouse spaces. PowerStore is the ideal high-density pallet shuttle solution for warehouses with low ceilings, fewer unique products, and high throughput requirements. AutoStore, on the other hand, is a modular and flexible storage and order picking system ideal for forward thinking companies that need to maximise the use of their existing facilities and reduce the need for additional buildings.
How future proof and flexible are your solutions?
In the past, automated warehouses have been associated with rigid systems that are unable to be moved or upgraded, but that is no longer the case. Our portfolio consists of flexible and future-ready automation, that has the capacity to be transferred from one site to another when the business grows. Our SynQ software is based on modules, which means functionality can be added or removed as requirements change.
SWISSLOG UK
01527 551600
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