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Nov 17, 2020 at 6:15 PMThe intralogistics specialist Witron Logistik + Informatik GmbH is building a logistics center for the food wholesaler Associated Wholesale Grocers (AWG) in Hernando (Mississippi/USA). From August 2023, more than 3,100 grocery stores will be supplied from there. It is a highly automated full-range logistics center.
(Parkstein/Kansas City) Associated Wholesale Grocers, Inc. (AWG), headquartered in Kansas City (USA), is the largest cooperatively organized food wholesaler in the United States. The company, with a revenue of over 10 billion US dollars, is planning and realizing a forward-looking, highly automated full-range logistics center in Hernando (Mississippi) together with the general contractor WITRON Logistik + Informatik GmbH. From August 2023, more than 3,100 grocery stores owned by independent retailers will be supplied from here. AWG is known in the USA for its brands Always Save, Clearly by Best Choice, Best Choice, and Superior Selections.
“We are excited to implement the most exciting project in AWG’s history together with WITRON,” said David Smith, CEO of AWG. “The new automated facility will be a crucial component in expanding our range as well as enhancing and optimizing our distribution and logistics services. It enables AWG and its more than 1,100 cooperative partners to achieve further growth for many, many years.”
55,000 Different Items – 460,000 Picking Units / Day
Almost 55,000 different items will be stored and picked using the OPM (Order Picking Machinery), AIO (All-in-One-Order Fulfillment), and CPS (Car Picking System) solutions. The WITRON technology is utilized in all temperature zones – dry goods, fresh products, and frozen items.
The 81,000 m2 facility, with a total of 738,000 pallet, container, and tray storage locations, 92 storage and retrieval machines, and 11 kilometers of conveyor technology, is designed for a picking performance of over 460,000 units per day.
Automated WITRON Technology in All Temperature Ranges
18 fully automated COM machines sort trade units onto pallets in temperature ranges from plus 20 to minus 26 degrees Celsius according to store requirements. Large-volume items are also optimally picked in various temperature zones using pick-by-voice support through the semi-automated logistics module CPS. An intelligent WITRON WMS platform controls “end-to-end” both the internal and external supply chain processes. A WITRON on-site team is responsible for service, maintenance, and operation of the facility, ensuring all mechanical elements, components, and material flows are maintained at high availability around the clock, 365 days a year.
AIO Solution Flexibilizes the Piece-Picking Process
Due to a wide range of small-volume items, AWG opted for the AIO system from WITRON in the dry goods segment – an advancement of the long-successful container picking system DPS (Dynamic Picking System) in grocery retail logistics.
With AIO, both fast-moving and slow-moving items can be compactly stored and picked within the same logistics module. Order consolidation is automated and system-controlled in AIO. The WITRON WMS continuously checks the classification of items based on the order structure. If the classification changes (e.g., promotional or seasonal goods), this is recognized by AIO and automatically adjusted in real-time. The use of the same infrastructure (inventory, manpower, mechanics, IT, master data, etc.) reflects maximum flexibility and high cost-effectiveness for AWG.
“Our industry is constantly changing. Therefore, it is our task to provide retailers – our cooperative partners – with all the products, services, and tools they need to remain competitive in all served markets. And at the best possible costs,” emphasizes David Smith. “We are pleased that we will be able to make logistics processes even more economical, efficient, and sustainable in the future.”
WITRON as a Trusted Life-Time Partner
“WITRON is an established and strong partner that has the necessary know-how and global references to successfully realize a project of this dimension. WITRON also embodies a corporate culture that fits very well with the culture of AWG and its cooperative members,” explains David Smith. “WITRON has convinced us: with innovative ideas, technology, and the people and values behind the company and the project.”
Photo: © AWG
www.witron.de www.awginc.com
