The multinational manufacturer of consumer goods brands Unilever revamps its logistics operations with the construction of two automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) in Poland and the UK. Mecalux will also install its Easy WMS warehouse management system to strictly monitor approximately 30,000 pallets in both countries.
The facilities in Poland and the UK will share a common feature: fully automated operations. Automatic handling equipment such as stacker cranes, conveyors and floor-mounted electrified monorails will move goods speedily to ensure the daily distribution of thousands of orders a day throughout Europe.
The AS/RS in Poland will stand 32.5 m tall and will consist of a clad-rack warehouse. With this type of construction, the building is formed by the racking itself, to which the roof and side cladding are attached. The AS/RS will provide a total storage capacity of more than 9,000 pallets. Mecalux’s Easy WMS warehouse management software will assign a location to each item, taking into account its stock-keeping-unit (SKU) type and demand level.
The facility will be connected to the manufacturing plant via a 7.5-metre-high covered bridge. Inside it, Mecalux will install a floor-mounted electrified monorail. This conveying system is made up of trolleys driven by an electric motor, ensuring the continuous transfer of goods between the two buildings.
In the UK, Unilever's warehouse will stand 26.5 m tall and offer storage capacity for over 20,000 pallets. With Easy WMS’s supervision and instructions, the AS/RS will accommodate all items manufactured in the multinational’s four production plants in Port Sunlight. From there, orders will be distributed to other facilities in the UK and Europe more efficiently.
The partnership between Mecalux and Unilever stretches back many years. The intralogistics business has outfitted Unilever warehouses in several countries where the two multinationals are present, including Brazil and Uruguay. In all projects, the technical teams of both companies have worked hand in hand to develop personalised, cutting-edge solutions to meet all logistics needs.