Dutch-based material handling and logistics automation company Vanderlande has announced that leading UK supermarket chain Asda has renewed its site-based, lifecycle services contract with the firm as it looks to “drive efficiency” as volumes increase.
The contract has been extended for the next five years meaning the two companies will continue to collaborate at Asda’s Warrington distribution centre in the UK until 2026. The centre is the retailer’s automated ambient warehouse and offers high picking accuracy and is leading in terms of “the overall warehouse rate”, according to Vanderlande.
The automation firm has installed its automated case picking (ACP) solution at the site, which has helped improve efficiencies and made the centre “future-proof”, notes Vanderlande. The ACP solution handles an average of two million cases per week, processing nearly 9,000 SKUs, and helping Asda supply stores across the northwest of England.
Continuous improvements
“Through our partnership with Vanderlande we’ve been able to drive efficiency that has contributed to an overall increase in volume since 2018. Our relationship with Vanderlande has gone from strength-to-strength and is helping us to achieve our strategic vision – to serve our customers better than anyone else,” said Jon Parry, Vice President of Asda Logistics Services.
“We’re proud about our ongoing partnership and dedication, and we share a combined vision of continuous improvement and synergy in operational and services requirements,” adds Terry Verkuijlen, Vice President of Warehouse Solutions at Vanderlande. “Asda is seeing great results, every day, thanks to the motivated individuals in our high-performing teams. Everyone at Vanderlande is delighted that this continued trust has been rewarded by a five-year contract extension.”
Robotics and fulfilment
The partnership news follows Vanderlande announcing last month that it has revealed a new automated piece picking robot as an addition to its Smart Item Robotics (SIR) portfolio of technologies, accelerating the use of robotics for warehousing.
The new robot features intelligent gripper technology, a sophisticated vision system and control software. Designed and built by US-based RightHand Robotics, the picking robot is specifically suitable for warehouses and distribution centres handling general merchandise products.
Vanderlande has also recently announced that Bonfix, a Dutch supplier of premium quality fittings for sanitary installations and central heating systems, has selected Vanderlande’s goods-to-person (GtP) order fulfilment solution Fastpick for its new distribution centre in Zwolle, The Netherlands. The new building, which is scheduled to start full operation in the first half of 2023, will provide the high-storage density the company needs to process large volumes of items and cope with its rapid growth.
