WITRON has extended its partnership with Spanish food retailer Mercadona and is now building the sixth fully automated frozen food logistics center. At the beginning of March 2019, both parties signed the contract for the design and implementation of the fully automated system in Guadix (province of Granada, South Spain). The distribution center will be equipped with the latest OPM technology.
After the operational start at the beginning of 2021, the logistics center will supply 224 Mercadona stores throughout Andalusia. In total, WITRON with its mechanized logistics systems will then be responsible for the storage and picking of frozen goods for more than 80% of all 1,630 Mercadona stores in Spain.
The system, with a size of 17,600 sqm, is equipped with seven fully automated COM machines and will pick up to 46,000 cases every day out of an assortment of 550 items at -230 onto pallets – store-friendly and without errors. A five-aisle pallet high bay warehouse with 7,000 pallet locations and a 14-aisle tray AS/RS with 62,300 locations are situated in front of the COMs. The mechanical elements manufactured by WITRON guaranteed high availability and were designed for a 24/7 continuous operation at freezing temperatures.
The WITRON warehouse management system optimizes all material flow processes. The software suit stands for holistic networking and transparency, both vertically between all systems levels, as well as horizontally within the entire supply chain. The result is a high level of “warehouse intelligence”, which means the creation of a real-time logistics network that directly connects all “players” in the overall system allowing changes to happen dynamically and directly in the logistics processes.
Mercadona and WITRON have been maintaining a logistics partnership since 2004.
