Swisslog launches AutoStore at Antalis
January 17th 2012 Antalis, a leading European paper and packaging wholesaler, is the first company in Switzerland to secure an AutoStore system.
The system provides Antalis with a perfect solution to realise its expansion plans and to enable its customers to provide excellent levels of customer service.
Antalis’ requirements for a new solution were high; they needed a new inventory system to replace the existing small parts storage solution and to meet rising customer expectations, whilst providing the basis for a planned expansion in their logistics solutions area.
Swisslog is in charge of Antalis’ scalable AutoStore solution, which offers flexible expansion and a customisable solution to its existing infrastructure.
AutoStore is a highly flexible, space saving system for the storage and picking of individual items and small parts. Its major advantage is its simple modular assembly, which proves ideal for utilisation within existing facilities. The system stores goods in bins stacked directly on top of one another in a self-supporting aluminium grid.
The system is operated by robots that move on tracks above the grid and transport bins to and from the integrated picking ports. It allows any bin to be transported to any picking port, thus being a powerful solution which guarantees high availability.
Swisslog and its innovative AutoStore solution outstripped other competitors in the selection process. Swisslog carried out a design study together with Antalis and showcased an exemplary AutoStore system in operation at a storage solution in Norway. Impressive results of the analysis and reference visits convinced Antalis that AutoStore met with the high expectations of their new solution.
Jürg Pletscher, CEO of Antalis, "AutoStore exactly fulfilled our stringent requirements in terms of flexibility and scalability. Together with the excellent advice and execution by Swisslog, we have been able to optimize our storage and order picking, therefore offering our customers even better levels of service."
"The use of AutoStore in an internationally operating company such as Antalis successfully demonstrates its modern goods-to-person strategy. Its efficiency and space saving concept can save time while also being highly flexible," said Michael Heidu, Product Manager for AutoStore at Swisslog.
Last year LogiMat, Europe’s biggest annual intralogistics exhibition, awarded AutoStore as the "Best Product" in the category of Procurement, Handling and Storage. This was evaluated on the criteria of rationalisation, cost savings and productivity gains.
Swisslog now has two AutoStore installations within Switzerland alone as well as a number of other systems either being planned or realised. More articles from Swisslog (UK) Ltd.: | 
