The project targets one of the most sensitive points in fashion logistics: final order validation after picking and just before shipment to wholesale customers and retail networks. While picking operations were already supported by pick‑to‑light systems, final verification still relied heavily on manual checks, making it difficult to detect discrepancies before shipments left the facility.

In the U.S. fashion industry, these discrepancies carry a direct financial impact. Chargebacks caused by missing or excess items are among the most common penalties imposed by retailers, often reaching up to 20% of the invoice value and resulting in losses that can amount to tens of thousands of dollars per shipment.

To eliminate this risk, Perry Ellis implemented high-density RFID tunnels fully integrated into its existing conveyor lines. The solution automatically validates the contents of each open box after picking, comparing in real time the items detected by RFID with the expected order data.

The system combines Clustag MOT Station RFID tunnels, capable of processing up to 1,000 boxes per hour and reading up to 600 items per box, with Cognex barcode readers for box identification. Interroll automated rejection lines that divert non compliant shipments without interrupting operational flow.

The entire process is orchestrated by Zentup, Clustag’s middleware platform, fully integrated with Perry Ellis’ Manhattan WMS, ensuring real time EPC level validation and allowing only compliant orders to proceed to shipping. The entire process is orchestrated by Zentup, Clustag’s middleware platform, fully integrated with Perry Ellis’ Manhattan WMS, ensuring real‑time EPC‑level validation and allowing only compliant orders to proceed to shipping.

One of the challenges was deploying the RFID solution in a live production environment under tight timelines and complex installation conditions, including work on mezzanines over 12 meters high. Despite these constraints, the RAIN system was implemented without interrupting daily operations or reducing throughput.

The results were immediate. Since go‑live, Perry Ellis has achieved a 17% reduction in discrepancies detected after the RFID tunnels, along with a significant decrease in non‑compliant shipments reaching B2B customers. This has translated into substantial savings in chargeback penalties and improved product availability at stores, ensuring the correct sizes, colours, and styles arrive at the point of sale.

“This project shows how RFID technology can transform fashion intralogistics from day one,” says Jorge Robledillo, Director of Clustag North America. “Strong collaboration between teams was essential to delivering measurable results in a highly demanding operational environment.”

According to Tom Seow, VP of Distribution Engineering at Perry Ellis, “the RFID tunnel solutions, integrated with Zentup, allow us to detect errors before they reach the store and give us a clear competitive advantage. We will continue investing in these systems for future projects.”

With this deployment, Perry Ellis reinforces its intralogistics digitalization strategy and demonstrates how automated post‑picking validation with RFID tunnels has become a key tool for reducing financial risk, improving operational efficiency, and meeting the high standards of U.S. retail operations.

This success story will be featured by Clustag at MODEX 2026, where the company will exhibit from April 13 to 16 in Atlanta (Booth B17332). The event will serve as a platform to discuss with U.S. customers and partners how RAIN RFID solutions can be successfully integrated into highly automated intralogistics environments and how these projects are setting a new benchmark for B2B fashion distribution in North America.

The post High-precision RFID Tunnels in DC appeared first on Logistics Business.

The intralogistics sector has faced its share of challenges in recent years, 2025 being no exception. Tatsuya Akashi, President of Itoh Denki Europe, described it as “a quite tough year for the industry. We had very sluggish market investment because of France had a problem with the government, and Germany was not doing so well due to energy issues. Overall, it was a tough year.”

Even the UK, he noted, had seen economic efficiency fall, with major Japanese companies relocating their European headquarters to the continent rather than remaining in England. Yet amidst the difficulties, Eastern Europe, particularly Poland, Czechia, and Hungary, had experienced a manufacturing boom. “Poland and some of the Eastern Europe has boomed a lot, kind of becoming the centre of manufacturing of Europe,” he told me. Akashi highlighted that, despite these challenges, Itoh Denki Europe had experienced growth.

“Luckily, we gained back quite a lot of large projects, and we did above 10%… all the other surrounding companies said ‘You’re so lucky that you have 10% growth!’ Industry was pretty bad.”

A major focus for the company is helping customers increase their profitability. Akashi explained: “First of all, increase the value for money for our products. There are a lot of very cheap Chinese brands of motor rollers coming in. But when we look at durability, and also how we are increasing our speed or torque or other specifications, we are selling a much higher quality product at the same price.” He added that the company’s modules, such as the Multi Angle Ball Sorter, had become a driving force in Europe. “Instead of spending huge money on a cross-belt sorter or slidechute sorter, they can make a very simple sorter based on our MABS module… the cost is around half or one-third of having a huge cross-belt sorter,” he said. Maintenance is simple and quick, often just five minutes of downtime, which delivers clear benefits to both integrators and end users.

Competing with Cheap Imports

Local presence and service are equally important in competing with cheaper imports. “In the case of MDR or a slave roller, the cost itself is just around €10 euro. If you buy from China, maybe it’s €7, but then if you have a shortage and have to bring it by air shipment, it costs €50. So with something very cheap and heavy, you shouldn’t do it in China. You should do it somewhere close to Europe,” Akashi explained. Quick delivery, he said, ensures that downtime is eliminated and operations remain smooth. One example he gave was a leading global e-tailer (yes, THAT one!) where a cheaper solution would have caused nearly two days of conveyor stoppage, equating to potential losses of around €2 million. “If they were using ours, they could come back on in 10 minutes,” he said.

Artificial intelligence is also being integrated into Itoh Denki’s operations. “When we design some control software nowadays, we partly use AI… when we want to do preventive maintenance or control the box moving style… we could use AI to better control our programme and make the programme faster,” Akashi said. While AI is currently an enhancer of automation, he sees substantial future potential as more end users shift from manual work to automated solutions.

Carbon Reduction

Sustainability is another priority. Akashi stressed the company’s strength in enabling carbon reduction, not only through more energy-efficient products but by optimising operations. “If they use our motorised roller, because we do the run-on-demand, it means… only three blocks are moving out of 100. Thanks to this run-on-demand technology, you can save up to 60% electricity… using Itoh Denki product, which is the enabler of the final carbon footprint. Here we are very strong pride in our company,” he said.

Akashi (pictured, below) also discussed the heritage of Japanese engineering. “One thing I can say is in the B2B area, especially if it is… common motor, there’s a lot of okay-level cheap Chinese motors. But we are making a dedicated motor for this industry, which is high torque but low speed… Japan is absolutely number one,” he said.

Looking ahead, the company continues to focus on innovation and customer engagement. Its Amsterdam technology centre allows northern European clients to test products with their own totes. Customisation is fast, with minor adjustments taking just two weeks. Akashi also highlighted new developments to be showcased at LogiMAT, including the flexible noise-arrest roller, which can carry smaller products and reduce maintenance demands.

Reflecting on success, Akashi summarised the company’s philosophy:

“We become smiling when our good technology is adopted and contribute to society. It means a big satisfaction of the end user, our OEM partners, but also we can make our business grow and certain level of high profitability can be kept.”

The post Driving Efficiency and Innovation in Conveying appeared first on Logistics Business.

At its National Distribution Centre in Nieuwegein, Jumbo and WITRON unveil a concept that redefines the role of modern logistics hubs. The focus: speed, availability, and agility. Covering 40,000 square meters, the facility supplies over 725 stores in the Netherlands and Belgium with nearly 3,000 different fresh and ultra-fresh items, including dairy products, a wide selection of cheese, meat products, tapas, salads, chilled beverages, and much more. At an ambient temperature of +2 degrees Celsius, more than one million units can be picked daily using OPM (30 COM machines), AIO, and CPS modules. A fully automated shipping buffer ensures just-in-time dispatch of store-friendly stacked roll containers to the markets.

The fresh distribution centre marks the second successful collaboration between Jumbo and WITRON, following a high-performance dry goods facility. Equipped with OPM (31 COM machines), DPS, and CPS, this site can pick up to 565,000 cases on a peak day from a range of 14,300 items.

DC Heart of Supply Chain

The Dutch retail group faced a series of challenges that necessitated the construction of one of Europe’s most ambitious logistics platforms. These challenges included expected labour shortages in the future, expanding assortments in both the dry and fresh food sectors, rising consumer expectations – especially for fresh products – and growing demand for speed in both stores and online channels. Today, the highly automated fresh logistics centre in Nieuwegein, designed and implemented by WITRON as a lifetime partner, serves as the strategic centrepiece of a supply chain that is seamlessly orchestrated, adaptive, and more customer-focused than ever before. Because the consumer is the true pacesetter.

Mechanics and IT

The central distribution centre for fresh products (CDC) is designed for a daily peak capacity of 1.06 million picking units. A modular expansion for future growth has already been considered in the overall concept. All logistics areas are connected by a conveyor network that includes more than 670,000 pallet, tray, and tote storage locations, as well as 120 stacker cranes. Everything is controlled by a highly functional WITRON warehouse management system. All IT and mechanical components have been designed, manufactured, and put into operation by WITRON.

Labour, Range, Freshness

When Jumbo began shaping the future of its supply chain a few years ago, it became clear that existing structures could not meet the challenges ahead. “We expected to face challenges in the labour market, anticipated a growing number of SKUs, and set out to fundamentally redesign our fresh logistics with a clear focus on maximum customer service, freshness and sustainability,” recalls Karel de Jong, Supply Chain Director at Jumbo. The company aimed to broaden its SKU portfolio, sharpen assortment differentiation, and drive greater agility across its fresh logistics operations. At the same time, regional warehouse space became increasingly constrained as the product range continued to expand. The solution developed focused on centralizing, automating, and streamlining processes.

Precise time management is of critical importance, especially in the ultra-fresh segment. Temperature, daily operations, and weather conditions immediately impact volume.

“For us, agility means being able to respond very quickly to changing demands. A shift in weather means a shift in demand, and we need to be ready to respond,” says de Jong. “Freshness must reach the consumer’s table without delay – and not remain in the warehouse.”

The project marked a significant shift in WITRON’s internal approach. The warehouse has evolved from a standalone entity into a seamlessly integrated organ within the supply chain orchestra. Johannes Meissner, WITRON’s Technical Managing Director describes the development as follows: “The DC is no longer an isolated system, but an integral part of our customer’s organism. Only then can supply chains truly be optimized.” This transformation turns the warehouse from a pure consolidation and buffering point into a key control instrument. de Jong adds: “However, the DC does not lead the orchestra. The customer does.” Symbolically, he portrays the warehouse as the ‘first violin’ in a finely tuned supply chain orchestra – vital, leading, and setting the tone, but always part of a greater harmony.

Technology in XXL

The Nieuwegein logistics hub, featuring both dry goods and fresh food distribution centres, ranks among WITRON’s largest projects worldwide. It is equipped with more than 60 COM machines, over 1.1 million pallet, tray, and tote storage locations, approximately 200 stacker cranes, and is designed for a maximum capacity of 1.6 million picks per day. With OPM, AIO, CPS, and the automated shipping buffer, the Upper Palatinate team leverages proven technology. It guarantees peak availability, since the DC is the core of supply for Jumbo customers in the Netherlands and Belgium. An onsite service team ensures seamless operation of all IT and mechanical processes.

Both partners emphasize that success is not a matter of machine count, but of the specific requirements within each area of use. How can the system be balanced? Since all items are delivered to the stores on roll containers, seamless coordination between the subsystems is crucial to achieve maximum consolidation and space utilization. According to de Jong: “Success is not about the next machine. It’s about a perfectly tuned overall concept, with a vital role for the operators and control room team.”

Result in the Store

Automation delivers measurable benefits for the stores:
• More SKUs – with an upward trend
• Automated stacking of goods onto roll containers, tailored to the store’s shelf layout
• Consolidation of cases (picked in OPM and CPS) with pieces and totes (picked in AIO)
• Highly efficient, route-optimized truck loading enabled by advanced optimization processes within the automated shipping buffer

As a result, shelves in the store are replenished more efficiently, faster, and with less handling effort. In addition: processes previously managed via direct delivery – such as fresh fish – are now consolidated via Nieuwegein. And thanks to advanced forecast and replenishment processes, Jumbo delivers exactly what the stores truly need. The outcome for customers is enhanced freshness, a perfectly tailored assortment, and faster availability.

Packaging is a Core Competence

Automated processes require standardization, and this is reflected in the way various types of packaging are managed. “That’s why we have trained colleagues who have developed extensive expertise in this area,” says de Jong. Carton design, adhesive properties, stretch film, as well as cardboard and pallet quality are critical for material flow and load stability. WITRON and Jumbo took early action to identify critical packaging and deliver transparency to suppliers. The outcome is enhanced inbound control, resulting in more stable processes within the DC.

Employees at Jumbo were able to adapt effectively to their new tasks, moving from manual operations to an automated production process. Employees were able to gain detailed insights into future tasks within operated systems and engage in extensive exchanges with experienced users. “With a wealth of experience from projects implemented across Europe, North America, and Australia, we can offer customers comprehensive support in this vital field of change management,” emphasizes Meissner.

Technology can be purchased – culture cannot. Jumbo adopted lean principles with the Jumbo Production System (JPS), including shopfloor transparency, shift stand-ups, and a high degree of autonomous problem-solving by employees. Once a day, a central control meeting is held at the very centre of operations – not in an office, but in the work area. “Here, the colleagues analyse the previous day and review the tasks and goals for the upcoming shift. If this half hour goes well, it will be a good day,” says de Jong with a smile.

What measures can be expected next? Jumbo considers the supply chain to be an end-to-end network structure rather than a set of separate warehouses. Integrating stores, connecting with suppliers, optimizing transport routes, and automating processes – including in e-commerce, which is still handled manually today – are key pillars of the future strategy.

“Automation is not a standalone objective, but a tool applied where needed. Variety in our product range continues to define our corporate philosophy – driven by a clear focus on efficiency and economic viability,” states de Jong. Meissner gets straight to the point: “Automation built the foundation. The next chapter is all about end-to-end optimization.”

The post High-performance Warehouse Automation appeared first on Logistics Business.

The theme of this year’s LogiMAT show, expected to draw 1600 exhibitors from 40 nations, is ‘Passion for details – discover the difference’, and the Ammeraal Beltech product range for the industry is an example of how a passion for perfection in design and manufacturing results in clear differentiation in efficiency and reliability.

Luca Zironda, Senior Global Key Account and Industry Manager, and Florian Kley, Global Key Account Manager, will be on hand at Hall 1, Booth G31 to explain how worker safety and satisfaction can be boosted by low-noise, anti-static and flame-retardant belting solutions that include industry standards such as the Rapplon, AMMdurance (made from recycled material) and Flexam belt lines, and why the impact-resistant and efficient-drive properties of these long-lifetime belts means lower overall energy use and costs as well as reduced downtime.

Founded in 1950 in the Netherlands, Ammeraal Beltech is a provider of premium conveyor belting solutions across a wide range of industries. A member of the Ammega Group, the company has a large selection of high-performance conveying solutions for every working environment.

The post Innovative Belting Solutions at LogiMAT appeared first on Logistics Business.

The past few years have tested the logistics sector, particularly in Europe. Pointing to geopolitical instability, economic uncertainty and reduced investment by major players, Sascha Goly, Global Business Development Manager at Forbo Movement Systems, says: “Especially in the last three or four years, it was not easy. It was difficult years.”

Speaking exclusively to Logistics Business, he adds: “The big companies were not investing at all, especially Amazon. They were going to the sky during Covid, and after Covid, since all the normal stores are opening again, they were not investing that much.” While this slowdown affected suppliers across the industry, Forbo’s diversified presence in food processing and industrial production helped to cushion the impact.

Despite this, Goly is clear that momentum is returning. “We see light at the end of the tunnel,” he said. E-commerce and parcel logistics are beginning to ramp up again, with companies such as FedEx, UPS, DHL and Amazon re-entering the tendering process, albeit at a more measured pace than during the pandemic. Airports, however, represent the most dynamic growth opportunity. While Europe remains relatively quiet, Goly highlighted strong expansion in Asia-Pacific and the Americas. “India and China are building new airports. Singapore will build a new Terminal 5 at Changi Airport. A lot of things are going on, and we really see that this is something that is growing really fast.”

Belting by Sector

Airport projects also illustrate how belting requirements vary by sector. In conventional parcel logistics, suppliers typically engage directly with end users and OEMs. Aviation is more complex. “You have many more parties involved – consultants, engineering companies, sometimes even local governments,” Goly explained. Products must also meet specific regulatory requirements, including flame retardancy and fire safety standards, making the sales and specification process more involved.

Forbo’s position as a global supplier is central to its ability to serve multinational customers:

“If you would like to do business with global key customers – like the big parcel companies, like airports, like all the OEMs – they would like to work together with a real international, global company. Those companies are also global, and they would like to have contacts all around the world.”

For Goly, it is the combination of global reach, long-term relationships and innovation that customers now expect as standard.

When it comes to innovation, sustainability has become the dominant theme. “The main innovation factor is sustainable products,” Goly said, noting that large end users face increasingly strict carbon reduction roadmaps. Forbo’s energy-saving belts have emerged as a key differentiator. “These energy-saving belts are really saving energy costs on the one side, but also they are reducing the CO₂ amount that is going on in a baggage handling system of an airport, for example.”

Crucially, these claims are not left unquantified. Goly described how customers are increasingly demanding clear ROI evidence. “We have a calculator on our website where you can type in the length, the speed of conveyor, the hours of running per day, and it easily displays the savings of CO₂ and also the savings in money, always compared with a standard belt.” He added that Forbo is the only belting supplier with third-party certification verifying both the calculations and the performance of the belts. “This has been certified from the German TÜV, so this is not just greenwashing or a nice marketing thing.”

Reduced Friction

Energy efficiency also translates into operational benefits beyond electricity bills. Reduced friction lowers wear on belts, bearings and motors, extending the lifespan of entire conveyor systems. “We have examples where the temperature was sometimes going down from 65 to 40°C just by using an energy-saving belt,” Goly said. “If you have a system with thousands of motors, and every motor is reduced by 10 or 20 degrees, you can even reduce the power of the air conditioning. All of that is increasing the lifetime of the complete conveyor systems.”

The technology itself is more sophisticated than many assume. While Goly, Pictured below, jokingly described a belt as “a piece of plastic”, he was quick to explain the science behind the performance. “The secret lies in the underside of the belt,” he said. By integrating a permanent lubricant into the belt fabric during manufacturing, friction is reduced over the entire lifetime of the belt. “It stays there over the lifetime of the belt. Even when the belt was running for eight or nine years, it still feels a little bit slippery.”

Looking ahead, Goly sees smart belting and predictive maintenance as the next frontier, though he is realistic about current limitations. “Customers would love to have it, but we are not at the phase where we can say we already have it.” Early steps include QR codes laser-marked onto belts, allowing technicians to access product data, order replacements and contact service teams instantly, reducing downtime and unnecessary site visits.

Regional differences remain relatively minor, according to Goly, with specifications largely consistent worldwide. Cost sensitivity is higher in Asia-Pacific, while North America places less emphasis on environmental considerations, though this may change. “In general, a belt stays a belt. It doesn’t matter on which continent it is.”

Perhaps the biggest misconception Goly encounters is price-focused procurement. “If you buy cheap, you buy twice,” he said. In the context of billion-pound infrastructure projects, belting represents a small fraction of total investment, yet it has an outsized impact on energy use, uptime and lifetime costs. To address this, Forbo has produced a white paper on energy-efficient package handling, including ROI calculations aimed at shifting conversations beyond initial purchase price.

As energy costs remain volatile and sustainability targets tighten, Goly believes the industry is finally catching up with ideas Forbo has been developing for more than a decade. “Now everyone is looking at saving more energy,” he said. “And that’s where we are in a very, very good position.”

The post Belt and Braces for Conveying Tech appeared first on Logistics Business.

Let’s start with new products – tell us about the new BG Pouch System with AutoDrop function. Specifically, how will it improve operations for customers, and what benefits can they expect?

BG Pouch System with AutoDrop enables fully automatic and contactless unloading of pouches. It is ideal for single-unit handling, but is also capable of combining items in any desired sequence. This improves distribution and reverse logistics across multiple fulfilment and returns operations.

For example, the system can fulfil store replenishment orders to fit the store’s specific layout, increasing productivity and freeing up staff for customer service. It easily accommodates value-added services, such as placing gift cards or greeting cards in an order. It also achieves fast, automated reworking of returns, making items immediately available for resale and significantly reducing handling time and costs.

BG Pouch System with AutoDrop requires approximately 30% less space than conventional picking systems and can be mounted in the ceiling, saving valuable floor space. The modular design also allows the system to be scaled up quickly and easily as needed.

You’re known for pallet packaging technology. What are the benefits of Beumer‘s Stretch Hood technology?

Our patented Stretch Hood is a custom-designed, automated end-of-line solution for packing pallets economically, safely, and automatically. The technology uses cold-stretchable films, which eliminates heat exposure and air-cooling to achieve very low operating costs. It can be implemented as an integrated or stand-alone system and is suitable for diverse applications, from high-value electronics to construction materials.

It offers security, protection, efficiency and versatility. The seal prevents tampering and pilfering, with any attempt to undo the seal being immediately evident. The technology guards against moisture, dirt ingress, spoilage, and damage during storage and transit. Efficiency results from the repeatable accuracy and consistency enabled by automation, also minimising the scope for human error in the critical final packaging phase.

It also has the versatility to apply transparent film for visibility or opaque film for high-value goods where security is paramount.

You’re bringing an Innovation Corner to LogiMAT in March. What can visitors expect from this?

Our Innovation Corner at LogiMAT will showcase the latest advances in robotics, software, and data analytics. This space highlights how cutting-edge technology and proven products combine to deliver real value for intralogistics.

Visitors can explore scalable solutions for warehouse and distribution operations, gain insights into digital transformation strategies, and engage directly with Beumer experts on future trends. The Innovation Corner reflects our broader Innovation Centre concept, which drives R&D and continuous portfolio development to meet evolving industry needs.

Let’s move on to the Customer Diagnostic Centre and its role in optimisation and predictive maintenance. What does that mean in practice? Can you give specific examples of what it does and how operators can deploy it?

Analysing and interpreting operational data is a complex and resource-intensive task that requires serious investment, which can detract from your core business. Beumer Group’s Customer Diagnostic Centre offers logistics companies access to data-driven services and expertise whenever they need it.

Our diagnostic experts monitor and analyse your operational data, anticipate issues and act proactively, remotely or on-site, to support predictive maintenance, process optimisation, and system diagnostics. Individual services range from an emergency hotline to cybersecurity support and can be used in any combination to meet customer needs.

In one instance, data analysis revealed that a customer had unused capacity of 40%, even though they believed they were at their operational limits. Guided by the results, the customer was able to implement efficiencies and meet continuing demand without the need for a major expansion.

You have recently announced new manufacturing facilities in China and India. Could this negatively impact the perception of Beumer as a premium European manufacturer?

Our China and India facilities have been developed to manufacture in line with Beumer’s global standards, ensuring equally high levels of quality and engineering excellence. The high-tech plants are integrated into our worldwide manufacturing network and run by trained teams, delivering the craftsmanship and reliability customers expect from our brand. These sites bring us closer to regional customers, enabling faster delivery and support.

You describe your strategy as “value-driven.” What does this mean in practice for customers?

Our four values – reliable, down-to-earth, ambitious, collaborative – guide decisions and build trust-based and long-term relationships. We never cut corners: we promise only what we can deliver, so systems perform reliably for years. We prioritise long-term partnerships over one-off deals; our customer support accompanies clients across the entire equipment lifecycle. In short, being value-driven aligns every action to create sustainable success, placing trust, superior quality, and long-term outcomes over quick wins.

What is BEAM and what is it for? Can you tell us about recent success stories and what they bring to the Group?

BEAM, launched in 2018, is Beumer’s startup incubator and innovation engine. It systematically builds new, digital business ideas that complement our intralogistics portfolio. We partner with entrepreneurs and internal experts, providing industry know-how, funding, and a safe space to scale.

Two startups now integrated into Beumer are Codept and Elara. Codept (founded 2019) offers a cloud-based logistics integration platform connecting online retailers with 3PLs, streamlining data exchange across shops and warehouse systems and drastically reducing onboarding time and IT effort. Elara (started 2020) is a cloud-based maintenance management software for centralising assets and service activities, enabling predictive maintenance to prevent downtime, optimise spare parts, and lower operating costs through transparency and data-driven insights. Both expand our digital services portfolio.

I saw an interesting quote from, Dr Christoph Beumer, the former CEO and now chair of the Advisory Board: “As a family business, we think in generations, not quarters”. What does this mean? What decisions can you point to that prove this philosophy to customers and prospects?

We judge major decisions by their decade-long impact on our customers and company. As a family-owned business, we reinvest for sustainable growth and innovation rather than maximise short-term profit. This financial prudence gives us independence to make bold, future-oriented investments, such as new factories in China and India.

‘Thinking in generations’ also shapes relationships: we seek lifetime partnerships, not quick sales. Our customer support team supports every installation for its entire life (and beyond), while customer partnerships and employee development are built on trust and longevity. This approach – proven over more than 90 years – keeps Beumer a reliable, forward-looking partner in a (sometimes) uncertain world, year after year and generation after generation.

The post Generational Thinking in Automation appeared first on Logistics Business.

Debuting at LogiMAT Stuttgart, March 23–25th, TAL unites the combined strengths of Bastian Solutions, Vanderlande’s Warehousing business, and viastore under one brand formally launching on April 1, 2026. This powerful combination enables the delivery of scalable systems, intelligent software, and comprehensive lifecycle services – all with the quality and reliability associated with the Toyota brand.

“Thomas Hibinger and Aaron Jones have a solid track record of strong performance leading two of our warehouse automation businesses. Their vision has shaped the future of automated warehousing and guided the delivery of innovative and pragmatic solutions to solve customers’ complex and shifting logistics challenges,” said Hitoshi Matsuoka, Central CEO, TAL. “Their appointments as regional CEOs reflect TICO’s commitment to build on the collective depth and breadth of our world-class technologies, software and services while delivering a seamless customer experience across regions.”

“I look forward to this new chapter, allowing TAL to bring automated logistics to the next level by combining our global strength and expertise under one roof,” states Thomas Hibinger, CEO, EMEA and APAC. “Warehouse and fulfillment operations never stop, nor are they constrained by time zones or geography. With this unification, we aim to deliver greater scalability, innovation and long-term value for our customers worldwide.”

The fast-growing market for warehouse automation is spurred by greater demand for next- or same-day deliveries, ever-faster throughput, absolute order accuracy and optimal warehouse performance. Through seamless integration across the automation landscape, TAL addresses these needs end to end. This approach supports organizations at every stage of their automation journey, whether taking the first steps to automate manual processes in legacy warehouses or refining the advanced distribution centres relied on by the largest e-commerce platforms and the global fulfillment operations of leading brands.

The post Global Leadership for Toyota Automated Logistics appeared first on Logistics Business.

Like most automation, sortation technology has always been about speed, efficiency and accuracy, enabling larger volumes to be processed cost-effectively to meet demanding customer needs.

Amsterdam-based EuroSort will this year celebrate 25 years of achievement in the arena. Its portfolio of Push Tray, Split Tray, Cross Tray and Push Bar sorters is established at over 500 global sites, and the company boasts a large North American presence and an office in Spain to add to its Dutch core, staffed by over 200 employees. Meanwhile, EuroSort’s in-house integrator DistriSort supplies solutions to end customers while EuroSort itself supplies many of the big European integrators.

EuroSort Technical Strategic Sales Manager Gerbrand van Schooneveld has a dual role, overseeing the Poland and Baltics region in addition to supporting the company’s other sales managers with technical aspects of the sales process. The duality assists the customer in making the right choices for their business and ensuring that the best EuroSort concepts to meet their needs are selected.

Quarter-century of delivery

“Our focus has always been consistent over 25 years,” he reflects. “It’s about high-throughput replenishment and sorting solutions to meet the customer’s needs as closely as possible.”

The dazzling growth of e-commerce has re-modelled the needs of logistics providers, motivating EuroSort engineers to seek innovative solutions to meet those needs.

“E-commerce sortation requires special handling because you are dealing with relatively small orders,” he explains. “To do this effectively, that means you need a large sorter with a high number of exits to enable cost-efficient wave picking – and in traditional sorting, if you have a lot of exits, you need a large footprint to accommodate those exits. So, our customers asked us to find ways to reduce that large and expensive footprint.”

To meet this need, EuroSort ingenuity first created the Chute Pitch Reducer, a simple yet effective idea which enabled narrower chutes thanks to the addition of doors which helped to control items at exit routes and ensure they were not mis-sorted. It reduced the width of the chute for push trays and cross tray sorters by 30%.

“But we wanted to create more exits on a smaller footprint, and still provide that vital increased throughput,” Gerbrand (pictured, below) continues.

LogiMAT launch

The result will be unveiled at LogiMAT at the end of March 2026. Called E-Sort, the company says it can increase the number of exits in a system by 70%, with the double wins of increasing throughput and a much-reduced footprint.

It achieves these aims by combining a put wall with a loop sorter.

“What we have now done is to connect a high-throughput loop sorter to a Smart Wall concept,” he explains. “And the number of exits can be multiplied within a small footprint – for example, on a 3m space we can create almost 100 exits.”

Crucially, the E-Sort concept is modular, which makes it both scalable and cost-effective. Versatility is built in, with the number of exits configurable to the customer. It’s for this reason that the product is squarely aimed at entry-level and medium-sized e-commerce customers as well as the traditional larger players. “We see a lot of growth for E-Sort with customers using semi-automated or fully manual put walls,” he reveals.

The modularity enables each system to be assimilated appropriately with the sortation process preferred by the customer.

“The customer might have a wide range of SKUs, from very small to much larger, and those bigger items would need correspondingly bigger pockets in the put wall,” he points out. “We therefore create the put wall based on those demands. For instance, a half-metre wall might accommodate eight exits, but one requiring larger parcels or items might reduce to four or five larger pockets.”

Another key deliverable for E-Sort is omnichannel suitability.

“The great thing is that we can combine the E-Sort with a conventional sorter for bricks-and-mortar store replenishment so that you can execute both e-commerce, shop replenishment and returns on the same machine. This is the first solution on the market that allows e‑commerce, store replenishment and returns to run on the same machine.”

Retail and e-commerce differences

As a sortation expert how would he describe the differences between e-commerce and ‘standard’ retail sorting procedures?

“There are two main areas to consider,” he replies. “The first is order size. With shop replenishment, you might be looking at 40 to 50 items per order, a big picking wave in a single order, and a fairly efficient process. With e-commerce you are likely to be looking at much smaller orders, perhaps one to five items for a single customer, all needing to be packaged and labelled.

“Then you will have different packaging and labelling needs to suit each order. So the sortation solution needs to provide for that. The E-Sort provides two ways of doing this: the first by packing directly at the sorter exit, with a packing table and packing materials adjacent to it. The second is via a mobile put wall, mounted on a trolley or a cart, kept away from the packing area and moved there when it is full. Different customers have different preferences – it’s their call on how they want to do it and we’re ready for both.”

The specifications of the E-Sort make it appropriate for both established large-scale needs as well as those of entry-level customers. Weight limit is 5kg, dimensions are 400mm x 600mm x 250mm.

Given the versatility, how does he work with a new customer to determine the right concept for them?

“I’d say to you, give me current figures, what’s your throughput, how many orders are you looking to process per day, how many operators do you need for your picking? If I know your annual volumes and the number of operators you have, I can explore ways for you to save costs on your picking, and move many more items, all in a small footprint.”

As well as the modularity and component standardisation of the technology, he also highlights its ease of use. “It is simple technology, made for easy and quick maintenance. Reliability and maintenance costs are very low, and almost everything can be done on site by the customer.”

The post High Throughput, Small Footprint appeared first on Logistics Business.

“Until now, the Hessenring region has relied exclusively on manual warehouse and picking processes”, explains Martin Steinmetz, Logistics Director at EDEKA Hessenring. “By leveraging innovative automated logistics technology, we will in future be able to supply our independent retailers more efficiently and cost-effectively – even as the variety of items continues to grow. At the same time, our employees throughout the entire supply chain will benefit from ergonomic and sustainable working processes.”

High-performance module mix

The 35,300 square metre facility, offering a total of 306,000 pallet, tray, and tote storage locations and equipped with 58 highly dynamic stacker cranes, is designed for a daily picking performance of 285,500 cases. Most of these cases are stacked fully automatically, error‑free, and store‑friendly onto pallets and roll containers by 18 COM machines. Small-volume fast- and slow-moving items are picked directly into the shipping tote at 10 workstations using the All-in-One (AIO) system. Bulky items are picked by logistics employees using pick-by-voice, supported by the semi-automated WITRON Car Picking System (CPS). Subsequent consolidation – and thus a high packing density on the load carriers – is achieved through the conveyor-based integration of all logistics areas within the material flow concept.

Half and quarter pallets are placed fully automatically onto pallets and roll containers by the WITRON Display Pallet Picking System (DPP). The dispatch process is optimized by a fully automated shipping buffer.

No more silos, but a true end-to-end approach

An intelligent IT platform ensures the seamless networking of all processes across the internal and external value added chain, providing high process flexibility in real time. The focus is on a holistic, end‑to‑end approach that encompasses all stakeholders within the supply chain – from supplier to end consumer – thereby eliminating isolated silos.

High in-house value-added share

Most of the mechanical, conveyor, racking, and mezzanine components are designed by WITRON and manufactured in-house at the company’s production facilities in Parkstein. The same applies to the IT, control, and AI tools used.

A partnership spanning decades

EDEKA and WITRON share a partnership that has grown over many decades. Automated solutions have already been successfully implemented in Hamm / Oberhausen (Rhine-Ruhr region), Landsberg (southern Bavaria region), Zarrentin / Neumünster (northern region), Berbersdorf / Marktredwitz (northern Bavariy, Saxony, Thuringia region), as well as in the NETTO distribution centres in Erharting and Henstedt.

The post Edeka Automates with OPM Technology appeared first on Logistics Business.

If we can agree that the case for automation in logistics is proven – faster execution, better reliability, optimised allocation of human resource, improved cost and time efficiencies – then the discussion moves to the available automation choices. What type of automation is the most appropriate for your business’s future requirements?

Specifically, what are the factors that turn good automation into outstanding automation? For David Bailey, Director Consumer Products Arvato in the UK, the best automation comfortably delivers flexibility, scale and ease of operation.

“It’s about picking the right tool for the right job, and scaling in the best way to suit the customer’s needs and wishes,” he says. “And for us, AutoStore delivers those needs extremely effectively.”

Partnership trust and commitment

Arvato is the ambitious German-founded omnichannel logistics provider with a fast-growing global operation and particularly high momentum in the UK, where existing focus is on fashion, tech and healthcare customers. David Bailey is speaking at the company’s impressive – and immaculate – state-of-the-art site at Ham Halls, Birmingham, where it has just opened an extension to its existing AutoStore system, implemented in 2023. This adds to the 15 AutoStore systems already in place at Arvato sites in Germany, the Netherlands, Austria and the USA.

As a technology-focused 3PL, Arvato’s trust and commitment to AutoStore is a notable endorsement for the Norwegian-founded global leader in intelligent order fulfilment solutions. The latter’s stated vision is simple to claim but harder to achieve: “To store and move things for everyone, everywhere.” They seem to be succeeding: AutoStore order orchestration and fulfilment systems are now established at over 1,850 sites in over 60 countries.

What’s the secret?

“The consumer products market in logistics is about reacting quickly to fast-changing needs,” explains Bailey. “If, for instance, a customer wants to resize, AutoStore gives us a wealth of options in which to meet those needs – tote size, number of bots, optimisation of the grid. Consumer logistics is about finding the right tool and the right design for the job you’re looking to do. And if you project manage it well, the process is extremely smooth. Our strong and long-established relationship with AutoStore and their integrator partners such as Kardex, who built and extended the system at Hams Hall, enables that smoothness for us.”

As if to serve as a neat example of his point, Hams Hall – which is a multi-client site – has recently onboarded a new international retailer, a leading brand in technical athletic apparel requiring exactly those flexible, fast-paced operations. “The scalability options with AutoStore make it much easier for us,” agrees Steven Pitt, Head of Operations. “Once the infrastructure is in place, the opportunity for customers with an aggressive growth cycle is very strong.”

Superfast implementation

Hence the AutoStore extension, completed in just over three months, the fastest implementation in Arvato’s history and a testament to the relationship between client, OEM and integrator. The upgraded system now supports 87,600 bins (from 65,000) and supports nearly 1.2 million stored units in a 16-row deep grid. Peak season picking rates top 26,000 per day, a 53% increase on manual picking solutions. Picking data at random from his laptop, Matt Harling, Kardex Sales Manager UK and Ireland reveals that 54,000 bin presentations were made on December 9th, 2025, with a total of over three million bin presentations in the previous 90 days log. “Remember that each tote contains more than one item, too,” he points out.

It’s worth taking a moment to visualise the human resource and warehouse footprint that would be required to attempt to match those numbers in a fully manual operation, and to reflect how far automation has come in delivering lightning-fast service for customers and consumers.

Should we assume that AutoStore is always presented to clients as Arvato’s automation system of choice? “Absolutely not,” says Bailey. “We won’t necessarily discuss specific systems with clients, it’s about what their needs are and how we will work together to deliver them, what’s right for their needs and then what is the best way to deliver on that – it definitely won’t be imposed by us. We have an excellent solution design process. We explore what the data tells us and where it is leading us. So, let’s say we’re looking at an AutoStore; it’s also likely we’ll be considering an open-rack shuttle system, an AMR, a shelving system, maybe. But AutoStore is very effective in terms of cost, flexibility, and speed.”

The Arvato project team works with both AutoStore and its integration partner, in this case, Kardex (other AutoStore partners in the UK include Swisslog, Element Logic and StrongPoint). The integration partner is best placed to source and deliver those parts of the automation package required by the customer above and beyond storing and moving, such as auto-bagging and RFID systems.

The process is quick, partly because the partners know each other so well. “The days of heavy automation and long implementation, with extended lead times before you even hit the site are gone with AutoStore,” says Morgan McNee, Kardex Project Manager. “We’ve gone from point of order to go-live in months.”

The Hams Hall operation has RFID in place at several points in the process, including inbound and packing. As a bonded warehouse, it needs to satisfy UK government and customs regulations as well as client needs. In addition, it provides faster services for customers in addition to extra layers of stock integrity confirmation – Steven Pitt describes how a recent stock count enabled by the RFID tunnel processed 500,000 units for a customer in 48 hours.

The extras at Hams Hall add the sizzle. “Logistics is about adding value – anyone can pick and pack,” says Bailey. Value-added services provided at the multi-client service include manual picking for smaller customers, a comprehensive returns operation including full check of goods returned, and an Alterations section where individual clothing units ordered online may be altered by professionals to individual consumer specifications.

In a territory such as the UK, where agile, fluid retailing is a watchword and consumer expectations on e-commerce delivery times are more demanding than elsewhere in Europe, selecting the right automation is vital to effective competitive advantage.

Weather patterns, buying habits, customer behaviours – systems intelligence enables confident planning and decision-making for 3PLs, all in close partnership with the customer. Bailey summarises: “Businesses that move are those that pivot and act with the market – or even ahead of it.”

The post Fit for Fulfilment appeared first on Logistics Business.