Germany's Largest Supermarket Chain Edeka to Automate Distribution With Cimcorp

GRIMSBY, Ontario - Jan. 26, 2021 - PRLog -- Cimcorp, a manufacturer and integrator of turnkey robotic order fulfillment and tire-handling solutions, announces Edeka Rhein-Ruhr is equipping its new distribution center, located in Oberhausen-Waldteich, Germany, with a modern food storage and order picking system from Cimcorp. As part of Germany's largest supermarket chain, Edeka's regional Rhein-Ruhr business is investing in the construction project, which will be the largest in the company's history. The ultra-modern distribution center, with a total floor area of 90,000 square meters, will go into operation in 2021.

The Oberhausen-Waldteich distribution center will supply 400 Edeka branches and 400 stores operating under other group brands in North Rhine-Westphalia. In the future, it will offer space for around 16,000 different dry, frozen and fresh product lines, most of which require different temperature zones. The warehousing solution from Cimcorp will ensure the reliable distribution of Edeka's fresh food products, including fruit, vegetables and dairy foods.

The new facility will be served by over 400 trucks every working day. It will supply food for 14 million people across North Rhine-Westphalia. Order fulfillment from the facility must be error-free and punctual, as every mistake can lead to delays. "For us efficiency, costs and ergonomics were decisive when we decided on Cimcorp as an experienced automation provider for our fruit and vegetable distribution," explained Peter Bayer, Project Manager for Logistics and Organization at Edeka Oberhausen. "Since millions of people rely on the safety of their food, everything from the field to the table has to be perfect. We expect an extremely high availability of fresh products from Cimcorp, as these are extremely time-critical and sensitive."

Kai Tuomisaari, Cimcorp's Vice President, Sales, added, "When dealing with food, and especially with perishable products, accuracy and reliability are essential. The simplest rules of first-in-first-out methods add up in securing consumer safety. Automation also secures employee safety, because robots do all the heavy lifting and repetitive tasks that often lead to debilitating injuries."

The facility has different temperature zones for fresh, frozen and dry foods. Cimcorp's fresh food solution has two climate zones: +7 degrees Celsius (approximately 45 degrees Fahrenheit) for cheese and +12 degrees Celsius (approximately 54 degrees Fahrenheit) for fruit and vegetables. "The order includes several independent automation modules controlled by Cimcorp software, which integrates various technologies into a seamless system," said Tuomisaari. "If one module is out of service for a while—for example, when cleaning is performed—the other modules run independently to ensure a reliable material flow."

For more, visit http://www.cimcorp.com.