Mercadona Takes Charge of New Fresh Food Intralogistics Solution From Cimcorp

GRIMSBY, Ontario - Sept. 2, 2021 - PRLog -- Cimcorp's automated fresh food intralogistics solution is up and running in Mercadona's new Zaragoza distribution center. This is the first of four automated systems the leading Spanish grocery retailer has ordered from Cimcorp. The remaining three will be installed in new logistics facilities located in San Isidro, Huévar and Sagunto.

Installation and commissioning was finalized just before Easter, the busiest time of the year for Mercadona. While installation teams often stay on site after handover, trust in Cimcorp's automation led Mercadona to fly solo. The automation's simplicity made it easy to use, and there was no need for big team.

Javier Blasco, Warehouse Purchasing Coordinator for Mercadona, explained, "Our goal is to serve the orders of our stores with the highest possible quality, and we must know how to do it on our own. We had the confidence do to it this way, because the robustness and reliability of this solution has been verified during the assembly and commissioning, and our staff is trained to use it."

Mercadona has ordered the same automation for all four of its new distribution centers. Each will have different climate zones for packed meat products and for fruit and vegetables. By using the same independent automation modules—the number of modules scaled to meet the needs of each center—Mercadona gains many benefits.

"All our personnel will know the installation regardless of in which city it is in. Additionally, it's easier to scale up the solutions and standardize processes," Blasco continued.

While the Mercadona partnership extends back to 2013, the Zaragoza installation marks the first time Cimcorp acted as system integrator for leading Spanish company. Though COVID-19 created challenges, Cimcorp's project management expertise ensured the installation was ready on schedule and prioritized everyone's health and safety.

Food safety and temperature control are essential with groceries. In Cimcorp's solution, there is no need for shelfing, which not only reduces costs, but also improves employee and product safety. "Overhead gantry robots handle food crates that are stacked on the floor. So when you need to clean the area, there's no need to climb up the ladders and check every shelf," explained Hakkarainen. "Everything is on the floor, where it is safer and more ergonomic to clean."

"The biggest advantage of automation is the reduction of errors to guarantee a better service for our stores and customers. The other main goal is to secure employee safety and avoid excessive workload," said Blasco.

Automation will enable Mercadona to handle any last-moment requests entering the supply chain that demand a shorter shipping and fulfillment cycle—without negatively affecting the rest of fulfillment operations.

More at http://www.cimcorp.com.