German grocery retail group REWE last week expanded its agreement with Cimcorp Oy “to ensure ongoing operational excellence and long-term reliability” for its fresh produce supply chain. Cimcorp had already deployed its advanced logistics system at REWE’s fulfillment center in Oranienburg, Germany, which supplies fruits and vegetables to 950 retail locations across the Berlin region.
“For us, reliability is essential; our markets count on timely and error-free deliveries, and our system must reflect that expectation,” stated Matthias Menzel, general manager at REWE’s largest fresh and chilled goods warehouse in Oranienburg. “We rely on our partners to deliver services that match the urgency of our market’s expectations.”
Founded in 1975, Cimcorp Group said its material handling robots run with easy-to-use software and are optimized for intralogistics. The Ulvila, Finland-based systems integrator also offers lifetime services to customers, largely in the tire industry and grocery. As a member of Murata Machinery Ltd., one of the world’s largest logistics automation suppliers, the company said it “offers local support globally.”
“Going back 30 years, automation was focused on the manufacturing industry,” Kai Tuomisaari, vice president of global sales at Cimcorp, told Automated Warehouse. “Nowadays, people are looking for different types of automation, and everyone is calculating ROI [return on investment], which must be very strictly justified. COVID revealed labor issues around handling goods, and customers in grocery and retail are looking for efficiency and to improve their competitiveness.”
Cimcorp provides both tech and human support
REWE’s facilities typically handle more than 650,000 units per day, and the company needed to ensure continuous and punctual deliveries, especially in major urban markets where missing a delivery window can mean failing to deliver altogether. The company‘s Oranienburg warehouse alone serves 370 supermarkets and 580 shops and handles 29,000 units a day.
Cimcorp previously automated picking at the site, but it focused on collaboration as much as robotics.
“Oranienburg has shown that successful automation depends on more than technology,” Heikki Seppälä, head of services at Cimcorp, told Automated Warehouse. “Close collaboration, hands-on employee training, seamless process integration, and robust system redundancy are all essential. Designing the system for complete traceability and dependable fresh-food delivery was particularly important.
Cimcorp said its Success Services are designed to guarantee the highest possible system uptime and product availability. They include inspections twice a year for preventative maintenance, as well as system management for cybersecurity and the IT backbone of REWE’s automated conveyors. Cimcorp also provides remote and on-site assistance by trained technicians.
“Cimcorp’s warehouse control system [WCS] records operational data and system events, providing information that supports proactive troubleshooting and preventive maintenance,” explained Seppälä. “Onsite service is available six days a week, with additional coverage when needed.”
REWE wants a partner that can react quickly to its needs
REWE’s adoption of automation and Success Services are driven not only by the need for reliability, but also by labor shortages, noted Cimcorp. The company said it has helped improve working conditions.
“REWE has reported improved reliability, fewer operational errors, better traceability, and reduced physical strain on employees,” said Seppälä. “The company has also seen less overtime and more stable roles.”
While European distribution centers are typically smaller than those in North America, they are interested in deploying automation — with the right support, according to Tuomisaari.
“Our software is helping customers precisely forecast demand, and predictive maintenance has become much bigger,” he observed. “AI is helping systems be more flexible, and we’ve done a lot of development to modularize our offerings to scale up capacity.”
Cimcorp asserted that REWE’s Success Services demonstrate its strategic vision of “maintaining operational excellence, optimizing employee welfare, and guaranteeing the highest standards of service for every store, every day.”
“We want Cimcorp in the background running the system, a strong partner ready to react fast if something happens that we cannot solve ourselves,” said Menzel.
While the companies don’t have immediate expansion plans, they are still working to refine the retail supply chain.
“Oranienburg provides a scalable platform for REWE’s future needs,” Seppälä said. “The companies continue to focus on reliability and continuous improvement.”