Field to store in 24

As well as enabling the delivery of fresh produce from field to store within 24 hours, the automated intralogistics system at its distribution centre in San Isidro, Spain secures Mercadona the benefits of less waste and a safer workplace. With robots taking care of the heavy lifting and repetitive tasks, Mercadona's staff enjoy work roles that are less tiring and more productive, factors that typically aid staff retention. Automation also drives order accuracy, reduced costs and maximises throughput.

“Today, stores offering the freshest, most seasonal produce win,” says Cimcorp director of warehouse & distribution industry sales Kari Miikkulainen. “Our job is to help industry players provide their shoppers with more high-quality, fresh produce in less time.”

Mercadona has worked in partnership with Cimcorp to automate its intralogistics processes at DCs in Zaragoza and Parc Sagunt as well as San Isidro. The San Isidro DC supplies 171 of Mercadona’s supermarkets, shipping a daily volume of 118,800 totes to the stores.

By leveraging automatic storage, handling and order-picking capabilities in different temperature zones, Cimcorp's system has streamlined processes and reduced order-processing time (from order receipt to shipment) significantly. The solution utilises  integrated software for data tracking, tracing and management.

“The most significant advantage is reducing errors to guarantee a better service for our stores and customers,” adds Javier Blasco, logistics solutions purchasing manager for Mercadona.

Agility and flexibility

Cimcorp designed modular control architecture that provides the agility and flexibility needed to handle unpredictability in consumer demand. With work in the DC divided into sections but controlled by one integrated management solution, all units can work in synchronisation and meet Mercadona's desired growth targets. This modular approach has enabled scalability and standardised processes across multiple locations for Mercadona, enhancing operational efficiency and facilitating knowledge transfer among staff.

Javier Blasco, logistics solutions purchasing manager, Mercadona

“Having modular solutions has advantages,” explains Javier Blasco, “such as all personnel knowing the installation, regardless of which city it is in. Additionally, the solutions can be scaled up and the processes standardised more efficiently. The best part has been the robustness of the application; we haven’t had operational surprises with real orders, and we’ve been able to provide a guaranteed service to our stores.”

For more information, visit www.cimcorp.com