SmartCarrier breaks through

Just one year after its introduction, Swisslog's storage and transportation system SmartCarrier has already proved a hit with several major customers.

Designed primarily for highly dynamic tote applications the system combines racking, high speed double-lifts and SmartCarrier vehicles to provide a high performance picking operation capable of dealing with upwards of 2,500 totes per hour.

“We've seen a great deal of interest,” says Swisslog's Head of Sales and Consulting James Sharples, “thanks in no small part to the performance data coming out of our latest installations. It's great to see this kind of innovation translating into real business benefits.”

The system offers maximum scalability, efficient use of technology and sophisticated energy management. The growth in online sales has also played a key part in SmartCarrier's popularity as businesses look for systems capable of providing maximum flexibility.

Consumer electronics business, Hama, is one such business taking advantage of the new technology. Hama has seen enormous growth and success in over 80 years of trading. From humble beginnings as a 'one man operation' back in 1923, they are now one of the leading photography accessory companies in the world with operations throughout 48 countries.

For its central European logistics operation it added SmartCarrier to provide additional capabilities, as logistics manager, Roland Handschiegel explained: “SmartCarrier is the heart of our new innovative picking concept. It's provided us with a significant improvement of our logistics, enabling optimal usage of the same space.”

Meanwhile, a subsidiary of the vintage clothing firm Fossil, decided to completely redesign picking processes at its distribution centre near Munich to accommodate its rapid growth. A global retailer specializing in the design, innovation, and marketing of fashion products, Fossil's vision includes a commitment to fostering creativity and delivering the best in design through its two core businesses, the Fossil brand and a multi-brand watch business.

FESCO, the organisation's logistics arm, now uses SmartCarrier as the core of its order processing workflow, supporting over 2,000 feeds per hour. “The dynamic order behaviour of our customers requires fast and flexible solutions,” says FESCO logistics manager, Josef Otter. “SmartCarrier integrates perfectly with our existing infrastructure.”

“It's a fantastic testament to the integrated nature of the design and the efficiencies that SmartCarrier is capable of delivering,” adds James Sharples. “We believe that modern logistics management needs to keep pace with business growth and provide the ability for companies to get even more out of their operations. SmartCarrier's own growth in popularity suggests many users agree.”

Low investment and running costs, scalability, an exceptional range of throughput capacity, high levels of energy efficiency and low maintenance costs makes SmartCarrier the smart choice for savvy logistics professionals.