Witron deep-freeze technology for Spanish retailer

The new 80,700 square foot warehouse will supply 180 stores throughout Catalonia. On a peak day, up to 50,000 cases will be automatically stacked onto order pallets in a store-friendly sequence.

Starting in June 2014, 6 COM machines will pick products like meat, fish, convenience food, pizza, bread, and seafood out of a -23 degree C frozen goods assortment of 350 different articles. The state-of-the-art logistics building will also include a 4-aisle pallet warehouse with 5,000 locations, in addition to the 12-aisle tray warehouse with 50,000 locations.

Since 2004, Mercadona and Witron have been working as partners on a strategy to optimise the distribution logistics in all areas. In addition to economic efficiency, many other factors such as high customer service levels and sustainable environmental protection are firmly embedded in Mercadona's corporate goal. The creation of leading-edge workplaces is of particular importance to Mercadona's founder, Juan Roig as it is a personal concern of him to relieve his employees from physically demanding and unergonomic processes with the use of pioneering workplaces. Mr. Roig firmly believes that every employee should have the possibility, regardless of age or gender, to obtain a high work quality. Technology used to the right degree serves as support for the employee.

"So far, we were able to successfully implement our ambitious goals with the Witron technology. We are reminded of that every day at our logistics centers in Ciempozuelos (Madrid), Ribarroja de Turia (Valencia), and Villadangos del Pâramo (León), where we have been using the highly available WITRON systems for many years in both the dry goods area and in the fresh and frozen goods section", according to a company spokesman from Mercadona. "After the system ramp-up in Abrera (Barcelona), we will have a total of 117 COM machines in operation, capable of picking almost 1 million cases on a peak day. The long-standing partnership of both enterprises will continue with the new project."