Tine Heimdal
Logistics Master Plan
2 min read
Unique Technology Packs Fruit and Vegetables for Zealand
April 2012
Netto stores in Zealand now receive fresh produce from one of the country’s most advanced and automated packing facilities. Fifteen robots pick, move, and pack crates onto pallets with high speed and precision. This takes place at Netto’s fresh produce warehouse in Køge, where the facility is based on the latest technology, enabling the handling of heavy crates of varying shapes and sizes.
‘We are very satisfied with the project. We have achieved a better working environment, a future-proof solution, and a capacity increase that will support us for many years to come’, says Jørgen Larsen.
New Robot Concept Handles all Types of Crates
This led to a complete rethinking of the entire process, with Langebæk brought in as a Consultant. The new packing hall was designed to allow picking, primarily by robots - directly from pallet to pallet. As a result, no time or energy is wasted unpacking and placing incoming deliveries before they are repacked onto pallets for the stores.
Through extensive project planning and research into the latest technological advancements, it became clear that far more automation was possible than initially anticipated by both Netto and Langebæk.
One of the major challenges was programming the packing robots to grip, move, and place a variety of differently shaped crates made from different materials. The green plastic crates, familiar from Netto’s fresh produce sections, are just one type. However, designing a robot capable of handling cardboard boxes of bananas while also dealing with open carton trays of spring onions presented a challenge with no immediate solution.
‘We are very satisfied with the project. We have achieved a better working environment, a future-proof solution, and a capacity increase that will support us for many years to come,’ says Jørgen Larsen.
Unique Technology in Denmark
A research collaboration with Langebæk resulted in the testing of a new and unproven technology featuring advanced gripping heads. These robotic heads, which were prototypes at the time of installation, can grip various types of packaging with high precision and great flexibility, operating both quickly and delicately to avoid damaging the products. This technology is a first in Denmark and is expected to set a precedent for future projects in the grocery sector, according to Langebæk.
Another challenge was ensuring that the robots stacked the pallets securely. Before the pallets are automatically wrapped in film, the products remain unprotected, increasing the risk of collapse during packing and transport. This issue was also solved with a unique solution designed specifically for the project, where the pallets are supported at the sides while being packed.
Automation Improves Picking Quality
‘We initially assumed we could automate around 50% of the packing process, but with the final solution, we have reached as much as 80%’, says Jørgen Larsen. He also highlights that the picking quality - the proportion of correctly packed pallets - is now significantly higher than what can be achieved with manual packing.
The experience gained from the fresh produce warehouse in Køge will now be applied to Netto’s fresh goods warehouse in Jutland, where Langebæk is also acting as a Consultant.
