Order-picking with Swiss precision

Keeping all Swiss Migros stores supplied with fresh meat is the task of the Micarna factory in Batzenheid. Micarna is the largest player in the Swiss retail meat market. Vanderlande Industries realised an automated storage and order-picking system for Micarna in Batzenheid based on a Compact Picking  ‘goods-to-man’ concept.

Challenge was to keep the cold storage as small as possible in combination with high throughput volumes. Key of the concept is therefore that transportation and storage takes place in stacks of four totes.

Unique is the use of VISION™.RSS (Rack Stack System), a miniload with an integrated stacker and destacker. This makes it possible to automatically pick full totes and arrange store orders.

The following processes take place:

• Put meat in totes and make stacks of four totes
• Transport of stack to storage
• Storage in miniloads with rack-stack system (with VISION™.RSS)
• Automatic orderpicking of full totes
• Manual orderpicking of broken totes
• Automatic stacking
• Sequencing
• Palletising

 The main advantages are: 

• Efficient space utilisation
• 35% reduction in manual labour
• More pleasant working conditions