Online supermarket Picnic continues to invest in automation. After Utrecht and Dordrecht, now Ridderkerk gets an automated fulfilment centre. The new facility consists of an automated storage system, connected via conveyors to the workstations where the groceries are collected. Just like in Dordrecht, Picnic is relying on system integrator Inther for the automation.
On 1 April 2022, King Willem-Alexander opened Picnic's first automated fulfilment centre in Utrecht. The opening of the second automated fulfilment centre in Dordrecht followed in the summer of 2024. In spring 2026, the completion of the third fulfilment centre in Ridderkerk will follow, for which Inther - as previously in Dordrecht - will supply the automation solution.
Robots for heavy tasks
The artery of the fulfilment centre will consist of an extensive conveyor system. This system connects an automated storage system with several workstations, where shoppers are ready to collect and pack the groceries. The conveyor system will be built using Inther's own ICT (Inther Conveyor Equipment) products, complemented by spiral conveyors from Apollo and vertical conveyors from Qimarox. The robots come from AWL, the packaging machines from Niverplast.
Martijn Herder, CEO at Inther Group: "Picnic is a dynamic company that always wants to do things a little differently, and from our slogan 'improving 'intralogistics', we too are always looking for better solutions. So together, we designed a fast but solid automation solution for the fulfilment centre in Dordrecht, focusing on efficiency and ergonomics for Picnic shoppers. In doing so, we pay attention, for example, to heavy tasks being performed by robots."
Crossing the border together
Picnic co-founder Frederik Nieuwenhuys: "The collaboration with Inther is good, and it's great that Inther is a Dutch partner, and that the assembly and production for the European market also takes place at Inther in Venray. Increasing labour productivity is an issue in many industries. The fact that we as Dutch companies are joining forces and developing a new generation of warehouse robotisation is also good for the Dutch manufacturing industry."
Meanwhile, the companies are planning the next step: joining forces in Germany. Herder: "When designing the new location in the Netherlands, we immediately took into account the fact that this should be a blueprint for further expansion, also to Germany. So together with our German branch and the international experience Inther has had for 27 years in setting up intralogistics plants worldwide, we can meet the demand for automating Picnic's German operation very well. Thus, the Dutch manufacturing industry is also crossing the border."
