Vandewiele, supplier of textile machinery, is teaming up with Exotec, specialist in warehouse robots. Vandewiele wants to further automate its warehouse in Marke (Belgium) with the Skypod System. The goal: optimisation of workflow and storage space.
For decades, Vandewiele has relied on a miniload system to store small parts. Due to the increasing diversity of products and growing production requirements, the current system no longer met the required performance. So it was time for an upgrade, and the Skypod System proved to be a suitable solution for Vandewiele. Exotec's system offers an efficient solution by making better use of the available space and stacking bins in racks up to twelve metres high.
The Skypod System enables Skypods - the warehouse robots - to move around the warehouse and climb between warehouse shelves. The system is fully scalable, allowing further expansion of warehouse space in the future. Additional robots, picking stations and bins can also be easily added.
Two picking stations
The implementation of the Skypod System is precisely tailored to Vandewiele's warehouse needs. It includes two manual picking stations, a bin interface and as many as sixteen Skypods. The Skypods enable Vandewiele to pick the parts needed for their internal production and kitting significantly faster and more efficiently than before.
"We are very excited about our cooperation with Exotec," explains Thomas Van Esbroeck, assembly department manager at Vandewiele. "The Skypod System optimises our storage space, allowing our warehouse to grow with us. It will streamline production to even better meet our customers' growing demand."
Wim Vermeir, senior sales executive at Exotec: "We are delighted to be working with Vandewiele, which once again highlights the versatility of the Skypod System. In addition to its use for efficient distribution of products, it also provides a valuable solution to optimise internal production processes, such as at Vandewiele."
