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Leading distribution automation specialist earns award for helping the Finnish brewery optimize warehouse storage capacity, order fulfillment accuracy and overall efficiency
GRIMSBY, Ontario—June 25, 2019—Cimcorp, a manufacturer and integrator of turnkey robotic order fulfillment and tire-handling solutions, has been named a 2019 SDCE 100 Top Supply Chain Projects award winner by Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine. The annual list showcases projects that exemplify supply chain excellence and serve as a map for executives who are looking for new opportunities to drive improvement in their own operations. In its second year on the list, Cimcorp was recognized for helping Olvi Brewery (Olvi) in Finland automate its warehouse, optimizing storage capacity and order fulfillment speed and accuracy.
A 140 year–old traditional brewery, Olvi faced significant challenges in managing warehouse storage and operations due to SKU proliferation, as well as seasonal fluctuations in business and new consumer demands for smaller, more frequent orders—all of which put a strain on its manual processes. Working with Olvi to switch to automation, Cimcorp installed an order picking system, including a combination of gantry robots and advanced warehouse control software.
By automating, Olvi doubled its storage capacity to accommodate up to 13,800 pallets—with room for future growth. Additional updates helped Olvi meet an increased annual capacity from 100 million liters to 178 million, with a plan to hit 200 million by 2020. The system’s flexibility means it can also adapt to variations in order volumes and frequency during seasonal peaks and lows. Further, the warehouse control system houses data on all products movements, providing traceability to meet food safety requirements.
Kai Tuomisaari, Vice President, Sales, Cimcorp Oy, said, “Today’s warehouses and distribution centers are facing an unprecedented number of challenges, ranging from SKU proliferation and seasonality, to labor shortages and heightened consumer demands. Companies like Olvi are finding automation—including hardware and software—to be not only an ideal, but also necessary, solution to overcome such challenges and maintain efficiency in these modern times.”
“Every year our list of submissions for the SDCE 100 continues to grow as more companies rely on the expertise of supply management for innovative decision-making. Our winners raise the bar for what is achievable in the supply chain,” said John R. Yuva, Editor for Supply & Demand Chain Executive. “With a variety of company sizes and industry sectors represented, our Top 100 are leading examples for how to approach and solve supply chain challenges. Congratulations to our 2019 winners and the projects that delivered greater operational efficiencies and bottom-line results across the supply chain.”
The full list of 2019 SDCE 100 winners is available on SDCExec.com and in the June issue of Supply & Demand Chain Executive magazine.
About Supply & Demand Chain Executive
Supply & Demand Chain Executive is the executive’s user manual for successful supply and demand chain transformation, utilizing hard-hitting analysis, viewpoints and unbiased case studies to steer executives and supply management professionals through the complicated, yet critical, world of supply and demand chain enablement to gain competitive advantage. Visit us on the web at www.SDCExec.com.
About Cimcorp
Cimcorp Group – part of Murata Machinery, Ltd. (Muratec) – is a leading global supplier of turnkey automation for intralogistics, using advanced robotics, material handling and software technologies. As well as being a manufacturer and integrator of pioneering material handling systems for the tire industry, Cimcorp has developed unique robotic solutions for order fulfillment and storage for the food & beverage, retail, e-commerce, fast-moving consumer goods (FMCG) and postal services sectors. Together with its parent company, Cimcorp boasts a worldwide network of service locations. Designed to reduce operating costs, ensure traceability and improve efficiency, these systems are used within manufacturing and distribution centers in over 40 countries across six continents.
