The Rewe Group aims to achieve faster, more efficient, and high-quality goods supply for customers in their markets by optimizing the warehouse network structure. In this process, Rewe is also equipping the "National Logistics Center Neu-Isenburg" with new technology and has commissioned the Witron Group to integrate a fully automated case picking system for the food retail sector called "OPM," according to a press release from the logistics technology company dated April 15. In the future, 2,200 branches will be supplied from Neu-Isenburg with 16,700 different items from the dry goods assortment, and on peak days, more than 640,000 trading units will be picked.
In a restructuring, a partially automated "case-picking" system with aisle-bound picking vehicles is being replaced by the fully automatic system "Order Picking Machinery" (OPM) from Witron. The integration of the new solution takes place during ongoing operations into the already existing material flow infrastructure.
"Rewe, together with Witron, delivered a masterpiece in realizing the logistics center in Henstedt-Ulzburg," said REWE logistics manager Lars Siebel.
And they now wanted to repeat this success in Neu-Isenburg.
From the third quarter of 2027, 22 "COM" machines will arrange 247,500 commercial units daily on pallets and roll containers, ready for store delivery. This is preceded by a "Tray" warehouse with 167,900 storage locations and 48 rack servicing units. The supply comes from an already existing automated pallet warehouse with 65,500 storage locations, which will be expanded by two more aisles with a total of 9,500 storage locations.
“The advantage of 'OPM' is that Rewe can ergonomically store and pick over 100 percent more case-picking items with an over 20 percent higher total throughput at the location in the future,” said Witron project manager Markus Lang.
The assortment in the previous solution included 3,000 different items, but there are now 7,800 products in the "OPM". The picking performance increases to 247,500 picks per day.
Furthermore, the "OPM" integration ensures efficient consolidation with piece-picking orders from the Witron container picking systems "DPS" and "OPS", as well as with large-volume items / bulky items from the Witron CPS system, added Lang. Both the "DPS" and the "CPS" have been in operation in Neu-Isenburg since 2014. The OPS was put into operation in mid-2021.
