Cimcorp, a manufacturer and integrator of turnkey robotic order fulfillment and tire-handling solutions, announces it will install its MultiPick materials handling solution for Synlait Milk (NZX: SML; ASX: SM1) at its new liquid milk production facility in Dunsandel, New Zealand. As part of a project with food packaging and processing integrator Tetra Pak, the solution will fully automate Synlait’s order picking process, optimizing material flow and throughput from production to dispatch.
Synlait is a young, pioneering New Zealand-based company that combines expert farming with state-of-the-art processing. It produces a range of nutritional milk products that benefit the health and wellbeing of its global customers. Since 2008, its Dunsandel site has grown to become one of the largest integrated infant formula sites in the world. To expand its product portfolio to include liquid milk, Synlait is building a new production and packaging facility.
Neil Betteridge, Director Operations, Synlait, said, “We’re excited to work with Cimcorp and Tetra Pak to automate the order picking process within our new production facility. The speed and precision offered through automated materials handling will help us streamline operations and maximize the freshness of our new liquid milk products. It will also improve the health and safety of our people, as staff will not be required in cold storage areas for long periods of time. We’ll have a modern facility, ready to meet the demands of today’s food supply chain.”
Notably, the highly efficient MultiPick system will enable Synlait to transport 1,800 crates from inventory to loading every hour and easily meet production rates of 7,000 crates per day. At the core of the solution will be Cimcorp’s Warehouse Control System (WCS), which will provide control over all inventory management, system functions and pick planning, as well as integration with the order management system.
Derek Rickard, Distribution Sales Manager, Cimcorp, said, “With an automated picking process, Synlait will be able to significantly increase its order fulfillment speed and shorten its lead times, resulting in maximized product shelf life – a critical aspect of the dairy business. Moreover, the WCS software will help Synlait not only optimize material flow with advanced control over product movement and order accuracy, but also collect and provide traceable data to support food safety requirements.”
Installation of the system will commence in the first quarter of 2019.
About Synlait
Synlait is a young, pioneering New Zealand-based company that is shifting perceptions of sustainability among dairies, people and the planet. Synlait combines expert farming with state-of-the-art processing to produce a range of nutritional milk products that provide genuine benefits for the health and wellbeing of its global customers. Since production started in 2008, its Dunsandel site has grown to become one of the largest integrated infant formula sites in the world. It plays a vital part in the economic fabric of Canterbury, New Zealand.
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. For more information, visit www.cimcorp.com.