Third-party logistics provider Penske Logistics has introduced an automated order fulfillment system at a bakery distribution operation in Illinois, US.

The system, supplied by Cimcorp, automates the flow of baked goods from production through to distribution to retail stores. Previously, bread trays were unloaded, stored and picked manually, with employees handling stacks more than 2-meters high.

The automation combines Cimcorp’s MultiPick gantry robots with its warehouse control system (WCS), integrating buffer storage and order picking into a single operation. Orders are now picked at tray level, with 100% order accuracy.

The system is also expected to increase throughput and improve safety by eliminating the manual handling.

Steve Chambers, vice president of operations, distribution center management at Penske Logistics, said: “By implementing this system, we expect to see increased throughput efficiency and order-picking accuracy as well as safety benefits from eliminating the manual handling of tray stacks.”

According to Cimcorp, the automated operation has reduced labor requirements by 50%,  allowing more strategic resource allocation.

The modular system can also be scaled to meet demand peaks and accommodate long-term business growth.