Swisslog, a leading provider of warehouse automation and software, has announced that Cardinal Health will install a Swisslog Automation Solution within its new at-Home Solutions distribution center in Grove City, Ohio. The facility is part of the at-Home Solutions business’ multi-year strategy to increase warehouse capacity to accommodate its rapid growth.
The AutoStore solution will have 31,844 storage bins providing 83,000 cubic feet of storage for 14,154 SKUs. The solution will be managed by Swisslog’s SynQ software, which provides warehouse management, material flow and automation control system functionality in a single, modular platform that integrates with host systems and other warehouse software. The system is expected to be operational toward the end of this calendar year.
This will be the first Cardinal Health distribution center to feature AutoStore, making warehouse employees’ jobs less physically demanding, Swisslog added. Because the robots bring products directly to employees for packing and shipping, they help decrease human error and bring more speed to order fulfillment.
“Working with Swisslog to equip our facility with market-leading robotic automation technology like AutoStore further enhances our ability to quickly and efficiently get critical supplies and products to patients when and where they need it most,” said Rob Schlissberg, president, Cardinal Health at-Home Solutions, which provides home medical supplies, supporting patients in the home.
Schlissberg added, “As we work to accommodate the growth we’re seeing as a business, we’re taking critical steps – such as working with Swisslog – to ensure our facilities are modernized and our supply chain is as resilient and strong as possible. Technology like AutoStore is making it easier for us to manage labor shortages and helping us recruit leading technology and supply chain talent to our team, which is critical to our continued success.”
AutoStore is the fastest order fulfillment system per square foot in the market, according to Swisslog. The system is operated by autonomous robots that move on top of an aluminum cubic grid. Within this grid, storage bins are stacked on top of each other. The robots continuously pick up, rearrange and deliver bins directly to connected ports for order picking and replenishment.
“Our automation experts are working closely with the Cardinal Health team to design a solution that will continue to put at-Home Solutions customers and the patients they serve at the center of their focus,” said Sean Wallingford, President & CEO of Swisslog Americas. “As a leading integrator of AutoStore, our automation experts understand best how to optimize configurations and deployments to help ensure companies like Cardinal Health realize operational objectives and achieve the needed ROI.”
Swisslog currently has 370 AutoStore projects in over 26 countries, featuring over nine million storage bins and using over 13,000 robots. Applications range from micro-fulfillment centers to stand-alone projects and larger, fully integrated solutions. The SynQ AutoStore module has been specifically designed to manage the solution and maximize its efficiency.
