Stöcklin Logistics launched Stöcklin CasePicker to address the specific product logistics challenges and opportunities now facing produce shippers.
“Until recently, varying types of containers were a major impediment to automated depalletization and subsequent direct palletization on pallets for each specific retail outlet. Conventional automated picking systems depalletized the entire pallet and separated the contents on trays in one initial step, which took a lot of extra time and increased the opportunity for product damage and waste. The Stöcklin CasePicker addresses all of these pain points plus dramatically improves throughput performance,” says Damaris Grütter, director of U.S. and Canada for Stöcklin.
From Stöcklin Logistics:
- The Stöcklin CasePicker offers a completely automated solution for distribution centers serving hundreds of retail outlets, with freshness zones from 4°C to 14°C and up to 135,000 cases/day for fruit and vegetables.
- It features a depalletizer with intelligent control that manages a unique special gripper with a suction strip and underride plate to ensures gentle and reliable case picking. In addition, the gripper allows different returnable and disposable containers to be picked immediately after another for the first time.
- Keeping with Stöcklin policy, this Stöcklin CasePicker is completely modular and scalable. Depending on the required performance, it can be upgraded by adding new modules and used in combination with other Stöcklin equipment.
- The Stöcklin CasePicker ensures that only the intended goods are picked directly from the produce pallet for the retail-outlet pallet which prevents unnecessary movement. In addition, the system speed depends on the order volume. This process optimization and variable utilization reduces the energy required in comparison to conventional solutions.
“The Stöcklin CasePicker is completely scalable and ensures simple modular integration into existing distribution centers. The number of workplaces can be reduced by two-thirds. The remaining personnel experience a considerable improvement in the quality of their workplace as well as a significantly healthier working environment. This system, therefore, provides a truly employee-friendly alternative to the prior system of strenuous manual picking,” says Lothar Käufler, head of development at Stöcklin Logistics.
