Advanced professionalization (hyper logistics) of warehousing in the cold chain industry – warehousing solutions with AS/RS and STV

📦 A recurring theme in cold storage is effectively storing an ever-expanding range of goods in a limited space. The diversity of frozen food SKUs and the trend toward smaller orders exacerbate the challenge of handling the required quantities with traditional fixed racking and floor storage methods.

🧊 When we talk about food SKUs, we're referring to the specific storage units of food products. Every different type of food product, including different brands, package sizes, and varieties, has its own SKU. For example, a package of frozen pizza of a particular brand, size, and variety has a unique SKU that distinguishes it from other products.

📊 SKU stands for “Stock Keeping Unit”. An SKU is a unique identifier used to identify a specific item in a company's inventory. This identifier helps with managing and tracking stock levels in the warehouse.

🥶 The term “Food SKU” is particularly relevant in the food industry and cold chain logistics, as these sectors handle a wide variety of products, all of which must be individually tracked and managed. Effective SKU management is crucial for accurate inventory control, efficient storage, and fast order fulfillment.

💡 In summary, an SKU is simply a specific identifier for a single food product within an inventory system, used for precise management and tracking.

🌍 As we have recently seen in the industry worldwide, building resilience in the supply chain has become a key concern, further motivating retailers to take precautions against infrastructure risks and environmental hazards.

🤖 In the ever-evolving landscape of industrial technology, the cold chain industry is a prime example of adaptation and innovation. With the constantly increasing demand for efficiency, speed, and precision, warehouse automation has emerged as a transformative solution. Among the numerous automation tools available, automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) and sorting and transport vehicles (STV) have played a key role in revolutionizing warehousing processes in the cold chain industry.

🧩 Unique challenges and opportunities

🍦 The cold chain industry encompasses a wide range of products, including perishable goods such as dairy products, frozen foods, and fresh fruits and vegetables. Unlike conventional warehouses, storing refrigerated food requires precise temperature control, strict inventory management, and rapid order fulfillment to ensure product quality and safety standards.

🔄 Cold storage facilities serving supermarkets and restaurant chains have a high product mix, small batch sizes, and fast inventory turnover. Crucial to this process is managing goods based on expiration dates, best-before dates, and delivery information – a continuous flow of pallet storage, retrieval, and order picking based on specifications.

🚀 Traditionally, cold storage facilities relied heavily on manual labor for tasks such as order picking, packing, and inventory management. However, this approach often led to inefficiencies, higher labor costs, and a greater risk of errors. With the advent of automation technologies, the industry has undergone a transformation toward more streamlined and efficient operations.

📦🤖 AS/RS and STV: Efficiency in warehouse logistics

AS/RS and STV are abbreviations used in the field of warehouse logistics and automation. AS/RS and STV enable highly automated and efficient warehouse logistics that meet the requirements of modern supply chain management processes. Here is a brief explanation of both terms:

1. AS/RS (Automated Storage and Retrieval System)

AS/RS, or Automated Storage and Retrieval System, refers to an automated system for storing and retrieving goods. These systems utilize various technologies such as stacker cranes, robots, conveyor belts, and inventory management software. They improve the efficiency, accuracy, and speed of warehouse processes while reducing space requirements and labor costs. AS/RS systems are used in various industries, including manufacturing, retail, and distribution.

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• Rack storage – Storage and racking systems – Automated storage and retrieval systems

2. STV (Shuttle Transport Vehicle)

STV, or shuttle transport vehicle, is an automated guided vehicle (AGV) system used in automated warehouses. These vehicles move within a warehouse system to transport goods between different storage locations, workstations, or storage and retrieval points. Shuttle systems are particularly efficient at handling small to medium quantities of items and can be used in multi-story warehouse structures. They contribute to reducing storage cycle times and increasing overall storage capacity.

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• Top Ten Vertical & Horizontal AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) & Robot Shuttle Systems
• Automatic Pallet Shuttle System (PSS) for fully automated pallet warehouse shuttle rack storage system (SRL)
• Storage solutions: Scalable shuttle technology in the storage technology of standard pallets and half pallets in high-bay warehouses

Ice-cold innovation: Aryzta's contribution to smart frozen food logistics and sustainability in the bakery industry – Image: Smurfit Kappa Deutschland GmbH

Aryzta has established itself as a leading manufacturer of frozen bakery products in Europe and is driving forward with innovative concepts to meet the industry's challenges in logistics, environmental protection, and cost efficiency. One of its latest achievements in this area is the implementation of an advanced packaging solution that enables a significant reduction in CO2 emissions while simultaneously generating substantial financial savings.

More information here:

• Sustainability meets innovation: Aryzta's contribution to greener frozen food logistics

🧤 AS/RS systems are the foundation of warehouse automation, offering unparalleled efficiency in storage and retrieval operations. These systems utilize a combination of storage racks, automated shuttles, and cranes to store and retrieve goods precisely and quickly, focusing on high volume and storage efficiency.

🚨 In the context of the cold chain industry, AS/RS offer several crucial advantages

1. Temperature control

AS/RS are designed to operate seamlessly in refrigerated environments, thus preserving temperature-sensitive goods throughout the entire storage and retrieval process.

2. Optimized space utilization

By effectively utilizing vertical space, AS/RS systems enable cold chain warehouses to maximize storage capacity without expanding their physical footprint. This is particularly important in urban areas where space is limited and land costs are high.

3. Improved inventory management

AS/RS are equipped with advanced inventory tracking and management capabilities that allow warehouse managers to monitor stock levels in real time and optimize stock rotation to minimize waste.

4. Increased throughput

With automated picking processes, AS/RS reduces the time required to fulfill orders, improving overall throughput and customer satisfaction.

🚗 Sorting and Transfer Vehicles (STV): Navigating the Cold Storage Area

In addition to AS/RS (Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems), sorting and transfer vehicles (STVs), a rail-guided transport system, play a key role in improving the efficiency and flexibility of warehouse operations in the cold chain. STVs are capable of transporting goods between storage racks and picking stations with minimal human intervention.

🌐 How STV is transforming the storage of chilled food

1. Dynamic memory access

STVs seamlessly transport goods to and from an AS/RS. The system can autonomously navigate narrow aisles and confined spaces to deliver pallets to drop-off points, from where the AS/RS can retrieve them for storage. This flexibility enables faster picking times and smoother workflow coordination.

2. Cooperation within the company

STVs can work in collaboration with human operators and other automated equipment such as robotic arms and conveyor systems to optimize the entire order fulfillment process. This collaborative approach optimizes resource utilization and minimizes bottlenecks.

3. Improved working environments

By bringing the goods to the operators, order picking tasks can be carried out in well-lit, safe, and comfortable conditions. This increases employee well-being and satisfaction, as well as safer and more productive operations.

4. Scalability and modularity

STVs are inherently scalable, allowing cold chain warehouses to gradually expand their automation capacity as demand increases. This modular approach to automation ensures that investments remain flexible and aligned with evolving business needs.

🚀 Ushering in a new era of efficiency and reliability

The integration of AS/RS and STV represents a paradigm shift in how cold storage facilities operate. By harnessing the power of automation, these technologies enable warehouses to achieve unprecedented levels of efficiency, accuracy, and reliability.

As the cold chain industry evolves and responds to changing consumer demands and market dynamics, the adoption of warehouse automation will undoubtedly play a crucial role in driving growth and competitiveness. By implementing AS/RS and STV, cold chain manufacturers and distributors can position themselves at the forefront of innovation, delivering fresher products faster and more efficiently than ever before.

Our global intralogistics partner and expert has been providing logistics systems for refrigerated environments to a wide range of customers since 1973. Talk to us and our specialists about how we can help you transform your operations.

📣 Similar topics

• 🌡️ The evolution of cold chain logistics since the mid-20th century
• 🛠️ Technological revolutions in cold storage: An overview
• 🏷️ Food SKUs: The Art of Inventory Management in the Cold Chain
• 🌍 Global trade and the importance of robust supply chains
• 🔄 Building resilience in the cold chain industry against infrastructure risks
• 🤖 Automated storage and retrieval systems (AS/RS) in cold chain management
• 🚚 The role of sorting and transfer vehicles (STV) in modern cold storage
• 🍦 Specific requirements for the storage of perishable goods
• 📈 Increasing the efficiency of warehouse processes through automation
• 🌟 The future of the cold chain industry: Efficiency and reliability through technology

#️⃣ Hashtags: #ColdChainLogistics #FoodSKU #WarehouseAutomation #ASRSandSTV #TechnologicalInnovations

📈 The professionalization of cold chain logistics, as we know it today, has evolved over several decades. While basic forms of cold chains and refrigerated transport began as early as the 19th century, modern professionalization in cold chain logistics essentially took shape in the second half of the 20th century, particularly due to technological innovations and the increasing importance of global supply chains. Here are some key dates and developments:

🌨️ 1. Beginnings of cold chain logistics in the 19th century

As early as the 19th century, ice began to be used to cool food, especially for transporting meat. The invention of mechanical refrigeration in the late 1800s marked the beginning of serious cold chain solutions.

📈 2. Boom in the mid-20th century

1940s and 1950s

The widespread introduction of mechanical cold storage facilities and refrigerated trucks led to a significant improvement in the storage and transport of perishable goods.

1960s to 1980s

Technological improvements and increased demand for chilled and frozen foods further drove this development. Supermarkets and expanding international trade increasingly required efficient and reliable cold chains.

📈 3. Increasing professionalization since the 1970s

1970s

Companies like Daifuku began developing specialized logistics systems for refrigerated environments, which significantly improved efficiency and reliability in refrigerated logistics.

Global logistics also became more professional with the introduction of the barcode in 1973

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• The introduction of the barcode in 1973 revolutionized global logistics

Automation and digitalization

With the introduction of computerized warehouse management systems, automation technologies such as AS/RS and cold chain management software in the last three decades, professionalization has been raised to a new level.

📡 4. In the 21st century

• The integration of real-time temperature monitoring, global positioning systems (GPS) and Internet of Things (IoT) technologies has made it possible to make cold chain logistics even more precise and reliable.
• Sustainability initiatives and stricter regulatory requirements have also contributed to professionalization by promoting more transparent and environmentally friendly practices in cold chain logistics.

Welcome to Hyper Logistics with the 2D matrix code, which will replace the barcode worldwide in 2027!

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• Important information for logistics: In 2027, the Data Matrix code (2D barcode) or QR code will replace the barcode
• Conversion, retrofitting and upgrading of POS systems to the 2D code: Matrix code for supermarkets, manufacturers and packaging
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