Rhenus launches new project with AMR manufacturer Geek+
Rhenus Warehousing Solutions has launched a new project with global AMR manufacturer Geek+ at the Rhenus Innovation Hub.
The project deploys autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) to transport small and flat packaged goods as a ‘tote-to-person’ solution (TTP). The official go-ahead for the project makes Rhenus the first company in Hong Kong to use both TTP & GTP solutions from Geek+ in its real-time operations.
Rhenus Innovation Hub Hong Kong launches new AMR project with Geek+ in cooperation with Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC)Rhenus Innovation Hub Hong Kong launches new AMR project with Geek+ in cooperation with Hong Kong Productivity Council (HKPC).
The Rhenus Innovation Hub in Hong Kong is a platform for innovation and company-wide warehouse solutions. The innovation hub is not separated from daily business operations but is integrated in ongoing activities so that new ideas can be introduced immediately. Rhenus Warehousing Solutions used intelligent AMR units from Geek+ as a ‘goods-to-person’ solution (GTP) in their initial joint project in 2021 in order to meet growing demands the customer, cosmetics producer Rituals, had in their omni-channel business. AMRs transport the entire rack directly to the relevant workstation, eliminating the need for employees to spend time picking the goods from the warehouse. The robot management system also provides support when planning various storage and picking tasks: the system learns from the current project order, compares to optimal projects in the data bank, and optimises both the warehouse and handling processes based on this.
With the support from HKPC, the partners have now begun a second AMR project together: two kinds of TTP AMRs are being introduced into current operations. The larger robot, the RS5, transports a large number of totes with goods from the warehouse area to a defined transit location. P-40, the smaller AMR, takes over from there and moves the containers from the transport area to the workstation efficiently, where employees continue to process the goods or package them. The TTP principle is suitable for transporting small items or articles of clothing that have been packed flat. As a result, the Rhenus business site is the first in Hong Kong to deploy this kind of combined AMR solution in real time.
“By integrating the TTP solution into the warehouse and the processes at the Rhenus Innovation Hub, we’re achieving a marked increase in efficiency at the site both for ourselves and for our customers,” says Dennis Mak, Director of Rhenus Warehousing Solutions & Distribution Greater China, explaining the advantages. Customers also benefit from the fact that Rhenus can offer and integrate the synergies and ideas from the Innovation Hub as a complete solution in different regions and for different products. These overall solutions not only include intelligent warehouse handling, but also other elements such as marketplace integration, order management, ERP/WMS integration and AMR picking solutions. Rhenus is planning to expand this combination in its range of services to an even greater extent across different divisions and countries in line with the Blue Ocean Strategy in future so that it can supply the best results for its customers in the long term and become a pioneer in automated warehousing solutions.
