More than 1,000 COMs sold worldwide
WITRON presented the Order Picking Machinery (OPM) system for the first time in 2003 - an invention of the company founder, Walter Winkler. The heart of the system is the Case Order Machine (COM). The thousandth COM was ordered in spring 2019.
More than 15 years ago, hardly any logistics expert or manufacturer talked about robots in the warehouse. WITRON did. Following the customers’ demands, WITRON developed the OPM system in 2003, which has since set standards as a model for robotic solutions in logistics. Over the years, the system has been continuously improved and adapted to the customer’s requirements.
In the fourth generation, which is being integrated since 2015, the focus is on the integration of E-Commerce processes, the digitalization of processes, their simulation with a digital twin and the collection and analysis of data as a decisive factor for the operator. “13 years ago, we presented - for the first time - integrated automation from receiving down to dispatch”, recalls Helmut Prieschenk, CEO of WITRON. Today, more than 115,000 pallets are stacked with the OPM system per day. “We would like to thank our customers for their trust and our employees for their commitment.”
The OPM is successfully used for order picking in the dry goods assortment, the fresh food area, and the frozen goods sector. The OPM technology generates significant advantages along the entire supply chain.
Starting with benefits within the distribution centers (high cost-efficiency and ergonomics), optimization during transportation (up to 20% more densely packed pallets or roll containers), through to synergies in the supermarket (store-friendly to pick).
Due to the modularity and flexibility of the picking system it is possible to use this technology cost-efficiently in almost all warehouse sizes without any problems - no matter if the user handles 15,000 or more than 400,000 cases per day in the distribution center - and regardless of whether the product range consists of 300 SKUs or far more than 10,000 SKUs.
