Go back to all articles
Stories

Premier Tech Systems and Automation

Robots lend a helping hand to the pharmacy division of METRO

Premier Tech Systems and Automation equipment
Premier Tech

In 2021, Premier Tech Systems and Automation was selected by METRO to automate palletization operations at its distribution centre in Varennes, Québec — which supplies some 650 pharmacies.

Although this was the first time that Premier Tech Systems and Automation had applied its technology to such a large-scale distribution centre, a relatively new type of client for the business group, the project was a resounding success.

Automating the palletization system in a way that allowed to optimize order preparation and increase overall efficiency had become a number one priority. To meet the needs of METRO, Premier Tech Systems and Automation installed eight rail-mounted robotic cells capable of preparing 80 orders at a time on a continuous basis.

— Premier Tech Systems and Automation installed eight rail-mounted robotic cells capable of preparing 80 orders at a time on a continuous basis. —

Thanks to this solution, 16 additional orders are now prepared simultaneously by the robots 24 hours a day, six days a week — a major gain in capacity.

Installation at the Varennes facility also went seamlessly.

“We were able to install the robot cells one by one over an extended period of time. This meant the solution could be built in sequence without interfering with ongoing distribution centre operations.”
— Pierre-Luc Bouillon, project manager at Premier Tech Systèmes Automatisés

The project, which showcases the ingenuity of the Premier Tech Systems and Automation teams, was an immediate success.

“The solution that Premier Tech designed and installed gave us the adaptability to increase our production when needed. The efficiency and the precision of the robots are impressive. The project has become an inspiration for future projects of this type.”
— Martin Chagnon, vice-president logistics and distribution — pharmacy division of METRO

*This story is from the Premier Tech Report 2023.