Mars confectionery and XPO Logistics have jointly launched automated handling systems and robotics at a Mars French site.

The site at Boigny-sur-Bionne is managed by XPO and handles the storage and distribution of a wide range of Mars products.

 

The site uses a robot that can prepare 50,000 to 60,000 packages per day and minimise errors during order preparation. The setup can handle up to 10 million packages a year.

 

The robot’s articulated arm can pick up as many as five stacks of packages at once to assemble pallets with multiple product codes. Equipped with grippers and a pneumatic system, the robot ensures product safety at each stage. Nearly 90 per cent of Mars products are compatible with the automation.

 

Richard Cawston, managing director of Supply Chain, XPO Logistics Europe said: “With this new solution, we can realise efficiencies in distribution while lowering operating costs for Mars.”