Swisslog

Swisslog is a global company with Swiss roots, specializing in the delivery of logistics automation for warehouses and distribution centers. Headquartered in Buchs, Aargau, Switzerland, Swisslog provides automation products and services in more than 25 countries. As part of the KUKA Group, a German robotics and automation supplier, Swisslog has a workforce of more than 14'000 people.

Swisslog
IndustryAutomated Material Handling
Founded1900
HeadquartersBuchs AG, Switzerland
Key people
  • Dr. Christian Baur (CEO)
  • Andreas Küffer (CFO)
ProductsLogistics automation, Material handling
Number of employees
2,100 (2019)[1]
ParentKUKA
Websitewww.swisslog.com

History

Swisslog's roots trace back to Sprecher + Schuh AG, founded in the year 1900 in the Swiss town of Aarau. Initially the company's primary area of activity was energy distribution.[2]

Beginning in the mid-1980s, its core business were sold to the French Alstom Group and the U.S. company Rockwell/Allen-Bradley. Increasingly, Sprecher + Schuh began to focus on automation technology, today’s core business. Acquisitions such as Translift, Digitron and OWL expanded the group.

In 1994, Sprecher + Schuh changed its name to Swisslog and established itself as a global provider of automation systems for hospitals, warehouses and distribution centers.

The years that followed saw a series of acquisitions, allowing Swisslog to sell its own products and shift from an integrator to a supplier of its own automated material handling equipment. Swisslog acquired a leading manufacturer of conveyor systems, Accalon in 2007 and light goods logistics specialist EVOmatic in 2009.

In December 2014, KUKA, a leading global supplier in the fields of robotics, automation and systems engineering, acquired Swisslog. Swisslog then secured warehouse automation system integrator FORTE in April 2015, before becoming fully integrated in the KUKA Group in August 2015.

Swisslog went on to acquire market leader in pallet shuttle automated storage and retrieval system, PAS in 2016. By the end of 2016 the Chinese Midea Group acquired the majority of the KUKA Group. In May 2017, Swisslog acquired Dutch conveyor business Easy Conveyors.

Since the end of 2019, the Swisslog Healthcare business unit has operated under their own brand, focusing on healthcare facilities and hospitals. Swisslog Logistics Automation operates in the areas of intralogistics, production logistics and supply chain.

Products & Services

Swisslog's products include logtistics automation systems to move cases, pallets and individual items such as automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS), conveyor systems, depalletizing and palletizing systems, single-item picking systems and its inventory management and material flow software, SynQ. Swisslog also provides services such as consulting, concept studies, project implementation and customer service and SAP EWM[3] As an integrator, Swisslog has sold the most AutoStore projects globally compared to other partners.[4]

Swisslog's products also include robotic technologies for automated item picking and order picking:

  • ItemPiQ

ItemPiQ handles the repeated picking and placing of products weighting up to 1.5kg from a source into a target bin or carton, using a multi-function gripper. It is applicable in industries such as retail, e-commerce and pharmaceutical industries.

  • ACPaQ

ACPaQ creates store-friendly mixed case pallets in both ambient temperature and chilled warehouse zones. It can handle most types of cartons, shrink wrapper or foiled packages, and pallet types used in retail & beverage industries.

Key customers

Notable awards
  • Seamless Middle East Award in the category of Best Digital Transformation & Innovation Solution of the Year for its SynQ Warehouse Management Software (WMS) Application: Virtual Reality Training Manager (2020)[5]
  • German Logistics Award for dm-drogerie markt with the Swisslog ACPaQ solution (2020)[6]
  • German Innovation Award for ACPaQ solution (2020)[7]
  • Logistics Middle East Magazine Materials Handling Equipment of the Year Award (2019)[8]
  • Supply Chain Innovation of the Year at Supply Chain Asia Industry Awards (2018)[9]
  • LogiMAT - Best Product with Swisslog Condition Monitoring (2017)[10]
  • Hannover Messe (HMI) Industriepreis for Automated ItemPiQ (2016)[11]
  • Coca-Cola Excellent Supplier Award (2016)
  • Logistics Technology Award for CarryPick (2015)
  • Technical Innovation Award at the UK Warehousing Association Awards for AutoStore (2014)[12]
  • Texas Instruments Supplier Excellence Award (2013)[13]

Locations

Swisslog has locations in:[14]

Europe

  • Austria, Sipachzell
  • Belgium, Edegem
  • Croatia, Zagreb
  • Denmark, Nibe
  • Finland, Espoo
  • France, Paris
  • Germany, Dortmund
  • Italy, Maranello
  • Italy, Sesto San Giovanni
  • Italy, Cuneo
  • Netherlands, Zaltbommel
  • Norway, Oslo
  • Spain, Barcelona
  • Sweden, Boxholm
  • Sweden, Partille
  • Switzerland, Buchs AG (Global Headquarter)
  • United Kingdom, Redditch

Asia & Oceania

  • Australia, Sydney
  • China, Shanghai
  • Malaysia, Kuala Lumpur (South East Asia Headquarters)
  • Singapore
  • Thailand, Bangkok
  • Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh City

Americas

  • Mexico, Mexico City (Latin America Office)
  • USA, Newport News (Americas Regional Office)
  • USA, Mason (Midwest Office)
  • USA, Salida (West Cost Office)

Africa & Middle East

  • United Arab Emirate, Dubai

References
  1. "Swisslog Facts & Figures". swisslog.com.
  2. "History of Swisslog". swisslog.com.
  3. "Swisslog Products & Solutions". swisslog.com.
  4. "AutoStore - Cases". autostoresystem.co.
  5. "Swisslog recognised for digital logistics solution".
  6. "Der Deutsche Logistik-Preis 2020 geht an dm-drogerie markt".
  7. "German Innovation Award for ACPaQ Solution". german-innovation-award.de.
  8. "Swisslog takes home MHE Supplier of the Year at Logistics ME Awards". logisticsmiddleeast.com.
  9. "Supply Chain Transformation of the Year Award". supplychainasia.org.
  10. "Best Product with Swisslog Condition Monitoring". logimat-messe.de.
  11. "Swisslog wins the 2016 INDUSTRIEPREIS for Automated Item Pick". logisticsmgmt.com.
  12. "Technical Innovation Awar at the UK Warehousing Association Awards for AutoStore". warehousenews.co.uk.
  13. "Texas Instruments Supplier Excellence Award". ti.com.
  14. "Swisslog Locations". swisslog.com.
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