Dematic, a leading global supplier of automated warehouse solutions, has been recently selected by Maria Middelares vzw, a non-profit medical organization, to implement the first AutoStore™ system for the Belgian healthcare industry. The system will supply two hospitals in Ghent and Deinze and two medical centres in Aalter and Gentbrugge. Maria Middelares counts more than 400 physicians and 2,500 employees at its facilities.
Credit: Dematic
Weisstechnik Halle 21 und 22, Reiskirchen
The AutoStore™ system installed by Dematic consists of a 4.5-meter-high frame with space for up to six workstations and a capacity of over 12,000 storage containers
“This is an important step in the modernisation of our logistics processes,” notes Isabel Verniers, project manager who reports directly to the co-CEO/COO of Maria Middelares. "Our goal is to increase our operational efficiency by roughly 30 percent with the implementation of the AutoStore™ system,” explains Verniers adding, “and the high-density storage will allow us to store more stock in a smaller area and support our aim of supplying other hospitals in the future.”
The solution provides scalability, a plan to mitigate risk with back-up technology, a low total cost of ownership, and a reliable customer service package. According to Maria Middelares management, these were decisive factors in selecting the solution.
The centralisation of warehouse and pharmacy operations, with the AutoStore™ system integration playing a critical role, is intended to make the institutions run more efficiently by purchasing larger volumes, which reduces the number of deliveries to the hospitals and cuts down on traffic congestion around the hospitals.
The new logistics centre – located at a brownfield site on the De Prijkels industrial premises in Nazareth, a municipality in East Flanders – combines the storage facilities and pharmacies of hospitals located in the cities of Ghent and Deinze as well as medical centres in Gentbrugge and Aalter.
Flexible and versatile
The AutoStore system consists of a 4.5-meter-high grid with space for up to six workstations and a capacity of more than 12,000 storage bins. Initially, 6,000 bins are planned for installment with three workstations and eleven robots. By adding storage bins and robots, the storage and order picking capacity can be scaled up quickly and easily in the future.
Because Dematic offers multiple solutions for automatic storage and order picking, it was able to design a solution that matches the requirements of the hospitals. “After we analysed the specific product attributes and order pattern, we knew that the AutoStore™ solution would be the best fit,” says Stijn Wouters, a senior sales manager at Dematic.
“The system’s decisive factors were its compact size and its exceptional fit within the existing building’s dimensions. It was clear there was no better solution in terms of cost efficiency and reliability as well as AutoStore’s track record in leading to energy reduction savings,” says Wouters.
“Nearly perfect score”
The selection of Dematic was made following a thorough European tendering process, which saw several AutoStore™ partners participating. Bids were evaluated based on predefined selection criteria.
“Dematic achieved a near-perfect score both in terms of its technical solution as well as total cost of ownership, project approach, and service and aftercare,” says Verniers.
Verniers also notes that reliability and continuity are particularly critical for the two Maria Middelares sites in Ghent and Deinze. With Dematic providing a local team of service technicians, it can easily meet the strict requirements for response times. Offers Verniers, “As a hospital, it is important that any sudden interruptions are quickly resolved since the products picked in the AutoStore™ can be vital to our patients. We cannot afford to deliver them a day later.”
Notes Farly Orie, managing director of the BeNeLux market for Dematic, “The project is more than just technological advancement; it is a fundamental step towards more efficient and reliable healthcare logistics, which directly contributes to the health and well-being of our society. It demonstrates that we can elevate healthcare to a higher level in our market through smart automation where our logistics innovation ultimately benefits both patients and healthcare professionals.”