Apotea and SSI SCHAEFER Continue Long-Term Partnership
SSI SCHAEFER implements e-commerce warehouse in Varberg for Sweden’s largest online pharmacy
Efficient order processing through A-Frames, ergonomic work stations, a shuttle warehouse, an automated small parts warehouse, robotics and WAMAS logistics software
A flexible system and discrete picking for fast deliveries, best quality, and first-rate service
Apotea is Sweden's largest online pharmacy and accounts for about half of the market share when it comes to e-commerce in the pharmacy market. In 2023, together with the intralogistics expert SSI SCHAEFER, the distribution center in Morgongåva, Sweden, was optimized, doubling its performance. However, demand in e-commerce continues to increase rapidly, and capacities keep getting tighter. In order to be able to process up to 50,000 more orders a day, a new warehouse is being built in Varberg with the target to reduce the delivery times to the southwest of Sweden. SSI SCHAEFER’s highly efficient system will enable Apotea to achieve short cycle times, fast deliveries and an excellent level of service.
The plan is to create a highly automated solution which combines several cutting-edge technologies and can grow alongside the online pharmacy in the future: An SSI Cuby shuttle warehouse with around 87,000 storage locations and an automated small parts warehouse with almost 45,000 storage locations will ensure high availability and throughputs as well as optimum use of space. Automatic picking using A-Frame systems and piece-picking robots will maximize productivity.
For the ergonomic and gentle handling of non-throwable items, Advanced Pick Stations one-level will be integrated – this reduces picking errors to almost zero, and parallel picking into four order bins is possible without any problems. Ergonomic work stations will also ensure efficient processes in goods-in and when checking prescription drugs. Discrete picking allows all orders to be picked directly into the shipping cartons in 4 different sizes, automatically reduced in volume, sealed, labelled, and sent to goods-out. The seamless connection of all areas will be guaranteed through conveying systems.
Apotea also benefits from smooth software processes in the new e-commerce warehouse: At the heart of the system will be the WAMAS Warehouse Control System (WCS) logistics software, which provides optimum support for a wide range of picking scenarios. Moreover, the WAMAS Control Center can be used to monitor and control all processes – enabling warehouse management at the highest level.
Apotea’s CEO, Pär Svärdson, can hardly wait for the go-live: “We have already been working with SSI SCHAEFER for a long time and are convinced that the new warehouse will also perfectly meet our requirements. The solution was flexibly tailored to our needs. This means we can continue to offer our customers first-rate service in the future and are well prepared for further growth.”
For Apotea, the new warehouse in Varberg is an important forward-looking step and another milestone in the partnership with SSI SCHAEFER. Installation starts in the third quarter of 2024, and the system is planned to start operating in 2025.