Dematic, a global supplier of integrated automated technology, software and services to optimize the supply chain, announces plans to implement an automated meat buffering and storage solution in a meat processing facility for Australian Lamb Company. The new Dematic system will be used to buffer meat products in a chilled and frozen environment and prepare shipments of meat products going to hotels, restaurants, butchers, and supermarket chains. It is scheduled to start up during the 2nd quarter of 2019.

The Dematic Meat Buffer storage and handling solution will provide better visibility of product flow and accuracy, as well as improvement in efficiency at the meat processing facility. The system includes Dematic iQ Warehouse Execution Software, host interface, and Dematic Multishuttle, an automated case storage/retrieval sub-system.

The key benefits of the new solution include: reduction in time and complexity during the pallet building process, reduced manual handling and potential for product damage, improved overall productivity and inventory accuracy, as well as eliminating the need for staff to operate in a freezer environment. “The Multishuttle automated storage and retrieval system is the fastest, most flexible compact solution that is able to buffer and deliver fully sequenced meat cartons to further automation,” said Dale Smith, Chief Financial Officer and Director at Australian Lamb Company. “And with a simple and proven interface to our host system, the Dematic software functionality accommodates our operational requirements”.

“One of the main challenges for meat processors today is building, sorting, storing and retrieving SKU pallets; it is a very time consuming and manual process performed by staff,” said Tom Swovick, Market Development Director at Dematic. “The Dematic Multishuttle ASRS solution automates and simplifies the process by automatically buffering, sorting, storing and retrieving pallet lots.”