Jeff Moss, Barbara Wladarz and Jan Vercammen

Following the acquisition by the KION Group, Dematic has announced plans for integrating Egemin Automation into its organisation. The integration, which is targeted for completion by the end of calendar year 2017, will create the world's largest Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) supplier while enhancing Dematic's system integration capability in Europe. The resulting combination of technologies, talent and experience will provide customers with enhanced warehouse automation and AGV solutions.

In the first of two major integration moves, Dematic will create a Mobile Automation Center of Excellence (COE) which will combine into one global group the AGV products of Dematic, Egemin Automation, and NDC, Dematic's recent technology acquisition in Australia. The COE will also include Egemin's in-floor chain conveyor (E'tow) offerings. 

The Mobile Automation COE will be headquartered in Holland, Michigan, current home of Egemin North American operations, under the leadership of Tom Kaminski, former CEO of Egemin NA. Other COE locations will include the Egemin Automation offices in Belgium (Zwijndrecht), Germany (Bremen), France (Heillecourt) and the Netherlands (Gorinchem), as well as the Dematic offices in China (Shanghai) and Australia (Belrose). 

Jeff Moss, Dematic International CEO, says Dematic and Egemin Automation will leverage KION's market-leading position and continued investment in forklift technology to offer an unprecedented level of expertise, technology and world-class manufacturing to customers. "By combining three great brands, the Dematic Mobile Automation business is now effectively the world's leading provider of innovative AGV and warehouse technologies that will optimise the supply chain." 

In the second integration move, Egemin's warehouse automation activities (E'wds) will continue to be located in Zwijndrecht, Belgium and will be integrated into the Dematic Central Europe organisation, reporting to Barbara Wladarz, managing director, Central Europe. The Benelux team will continue to serve all European regions in the design and delivery of warehouse and distribution solutions.

Jan Vercammen will serve as vice president, business development, Dematic International. He will be responsible for business development activities and identifying and facilitating best practices throughout the Dematic International regions of Europe, China and ANZ.