Renault's Villeroy site is now fully automatedVehicle manufacturer Renault Group says it has reduced order processing time from two hours down to 15 minutes, since it equipped its French warehouses with a fleet of Exotec’s Skypod robots.
French automation specialists Exotec explain Renault Group was struggling to efficiently manage the delivery and distribution of replacement vehicle parts in Europe.
Exotec states the systems were fragmented, warehouses organised by part types rather than by geographic regions or markets, other systems were outdated, and crucially, Renault lacked a regional distribution warehouse for France, which accounts for 37% of its parts and accessories business.
The combination of these factors significantly limited Renault’s capacity to meet national demand.
Renault overhauled its operations, closing its older Cergy site making way for a new facility in Puiseux dedicated to serving European and international markets. The Flins-sur-Seine warehouse was transformed to focus on heavy and bulky parts.
Skypod system has been deployed at Villeroy
Exotec was engaged to transform and modernise Renault’s Villeroy warehouse with the installation of the Skypod system, which hosts 167 Skypod robots, 14 picking stations, two replenishment stations and 67,000 storage bins. The site processes 4,130 bins an hour with a rack height of 10.8 m – enabling the storage and picking of more than 1.6 million items.
The deployment included integrating a range of specialised machines in tandem with the Skypod system, including two carton forming machines, two closing machines, three packing list printers, two RFID shipping label printers, a wrapping machine, and 30 ergonomic grippers, enhancing operational efficiency.
Romain Moulin, CEO of Exotec, says: “We look forward to continuing our journey with Renault Group as it continues to enhance its spare parts operation”.
“The initial results following the installation of Skypod at Renault's Villeroy site are very promising, and we plan to continue this momentum as we expand our relationship,” Moulin continues.
And indeed the relationship has continued to grow with Exotec now deploying 89 Skypod robots at Renault Deutschland AG's new automated warehouse in Brühl to supply car dealers across Germany with spare parts.
This marks the first time Renault has used an automated warehouse in Germany.