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MAGA in the approach path
German technology remains highly regarded when it comes to rapid material handling, the elimination of weaknesses, and service quality. Following successful projects in Oklahoma and Texas, the steel trader " Steel and Pipe Supply " once again relied on saws and storage systems from the Rhine Valley in Kansas City.
Rent warehouse equipment instead of buying it
Bito is launching an offensive with an economical alternative for companies that want to re-equip, expand, or temporarily supplement their warehouse and production areas, but don't want to tie up their capital long-term: renting instead of buying is the motto. The advantages – especially in " dynamic times " – are obvious.
«Kanpai» with sake on the pharmaceutical chain
Logistics provider Yusen is presenting an expanded global platform for the healthcare sector at LogiPharma in Vienna, where companies such as Novartis, Bayer, Takeda, and hospital supplier UCB are currently participating. The platform focuses on the professional delivery of specialized healthcare solutions.
Streamlined logistics
Coop's own rail connection for urban logistics in Zurich, streamlined logistics vehicles and the outsourcing of all operating room logistics in a cooperation between the Seeschau Clinic and the Swiss Post are the projects that are entering the final sprint for this year's Swiss Logistics Award from GS1.
Vacuum technology makes mobility possible
Compressed air has traditionally been used primarily for fixed installations. Schmalz's vacuum grippers also mainly operate with lines that often have to run across halls and facilities. However, mobile robotics increasingly requires flexible solutions – a need that Schmalz now intends to address more effectively.
A foray into drive technology
Safelog, the specialists for software for controlling intralogistics processes, have entered into a cooperation with the drive experts from SEW Eurodrive at LogiMAT in order to jointly develop a high-performance software for controlling mobile and stationary processes in intralogistics.
Networking with perspectives
“Never walk alone” could be the motto of a networking event hosted by the consulting experts from “Adnovum”, where the Digital Product Passport (DPP), cybersecurity and IT opportunities with Petra Merino (GS1 Switzerland) and security expert Andreas Achterholt are on the agenda on May 7th in Zurich.
Maintenance in Austria
With a new workshop in Obersiebenbrunn near Vienna, rail manufacturer Stadler is expanding its capacity for the commissioning, approval, and servicing of modern rail vehicles in Austria. The workshop has been used to maintain Westbahn's high-speed trains since March 2026.
Idealworks pushes into the US market
Idealworks, part of the Munich-based Agile Robots Group, with more than 1,700 AMRs and AGVs worldwide and one of the pioneers in industrial automation through AI in robot-controlled logistics processes, has founded a US company headquartered in Greenville, South Carolina.
New chain belt sorting
At LogiMAT, conveyor technology provider Interroll attracted attention with a new chain-belt sorting system developed after the acquisition of Sortteq. Together with MCP Play, this creates a material flow ecosystem that combines single-item transport with intelligent sorting.
Hanging and hauling in Melbourne
Hanging and hauling in Melbourne
Following a thorough planning, construction, and implementation phase with SSI Schäfer, the clothing and homeware supplier Hanes Australasia expanded its omnichannel distribution center on the fifth continent. After 12 months, it is clear that it was the right solution – both now and in the future.
Orders are processed quickly at the distribution center, more than doubling capacity and production. This allows the facility to handle not only current peak business but also future growth. The 44,000 m² warehouse, located in a suburb of Melbourne, processes
nationwide orders and is the only warehouse in the Hanes Australasia network in Australia.
All sales channels
The expanded facility processes over 50,000 items and ships over 100,000 order lines daily across all three sales channels – wholesale, retail, and e-commerce. Hanes Australasia operates in Australia, New Zealand, China, Indonesia, and the UK with a distribution network of over 300 stores and a portfolio of online brands. The company owns some of Australia's best-known fashion and lifestyle brands, including Bonds, Berlei, and Sheridan.
Impressive overall installation
SSI Schäfer and Hanes Australasia have enjoyed a close partnership for many years; the first project was implemented in Australia in 2016. Since then, SSI Schäfer has performed on-site maintenance, and expansions and functional modifications have been made, including the implementation of a mailing bag and carton sorter in 2019.
Bags quickly filled
In 2020, Hanes Australasia approached SSI Schäfer with a request to increase its daily capacity by 60%. At that time, Hanes Australasia was operating around the clock in three shifts, making it difficult to keep up with the growing order volume and perform preventative maintenance on its equipment . Furthermore, e-commerce orders at Hanes Australasia tripled during the Covid pandemic .
the existing multi-story warehouse system handled the increased volume and order peaks well, Hanes Australasia needed more storage capacity to prepare for the plant's rising throughput and its continued growth in Australia. Hanes Australasia pursued three main objectives with this expansion: improving safety, optimizing costs and productivity, and expanding its service offerings.
Automated online processing
Sebastian Siccita, Group General Manager Logistics, Hanes Australasia: “ We knew that SSI Schäfer had the right solution for us; they were innovative in their thinking – they carefully considered what the solution should look like, and the technical expertise of the SSI Schäfer team, both on-site and in Germany, was excellent. ” A major expansion of the Hanes Australasia facility with SSI Schäfer began in 2023 and doubled the level of automation. Construction of the new facility took place in two phases, as Hanes Australasia had to maintain business operations at the site during the construction and transition phases .
Maintenance staff
The new solution from SSI Schäfer utilized the existing equipment and also incorporated a single-level SSI Cuby shuttle system and the SSI Carrier pocket sorter. The shuttle system comprises 8 aisles, 16 lifts, and 168 shuttles, providing space for 67,000 storage locations. Both systems achieve the capacity increase targeted by Hanes Australasia and support the various business units. Brett Thirup, Managing Director of SSI Schäfer Australia & New Zealand, said: “ Over the years, we have completed numerous modernization projects at the Hanes Australasia warehouse in Melbourne, and this is now the first overhead conveyor system we have implemented in the Asia-Pacific region. ”
Processing simplified
The SSI Carrier bag sorter is generally used for online orders and significantly simplifies order processing, especially during peak periods such as Black Friday. The new system, with its 15,000 bags, also achieves significant efficiency gains by reducing the number of tasks employees have to perform to manage inventory and orders.
Hanes Australasia repacks incoming goods into containers for storage. At the 12 bag loading stations, orders are transferred from a container into a bag of the SSI Carrier System. When the orders arrive at the 23 bag unloading stations, they are repacked into shipping bags for dispatch. Sebastian Siccita: " The bag sorting system was not only state-of -the-art, but also perfectly met our requirements for online retail. " Hanes Australasia is proud of the bag sorter.
All photos: SSI Schäfer
The system went live at the end of 2024, shortly before major online sales events such as Black Friday and the Australian Click Frenzy. Ed Wilding, DC & Freight Manager at Hanes Australasia, confirms: “ With the new bag and online sorting system , we are better able to serve our online customers and are well on our way to achieving our goal of dispatching 90% of orders on the same day. ” Hanes Australasia is implementing a same-day shipping approach .
Same-day shipping in 90% of cases
In addition to the overhead conveyor system and the shuttle system, SSI Schäfer's solution includes Wamas software, goods-to-person picking stations, over 50,000 containers, conveyor technology and handling systems such as stacking, label adding, carton erectors, and a quality assurance area. The existing repacking area was expanded to allow goods to be fed either to the existing shuttle system, the new shuttle system, or the SSI Carrier bag loading stations .
The new system adds eight more two-level Advanced Pick Stations, bringing the total number of these picking stations to 13. The conveyor connection between the two goods-to-person systems enables the transfer of SKU containers, thus offering greater flexibility across the entire solution.
The existing maintenance partnership with SSI Schäfer will continue, building on the high quality of service, support, reliability, and improvements delivered by the Customer Services Team over the past years. Hanes Australasia will now operate with a team of five technicians plus a team leader. The Resident Maintenance (RM) team ensures 24/7 service coverage to fully support the site's operating hours.
The RM team provides not only reactive maintenance services but also proactive services. These include a continuous improvement program, spare parts planning and provision , and end-of-life forecasting. Sebastian Siccita: “ The plant operated at full capacity during the implementation of a very complex project. And it can be said that it was one of the best projects Hanes Australasia has ever undertaken in Australasia. ”
