Antwerp, 26 October 2023 – Exotec, a global specialist in warehouse robotics, has announced that it has been chosen by Lyreco, Europe’s leading distributor of products and services for the workplace, to equip its distribution centre in Vottem (near Liège). Lyreco’s aim is to ensure flawless order processing while improving working conditions for its staff.
Lyreco’s product range has expanded considerably in recent years. In addition to office equipment, the company supplies catering and hygiene products as well as protective equipment. As a result, its distribution centres have become much more complex. At the Vottem distribution centre, which handles orders from four to five thousand customers a day, the equipment was obsolete and had to be replaced.
‘The decision to work with Exotec was taken after around a year and a half of preparation,’ explains Olivier Deuse, Distribution Centre Manager at Lyreco Benelux. ‘We took advantage of this process to carry out an in-depth analysis of our needs and working methods, with a view to our future projects. In the end, we chose Exotec mainly for the flexibility of the Skypod© system, which can be extended quickly and without heavy investment when necessary.
Better working conditions thanks to automation
The Vottem site features Skypath conveyors and 71 Skypods, robots that move around the warehouse to help pick items and sequence ready orders to palletising bays.
To ensure that the Lyreco warehouse can continue to operate during the works, the Skypod system will be installed in several phases. The first part should be operational in June 2024. The complete solution will be completed one year later.
‘With the Skypod System, not only will our distribution centre be more efficient, but we’ll also be making progress in terms of ergonomics,’ adds Olivier Deuse. ‘Thanks to the palletising shafts that Exotec will be installing, employees will no longer have to lift and carry what can be heavy parcels. That’s a real advantage, because given the shortage on the labour market, it’s very important that we can offer good working conditions.’
‘We are delighted that Lyreco has chosen us once again, after having been selected to automate their distribution centre in Mayenne, France with the Skypod system,’ says Rémy Malchirand, EVP Sales Western Europe at Exotec. ‘In addition to the Skypod Sytem, we will be drawing on our experience as a complete solution integrator to install all the equipment needed to operate the warehouse, including packaging machines, conveyors and palletising stations.
About Exotec
Exotec is an integrator of innovative robotic solutions for the warehouses of the world’s leading brands. The company offers flexible warehouse automation to improve operational efficiency and profitability. Exotec’s flagship solution, the Skypod system, uses robots that can reach heights of up to 12 metres to enable high-density storage and retrieval of stock. Exotec supports more than 30 leading brands in the e-commerce, food, retail, manufacturing and outsourced logistics sectors.
manufacturing and 3PL sectors. To date, Exotec has secured $446 million in financing from leading investors, including Goldman Sachs, 83North, Dell Technologies Capital, Iris Capital, 360 Capital Partners and Breega.
To contact the Exotec team, please email us at communication@exotec.com.
You can also follow Exotec on Twitter and LinkedIn.
About Lyreco
Lyreco, privately owned since 1926, is a distributor of products and services for the workplace. The group operates directly in 25 countries in Europe and Asia. Lyreco’s 10,000 employees share a common mission: to be pioneers and sustainably committed to meeting customers’ needs in their working environment and enabling them to focus on their priorities.
To find out more about Lyreco, click here.