Renault Group positions itself at the forefront of innovation in automotive logistics with Exotec

• Renault Group chooses Exotec to automate the Villeroy Parts and Accessories Logistics site. The integration of this next-generation solution is a first for a carmaker, and a further step in the technological transformation of the Renault Group.
• This 100% French collaboration enables the Group to ensure the highest levels of customer satisfaction. The 191 Skypod^® robots will automate the flow of parts from reception to dispatch, cutting customer order processing time by a factor of 6.
• This ‘good to men’ solution not only improves working conditions for employees, but also reduces the site’s energy consumption by 30% compared with the traditional solution.

Villeroy, 7 June 2024 – Today, at its largest aftersales warehouse in Villeroy, Renault Group is unveiling its new-generation, 100% automated logistics tool, equipped with a system from Exotec, a French industrial robotics company. This collaboration is a world first for a car manufacturer. Skypod^® robots make the work of operators easier by carrying out all machine handling at height and delivering parts without the risk of falling. As a result, the time taken to prepare orders for parts is cut by a factor of 6, and the storage area on site is reduced.

‘We are proud to be working with Exotec to equip our supply chain with Skypod® robots, positioning our Villeroy site at the cutting edge of innovation. Thanks to this solution and the teams in place, we will be able to increase the number of orders served by 25% and reinforce our commitment to customer satisfaction, which remains a priority for us’, Xavier Lhors, Director of After-Sales Logistics at Renault Group.

‘The collaboration between Renault Group and Exotec brings together one of France’s leading car manufacturers and an emerging leader in French robotics logistics. Together, we have brought together French industrial know-how and the determination to take it into a new era. We are proud to be working with Renault Group, a major player in its sector, whose confidence demonstrates Exotec’s ability to meet the complex and specific needs of its customers. The flexibility and agility of our Skypod^® system, enabling it to adapt to changes in production, is an asset for players in the automotive sector who want greater operational comfort and greater efficiency’, Thomas Genestar, Managing Director, Western Europe, Exotec.

A more flexible logistics solution

An innovative new-generation logistics solution, Exotec’s offering stands out for its flexibility and adaptability to changing production needs. Capable of adjusting in real time by adding storage modules, robots or modifying conveyors, the Exotec solution is perfectly suited to the dynamic requirements of daily operations at the Villeroy site.

Exotec’s robots are autonomous and have advanced navigation and handling capabilities. Their compact design and agility enable them to move quickly and efficiently in complex logistics environments, particularly in the presence of other equipment and workers.

Currently, 191 robots are deployed on the Villeroy site, depending on specific needs, whether for picking, inventory, storage or compacting. Exotec offers a flexible, scalable solution for managing product flows in logistics centres.

A three-stage automated solution

Robots now play a central role, from managing the storage of bins to making them available to operators for order preparation:

• Injection: Pallets destined for storage in the plant are automatically injected into 60-litre bins. These bins are then transported by a robot which places them in the storage racks.
• Picking: When customer orders are received, picking tasks are assigned to the picking stations. A robot then retrieves the reference numbers of the items ordered and takes them to the picking stations. This operation is repeated for each item included in the order.
• Shipping: Once the items have been prepared, the parcels are transported to the shipping area, where they are sealed and taken to the shipping docks to be loaded onto trucks.

As well as helping to improve working conditions and the safety of operators at the Villeroy site, this new facility is a tailor-made response to the needs and requirements of Renault Group customers: shorter delivery times for an ever more efficient after-sales service.

The Villeroy logistics site at the top of its game:

• At its peak, the facility is capable of preparing almost 4,000 order lines per hour with 14 picking stations.
• The preparation time for an order (from start to delivery of the parcel to dispatch) is 20 minutes. Previously, this operation took 2 hours.
• The choice of Exotec means that the site’s energy consumption can be reduced by 30% compared with the traditional solution, thanks in particular to the elimination of handling equipment, which has been replaced by robots that consume less energy.
• The Villeroy logistics site now handles up to 40,000 order lines a day with 110,000 references, including 20,000 references managed by the new logistics tool, covering the Group’s latest models (Scenic, Rafale, etc.) as well as older models, enabling us to offer all our customers maintenance or repair solutions with the highest level of service.

Contacts

Renault Group Media Relations

• Juliette Faucon | +33 7 89 27 09 92 | Juliette.faucon@renaut.com
• Paul Jacobsoone | +33 6 82 76 23 96 | Paul.jacobsoone@renault.com

Exotec Media Relations

• Manon Cholat-Serpoud | +33 1 41 34 23 31 | pr_exotec@hopscotch.fr
• Corentin Faniel | +33 1 41 34 22 86 | pr_exotec@hopscotch.fr

About Renault

Renault Group is at the forefront of the reinvention of mobility. Backed by its Alliance with Nissan and Mitsubishi Motors, and its unique expertise in electrification, Renault Group draws on the complementary strengths of its 4 brands – Renault – Dacia – Alpine and Mobilize – to offer its customers innovative, sustainable mobility solutions. With operations in more than 130 countries, the Group sold 2.235 million vehicles in 2023. It employs nearly 106,000 people who embody its raison d’être on a daily basis, so that mobility brings us closer together.

Ready to take on challenges on the road as well as in competition, the Group is committed to an ambitious, value-creating transformation. This is centred on the development of new technologies and services, and a new range of even more competitive, balanced and electrified vehicles. In line with environmental challenges, Renault Group aims to achieve carbon neutrality in Europe by 2040.

For more information: https://www.renaultgroup.com/fr/

About Exotec

Exotec designs goods-to-person robotic solutions for warehouses of the world’s leading brands. The company combines the best of hardware and software to provide flexible systems that enhance operational efficiency, resilience, and working conditions for operators. Plus de 50 marques leader dans leur secteur dont Carrefour, Decathlon, Gap et Uniqlo, font confiance à Exotec pour améliorer leurs opérations et gérer de manière rentable les changements rapides des modèles commerciaux et des attentes des clients.

To know more : Exotec.com.