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In March 2025, HARTMANN France inaugurated a new logistics system at its Belleville-en-Beaujolais (Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes) site, deployed by Exotec. This modernisation is part of the growth strategy of the medical device manufacturer and distributor, which is seeking to optimise its distribution across France and Europe.
Hartmann’s Skypod system
| Surface area | Robots | Stations |
| 427m2 | 16 | 3 |
‘Today, we have a satisfactory and sustainable solution, with no apparent fragility.’
A major player in the medical sector
HARTMANN is a manufacturer and distributor of medical devices with four product divisions, most of which are manufactured in Europe, particularly in France at its Lièpvre plant (67): incontinence protection, wound care (technical dressings, care sets, compresses, etc.), infection prevention products (hydro-alcoholic solutions and disinfection products), and self-diagnostic products (thermometers, blood pressure monitors).
The company stands out for its links with the entire healthcare ecosystem in France: hospitals, retirement homes, wholesale distributors and distributors of medical equipment. Its customers include pharmacies, nursing homes, hospitals and specialist shops.
A necessary modernisation
The Belleville-en-Beaujolais logistics site, which opened in 2010, had already undergone an initial wave of automation. However, given the obsolescence of the existing system and the changes in the market over the last fifteen years, modernisation was essential to support the company’s growth. HARTMANN opted for Exotec’s Skypod® system after a call for tenders comparing different solutions on the market.
Demanding selection criteria
Several factors guided HARTMANN in its choice:
Performance and reliability
Reliability and speed were among the fundamental requirements. The system enables a considerable increase in performance in terms of the number of bins per station per hour, guaranteeing optimal order processing. This new system, which includes 16 robots, has enabled Hartmann to increase the number of order lines per hour from 300 to 450.
Ergonomics and well-being at work
The company had specific requirements regarding the ergonomics of the workstations. ‘We are constantly looking for ways to improve the working conditions of our employees,’ explains Emmanuel Desnoues, Director of Operations France at HARTMANN. ‘We have carried out in-depth work on workstations and movements.’
The results are clear to see: less repetitiveness, reduced mental workload and greater autonomy at workstations. Feedback from employees is ‘more than complimentary about the benefits derived from the solution’.
Scalability and durability
What set Exotec apart from its competitors was ‘offering a global solution with firm commitments on indicators, as well as a solution that can be upgraded over time, whether in terms of capacity or number of robots’.
One of Exotec’s key advantages is that the equipment is updated throughout the life of the contract, guaranteeing the system’s longevity.
Successful technical integration
The Exotec system coexists with other solutions within the warehouse. The major challenge was to put in place a robust infrastructure that would enable information to be exchanged between the various systems, in particular with the pre-existing WMS (Warehouse Management System).
‘We were lucky enough to find solutions that enabled the Skypod to work with both the WCS and the WMS,’ explains Emmanuel Desnoues. “Today, we have a satisfactory and sustainable solution, with no apparent weaknesses.
One of the major advantages of the Exotec system is its ease of use. Handling is described as ‘extremely short’ and ‘very intuitive’. Adaptation to the process is ‘almost instantaneous’, with only the work rate requiring time to adjust.
Tangible benefits for customers
This modernisation brings several benefits to HARTMANN customers:
- A 24-hour reduction in delivery times for all customers
- Improved processing capacity, enabling certain orders to be prioritised without reducing the level of service for others
- Greater flexibility for pharmacists, who can obtain supplies either from wholesalers or directly from HARTMANN.
This logistics modernisation illustrates HARTMANN’s determination to combine operational performance, well-being at work and optimised customer service, in a sector where reliability and responsiveness are essential.