E.Leclerc Seclin: Revolutionising Drive-through Grocery with Robotics
Transforming the customer experience with the Next Generation Skypod® system
Food & grocery warehouse automation
One partner. One platform. Your entire food supply chain, orchestrated.
Stores, click-and-collect, home delivery, proximity formats: your network is changing faster than your infrastructure. Our Skypod® system, powered by Deepsky® WES, connects receiving, storage, picking and shipping into one scalable system, built to adapt as your flows evolve.
Trusted by more than 75 leading brands, including:
Can your automation keep pace with your changing network?
Volumes are still growing, but complexity is growing faster. Hypermarkets are no longer the growth engine. Home delivery, click-and-collect, proximity stores and pickup points are. Many of these channels were built with far less automation than central distribution centres. The result: more SKUs, more delivery points, smaller orders, higher service expectations, and teams that are harder to recruit and retain.
Grocers typically plan automation and target payback within ten years. Yet in that time, your network will change. A single store acquisition can redraw your transport plan. New formats shift your split between pallet, case and unit orders. Sales forecasts keep getting more volatile.
- Rising complexity: Volume is growing, but it’s spread across more, smaller delivery points
- Multiple formats, one building: Store replenishment, click-and-collect and home delivery now share the same warehouse.
- A network in motion: Store acquisitions and new formats mean more delivery points, smaller orders and less predictable volumes.
- Labour shortage: Turnover and absenteeism hit hardest in sites with little or no automation.
- Freshness and traceability: Shelf life, temperature zones and regulation must be designed in from day one.
- Siloed automation: WMS, robotics and planning bought separately deliver isolated wins, not network-wide value.
Our approach: one system, end-to-end
Deepsky® WES connects your WMS to all your automation (robots, workstations, conveyors and third-party equipment) in one system. No more juggling separate vendor consoles: full visibility at every step.
“Today, we were able to grow our business, meet consumer demand, and prepare more orders.”
- Map the entire flow: From receiving to shipping, not just picking
- Absorb a change in mix: Add robots, workstations or storage as your network evolves, without stopping operations.
- Do more with the teams you have: Robots bring goods to operators, cutting walking time and making roles easier to learn. Operators deposit items in bins, and the system completes the order.
- Keep products at the right temperature: Temperature-controlled storage down to 0°C (32°F)
- Make the most of limited space: A compact footprint that can sit close to your stores. With our native buffer, orders stay in the system until it’s time to ship.
- Adapt to your building and your systems: From a decades-old brownfield site to a brand-new building, we deploy the full solution end-to-end.
Grocery Case Studies
Tannico: Automation at the service of wine e-commerce
Italy, its art of living… and its robots
Auchan Luxembourg is transforming its drive-through and e-commerce order fulfillment
Retail experience at the service of a European leader
Automate for the network you’ll have, not just the one you have today
Tell us about your flows, your channels and your growth plans. Our grocery specialists will help you design a system that scales with your volumes and adapts to your mix.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the benefits of warehouse automation for grocery providers?
In the grocery industry, the advantages of warehouse automation, especially through goods-to-person systems, play a crucial role in optimizing operational efficiency. Automation expedites the warehouse’s most repetitive and labor-intensive tasks, including order picking and packing, resulting in significant boosts in productivity and faster order fulfillment times. This heightened efficiency not only reduces the likelihood of human errors but also ensures greater order accuracy, a critical factor in the grocery sector. Furthermore, the integration of automation in grocery warehouses brings about substantial improvements in storage capacity. These automated systems are intricately designed to enhance space utilization, employing strategies such as maximizing vertical storage with tall racks and minimizing aisle space. Beyond space optimization, they enable advanced inventory management through real-time visibility, allowing precise tracking of the movement of grocery items within the facility. Ultimately, the integration of grocery warehouse automation enables adaptation to changing market demands, elevates customer satisfaction, and sustain competitiveness in the dynamic grocery landscape.
How effectively can the Skypod system scale within grocery warehouses?
The Skypod system prioritizes scalability to meet the demands of the fast-paced and constantly evolving grocery industry. Through a uniquely modular design, the system can be installed within months, not years, and expands seamlessly by separating throughput from storage. This innovative approach enables the expansion of storage capacity without the need to simultaneously increase throughput capabilities, resulting in a more cost-effective and customized approach to capital expenditure savings. The system’s adaptability is particularly advantageous for omnichannel grocery fulfillment. Whether integrating an e-commerce channel, implementing curbside pickup, or adjusting SKU structures, our system adeptly addresses current requirements and swiftly adapts as your business model evolves. Its seamless scalability is purpose-built to align precisely with the expanding needs of grocery warehouses.
How does the Skypod system increase efficiency for grocery warehouses?
The Skypod system elevates the efficiency of grocery warehouses by employing autonomous mobile robots that navigate seamlessly in three dimensions between storage racks and picking stations. This is achieved in temperatures as low as 0°C (32°F). Our innovative goods-to-person approach eliminates the need for bulky, static machinery or inefficient digging to retrieve goods, streamlining the storage and retrieval process. The result is a substantial improvement in operational efficiency, with the system capable of reducing order processing time by up to 5X compared to manual methods.
How does Exotec improve order fulfillment accuracy?
The precision of the Skypod system is rooted in our intelligent goods-to-person approach, employing autonomous mobile robots to seamlessly transport goods between storage racks and picking stations. To augment order accuracy, our system features intuitive operator tools like pick-to-light and put-to-light systems. Additionally, our capacity to integrate advanced machinery, encompassing case weight and dimension scanners along with automated labelers, plays a crucial role in delivering comprehensive grocery fulfillment solutions. This not only ensures order accuracy but also significantly contributes to enhancing customer satisfaction and fostering loyalty.
What customer support does Exotec provide for its grocery customers?
As grocery fulfillment solution providers, we take pride in our commitment to being reliable partners and delivering unwavering customer support. Our dedicated teams ensure comprehensive maintenance, regular software updates, and operational guidance. The contractual guarantee of our system’s performance for 10 years is maintained through robust and modular system designs, routine maintenance, and continuous 24/7/365 monitoring from our global control centers. Exotec’s established track record as a trusted partner is highlighted in our Partners You Can Trust article, underscoring our steadfast commitment to reliability.
How does Exotec set itself apart from other grocery fulfillment providers regarding technology and innovation?
Exotec stands as a pioneer in technological innovation, specifically tailoring 70% of our innovations on software enhancements to meet the dynamic demands of the grocery industry. Boasting over 100 international patents and a considerable investment in research and development, we are committed to continuous improvement with input from our grocery clients.
We are proud to have been recognized for our dedication to technological advancements by being included on esteemed lists such as the CNBC Disruptor 50 for both 2022 and 2023.