Suntory Holdings Ltd.

Concepts/benefits

• Creating a speedier production line, responding to increased production in line with thorough application of a three-shift work system, improving distribution quality, and more flexible response to peak item volumes.
• Renewing the workability of shipping to customers: previously, this work required operator qualification and practice. Because it was not possible for the company to increase labor when there were more items to ship, we had to do more overtime work, which often led to shipping errors. The auto-guided picking (AGP) system completely renovated our work style and solved all problems at once, thus dramatically improving efficiency.
• Correct/highly accurate picking: thanks to the computerized automatic guiding system, anyone can easily understand the procedure from picking to palletizing. This helps everyone to easily palletize the cargo without having cargo collapse. Further, late-night overtime work was successfully eliminated as the causes of picking errors were eliminated causes of incorrect picking as picking speed was increased and shipping accuracy improved.
• Palletizing that prevented cargo collapse: previously, only well-trained operators could palletize various types of cartons without having the cargo collapse. The auto guided picking (AGP) system uses a computer to process various types data, including carton shapes, sizes, and other information, and graphically indicates the palletizing procedure. Picking is then automatically guided in a manner that is easy to understand by anyone in accordance with the progress of picking to the customer’s pallet. This allows even part-time workers to perform palletizing operations without having the cargo collapse, meaning that the company can make use of those personnel who are readily available.
• Cargo can be fully arranged with one round of the unmanned AGV: the system is configured by an automated warehouse/retrieval system with 80 entrances per floor and 8 unmanned AGVs. One round of the unmanned AGV completes cargo arrangement and automatically transfer the cargo to the shipping line.

System overview

Building type high-rise automated warehouses/retrieval systems:

25,310 P 10 units (double-pallet handling)

Wire guided unmanned vehicles:

40 cars for the 1st floor and the 2nd floor

Auto guided picking system (AGP)

Unmanned vehicle/AGVs:

8 each for the 1st floor and the 2nd floor