In its search for a project partner, Coles took into account WITRON's track record of more than 50 successfully implemented references for retailers around the world, including Kroger, Target, Meijer, Supervalu (all USA), Sobeys (Canada), Edeka (Germany), Mercadona (Spain), Migros (Switzerland), Inex (Finland), E.Leclerc (France) and Coop (Norway).

Coles operates more than 2,500 retail stores across Australia, including supermarkets, liquor stores, petrol stations and kiosks. A good 21 million customers shop at Coles every week, either in-store or online, generating annual sales of over 39 billion Australian dollars (equivalent to around 24.5 billion euros) in 2018.

The two approximately 70,000 square meter distribution centers each supply a good 240 Coles supermarkets in New South Wales and more than 170 supermarkets in Queensland with a complete range of dry goods.

"The modernization of our supply chain is designed to create a safer working environment for our employees, reduce supply chain costs, improve our overall and global competitiveness and provide an optimal shopping experience by providing the right offer in the right place," says Steven Cain, CEO at Coles.

Intensive project discussions

Witron Managing Director Helmut Prieschenk explains that the company is delighted about the upcoming collaboration with Coles, Witron's first customer in Australia. "Initially, we held discussions about the project requirements and focused on basic data. We then discussed logistics modules and technologies, service and operator concepts and cross-supply chain intelligence in depth - and how these aspects could be optimally integrated into Coles' distribution centers".

Witron: new branch in Australia

Company owner and founder Walter Winkler proudly described the signing of the contract as "a milestone in the company's almost 50-year history". A subsidiary - Witron Australia Pty Ltd, based in Sydney - has already been established to oversee the project. "We have already successfully implemented plants of this type in both Europe and North America," says Walter Winkler. "Our experience has shown us that customer proximity is crucial for successful implementation. We have to be close to the customer, the project, the market, the people and the culture.

Witron is convinced that once the projects are completed at the end of 2023, Coles' two distribution centers will be the most modern of their kind in Australia. "WITRON has always been innovative and has moved forward step by step. After continued success in Europe, we established our own subsidiary in the USA back in 1995 and took the plunge into North America. This courage has developed into a success story. Today, we already employ more than 1,000 people there and almost all leading food retailers are among our customers," says Winkler.

The logistics experts from Parkstein will implement their proven standard solutions OPM (Order Picking Machinery), CPS (Car Picking System), ALP (Automated Layer Picking) as well as a fully automated outgoing goods buffer and a version of the All-in-One Order Fulfillment system (AIO) specially developed for food retail and omni-channel DCs at Coles. Witron is also responsible for the integration of all IT, control and mechanical components, including steel construction, storage and retrieval machines and conveyor technology - all developed by the company's own logistics experts.