Melbourne & Adelaide cold storage sites adopt Dematic Voice tech
A global cold storage provider is rolling out Dematic Voice technology at two major distribution centres, including its largest site in Melbourne and another in Adelaide.
The move aims to address persistent inefficiencies in legacy warehouse systems by introducing new features designed to improve productivity and streamline operations.
Efficiency focus
The provider, which offers temperature-controlled warehousing and logistics across more than 450 facilities in 18 countries, has selected Dematic Voice following a successful proof of concept at both Australian sites. The technology offers advanced voice recognition, a gamified workflow interface, and tools to enhance picking accuracy.
Dematic Voice is intended to replace a legacy system that was creating operational bottlenecks. The adoption of new voice technology is projected to deliver substantial productivity gains in core warehouse tasks.
"Our data shows that companies using voice technology as part of a broader warehouse optimisation strategy see productivity gains of 25-35% for case picking and piece picking. This is especially important for facilities like our customer's site in Melbourne, where operational scale requires extremely high efficiency," said Robert Deane, Connect Workforce Solutions (CWS) Sales Manager Southern Region & New Zealand, Dematic ANZ.
Accuracy improvements
Accuracy is a critical requirement for cold chain warehouses, where mistakes can disrupt time-sensitive supply chains. Dematic Voice leverages features that have demonstrated picking accuracy rates of 99.8-99.98%, providing an improvement over alternative picking methods.
The system also introduces gamification components such as the Top Picker User List, enabling real-time performance insights and fostering engagement among warehouse operators.
"The gamified elements of Dematic Voice are transformative. Recognising top performers and fostering friendly competition encourages operators to consistently push for excellence. It's a simple concept with a powerful impact on productivity and engagement," said Deane.
Additional features include a Pick Quantity Countdown that gives operators constant updates on remaining items to pick. A visual pick-list interface for Android devices and a Pallet Wizard, currently in development, are intended to further optimise task flows.
Custom deployment
The implementation at the Melbourne and Adelaide centres has been tailored to the sites' individual requirements.
The rollout in Melbourne included deploying headsets for seamless transition, while in Adelaide, the solution's compatibility with Android devices enabled integration with existing workflows and equipment.
"Our tailored approach allows us to align solutions with the unique requirements of each customer site. At the Melbourne site, deploying headsets ensured a smooth and rapid transition, while the flexibility of Dematic Voice at the Adelaide site demonstrated its ability to integrate seamlessly with Android devices. This adaptability, along with advanced features like pick-list visualisation, has been key for enhancing productivity and accuracy across customer operations," said Deane.
Operational rollout
The Adelaide site is currently going through user acceptance testing and workflow finalisation. Full deployment at both sites is expected to boost the speed and dependability of warehouse processes as the business adapts to growing market demands.
The technology's introduction comes as the cold storage sector faces increasing requirements for accuracy and faster handling within the food supply chain. Operator feedback during the trial highlighted voice recognition and user interface as important factors in easing adoption.
"Operators were impressed by the system's voice recognition capabilities and intuitive interface. One of the most common questions our customer received from their team was, 'When can we start using this?' The success of the proof of concept confirmed that Dematic Voice was the right choice," said Deane.