Swisslog serves up ‘smarter automation’ for food and beverage industry
The food and beverage sector operates under some of the most demanding conditions in manufacturing and logistics. Short shelf lives, strict hygiene standards, labour constraints, and rising consumer expectations place constant pressure on supply chains to be faster, safer and more efficient.
“Food and beverage is one of the most complex industries we work in globally, so we have great experience in meeting these challenges,” says Steven Xie, executive vice president, Swisslog Asia Pacific (APeC). Swisslog operates in more than 50 countries globally.
“You’re balancing food safety, temperature control, throughput, traceability, and cost – all while demand patterns continue to change. Automation has become critical to staying competitive,” says Xie.
Swisslog’s solutions are designed for standards compliance in hygiene-critical environments. Systems are designed to support compliance with food safety standards and best-practice hygiene protocols.
Xie says that Swisslog’s automation solutions are also engineered for reliability in temperature-controlled environments, including chilled and deep-freeze facilities. By reducing manual handling in cold environments, automation not only improves operational consistency but also enhances worker safety and retention – an increasingly important consideration across Australia and New Zealand.
“Cold and frozen environments are where automation really proves its value. By minimising human exposure and maintaining consistent handling conditions, operators can protect their workforce while improving accuracy and throughput.”
Flexible automation for evolving operations
In the food and beverage sector, seasonal demand, product mix changes, and growth through new channels such as e-commerce all require systems that can adapt over time.
Swisslog addresses this through modular automation solutions that can scale with the business. Rather than a one-size-fits-all approach, Swisslog focuses on tailoring solutions to the specific characteristics of each operation, including SKU profiles, order patterns, temperature zones, and available footprint.
“Our role is to understand how a customer’s operation really works – and how it’s likely to change,” says Xie. “That insight allows us to design systems that remain valuable long after the initial installation.
“Enabling greater accuracy and speeds for our customers means they can deliver faster to their customers, and build loyalty,” he adds.
Key technologies supporting food and beverage supply chains
Swisslog’s technology portfolio covers the full spectrum of intralogistics automation. In the food and beverage sector, this often includes:
• Automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) for pallets, cartons and totes, enabling high-density storage and rapid access to inventory. “Swisslog is one of the world’s leading AutoStore integrators, with AutoStore being one of the most compact and efficient ASRS systems available.” Swisslog’s tri-temperature AutoStore solution enables ambient, chilled, and frozen inventory to be managed within a single automated system:
• Shuttle and conveyor systems optimised for high-throughput environments and temperature-controlled zones. Swisslog’s PowerStore pallet shuttle has a modular design enables up to 60% more pallets compared to manual systems. Swisslog’s CycloneCarrier dynamic shuttle for small goods is ideal for retail and e-commerce returns, replenishment, and order consolidation.
• Pallet stacker cranes that improve accuracy, reduce manual handling and support labour efficiency. Swisslog’s Vectura pallet stacker cranes are designed for high-bay warehouses, operating in environments from -30°C to +50°C and at heights up to 50 metres.
• Autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) that connect production, storage and dispatch seamlessly. Swisslog has recently introduced its new IntraMove AMRs, a series of flexible, autonomous mobile robots that transport payloads of up to 3,000 kg with ease.
“These technologies help food and beverage producers and distributors improve inventory accuracy, reduce waste and maintain consistent service levels, even during demand peaks.”
SynQ: Intelligent software at the core
At the heart of every Swisslog solution is SynQ, the company’s warehouse management and automation control software. SynQ acts as the central intelligence layer, orchestrating material flow, coordinating automated equipment, and providing real-time visibility across the operation.
For food and beverage businesses, this intelligence is particularly valuable. SynQ supports batch and lot tracking, and provides full traceability – critical for food safety and compliance. The software also enables data-driven decision-making by providing insights into performance, bottlenecks, and inventory status.
“SynQ is what brings everything together,” says Xie. “It ensures that systems operate efficiently, transparently and in line with food industry requirements.”
SynQ’s modular architecture allows it to integrate with existing ERP systems and scale as operations grow, making it suitable for both greenfield developments and brownfield upgrades.
Long-term partner for F&B automation
Beyond technology, Swisslog positions itself as a long-term partner to food and beverage businesses. From early concept design and simulation through to implementation, lifecycle support and optimisation, Swisslog works closely with customers to maximise the return on automation investment.
“With supply chains under more pressure than ever, food and beverage companies need partners who understand their industry and can support them over the long term,” says Xie. “Swisslog has established long-term partnerships with major food and beverage names in New Zealand, and we see outstanding results as our teams consistently work with the customer to optimise and adapt to new changes.”
As food and beverage operations across Australia and New Zealand continue to invest in automation, Swisslog’s combination of industry expertise, robust technologies and intelligent software positions it as a “trusted provider for a sector where precision, safety and reliability are non-negotiable”.