Go-ahead for huge Swedish automated DC with Witron at the helm

THE 90,000 sq m highly automated facility will be built in Kungsbacka (near Gothenburg) in southern Sweden, supplying more than 400 stores with dry, fresh, and frozen items. On peak days, more than 560,000 cases will be picked in a store-friendly manner using fully or semi-automated processes. The new project underscores the expansion of the strategic partnership between the two companies, which has put one of the world’s most efficient omni-channel distribution centres into operation in Bålsta (near Stockholm).

Axfood president and CEO Simone Margulies, says: “I am glad that we now have signed an agreement with Witron for automation in the logistics centre that we will establish. This solution will give us a more flexible, efficient and sustainable logistics chain for product supply to our stores in the southern parts of Sweden, thereby strengthening the entire Axfood family’s competitiveness.”

High level of automation across all temperature zones

In Kungsbacka, products will be stored and picked across three temperature zones: ambient goods (+18 °C), fresh goods (+2 °C), and frozen items (-26 °C). As in Bålsta, the solution relies on standardised Witron logistics modules, including Order Picking Machinery (OPM with a total of 37 COMs), All-in-One (AIO), the Car Picking System (CPS), and a fully automated shipping buffer. Within this shipping buffer, store-friendly picked and consolidated order pallets are buffered and provided just-in-time on heavy-duty lanes, sequenced by delivery route for efficient truck loading. In addition, the Goods-to-Person (GTP) solution enables ergonomic semi-automated picking operations in the frozen food area.

Software aspect

The overall material flow includes more than 500,000 storage locations for wooden and plastic pallets, roll containers, totes, and refrigerated containers, 111 stacker cranes, as well as 16+ kilometres of conveyor technology. All processes are controlled by a multifunctional warehouse management system with open interfaces from the WMS to the customer’s supplier systems, route scheduling systems, and sales systems. This enables a high level of end-to-end optimisation across Axfood’s entire internal and external supply chain. A WITRON OnSite service team of more than 60 employees ensures consistently high system availability in multi-shift operation around the clock – 365 days a year.

Successful omni-channel project in Bålsta

Both companies can reflect positively on a jointly and successfully implemented project. Since early 2025, following a phased ramp-up, one of the most innovative logistics centres in the retail industry has been operating at full capacity in Bålsta, around 40 kilometres northwest of Stockholm. Axfood and WITRON designed and realized a cutting-edge omni-channel distribution centre that supplies stores as well as end customers via click + collect and home delivery. The highly automated system handles a product range of 22,000+ dry, fresh, and frozen items.