Mecalux, an intralogistics business, will outfit PepsiCo’s facility in Veurne, Belgium. This factory is one of Europe’s largest potato chip manufacturers.

PepsiCo’s Belgian business opted to restructure its logistics operations by developing a fully automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) to house the daily production of 2m bags of chips and snacks from the Lay’s, Doritos, Bugles, and Cheetos brands.

To accomplish this purpose, PepsiCo will install Mecalux’s Automated Pallet Shuttle technology. The AS/RS is one of the most efficient high-density storage technologies available, resulting in extraordinarily high product inflows and outflows. To speed internal product movements, the Automated Pallet Shuttle system will be linked to PepsiCo’s manufacturing plant via a 100-meter-long conveyor line. The AS/RS will have four aisles, with two blocks of racking on each side. Twelve transfer vehicles (one for each storage level) will transport commodities to their respective storage channels. Once there, a mechanized shuttle car will deliver pallets to their designated positions.

PepsiCo will also implement Mecalux’s Easy WMS warehouse management system for real-time stock control. This software will be integrated with the company’s ERP system to ensure that operations run smoothly. It will coordinate the flow of products, managing their journey from production to the AS/RS as well as their seamless preparation for distribution to clients.

PepsiCo acquired the factory in Veurne 25 years ago. Since then, the facility has become one of the largest crisps and snacks production plants in Europe. It spans more than 40,000 square meters, the size of eight football pitches, and stands out for its cutting-edge and sustainable technology. The new AS/RS from Mecalux will complement the Veurne plant.