CJ Logistics test runs AutoStore for cross-border logistics at Incheon GDC

Cube robots [Courtesy of CJ Logistics]

CJ Logistics revealed its AutoStore on November 9th, which is set to be operational next month at Incheon Global Distribution Center (GDC), South Korea’s sole facility managing global logistics comprehensively.

AutoStore is an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) that uses the power of warehouse cube robots to fulfil orders within a cubic layout.

According to the company, introducing AutoStore at the center is expected to boost the same-day maximum outgoing box quantity by 1.5 times from 20,000 to 30,000. Compared to the conventional method of loading products onto fixed metal shelves, this new system, where they are stacked 16 deep to form a colossal cube, enhances storage capacity fourfold.

In this facility, 140 cube robots diligently store the ordered products. The cube robots employ vertical movement using wires to lift the boxes, transporting them to ground workers. The entire process, from receiving an order to packaging the box, takes less than 20 minutes.

Incheon GDC serves as a forward base for shipping iHerb products to Japan, Singapore, Australia, and Kazakhstan, and AutoStore occupies an expanded space of about 6,264 square meters within the center. The total storage space forming the cube amounts to 76,000, holding a diverse array of 30,000 different products, such as nutritional supplements and groceries. Incheon GDC is the sole facility in Korea to implement the AutoStore system.

Another CJ Logistics system, QPS, also contributes to enhanced logistics efficiency. On the QPS platform, courier boxes containing order information move along a conveyor belt until they stop in front of a human worker. The worker, guided by the displayed order information, simply places the products into the box.

“The final testing phase of the AutoStore system is currently underway. With cutting-edge technology incorporating robotics and data, we are poised to make a significant entry into the global logistics market valued at 178 trillion won ($135 billion),” according to Lee Kyung-jin, CJ Logistics’ head of cross-border e-commerce business.

With an expansive floor area of around 20,000 square meters, Incheon GDC is the largest logistics center in Asia and is able to store over 5 million products.