Fives automates McKesson group' site in Cophana (Belgium), leader in pharmaceutical distribution
Automating a new order-preparation center in a context of rapid growth
Fives has supplied the automation solution for Cophana’s new center, which recently opened in Houdeng-Goegnies close to the original building.
Occupying 14,000 m² (150,700 sq ft), the installation consists of 2 main conveyor lines and a total of 11 stations, which can handle the preparation of 800 parcels every hour.
The orders concerned include retail lines and complete parcels. Fives’ offer includes its proprietary WCS Trace® control software as well as a smart sequencing module.
Deadlines met, despite the disruptions of 2020
Sudden lockdown in March 2020 made it difficult to organize and plan a project where on-site work was due to begin in April. Keeping in constant contact with their customer, Cophana, the Fives Intralogistics SAS teams continued their efforts in the workshop and then on site, completing the project within the original timeline.
Operational since September 2020, the solution presented by Fives Smart Automation Solutions offers varied potential for further development, in particular the option of integrating a third preparation line to support Cophana’s growth.
A cutting-edge solution for a global leader in pharmaceutical distribution
A service company specializing in logistics and pharmaceutical distribution, Cophana is a subsidiary of the McKesson group, a global leader in pharmaceutical distribution. Cophana provides logistics support to over 80 laboratories distributing pharmaceutical products every day in the Benelux region and to other European countries.
The McKesson group is very active in France through another of its subsidiaries: OCP Répartition, the national leader in the field and long-term user of Fives’ order-preparation solutions. By automating this new site, Fives has been able to expand the scope of its activity with the McKesson group, confirming the expertise of the Smart Automation Solutions teams in the pharmaceutical sector.
About the Fives Smart Automation Solutions Division
With 1,600 employees in Europe, Asia and North America, Fives’ Smart Automation Solutions division supplies top of the range automation solutions with a huge portfolio of proprietary technologies and software intended for the retail and wholesale distribution markets, courier, postal and messenger services, e-commerce and general industry.
Press contacts
Smart Automation Solutions Amélie Morisset +6 02 07 22 75 amelie.morisset@fivesgroup.com
| Fives Group Claire Mathieu-André +33 1 45 23 76 21 / + 33 6 13 26 99 32 press@fivesgroup.com
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