Groundbreaking Automation at Douglas Pharmaceuticals with CoGri Group’s Flooring Expertise
March 24, 2025
About The Client:
Douglas Pharmaceuticals, one of New Zealand’s largest privately owned pharmaceutical companies, distributes products to over 40 countries worldwide.
In addition to prescription medicines, Douglas develops, manufactures, and distributes a wide range of consumer health and wellness products.
As New Zealand’s leading supplier by volume into the growing pharmacy channel, Douglas faced an increasing demand for inventory storage to support domestic orders for retail, wholesale, and direct-to-consumer (DTC) customers.
This demand was bringing its West Auckland warehouse to near capacity.
Maximising Operational Efficiency with AutoStore™
To enhance operational efficiency and meet increasing global demand, Douglas embarked on a project to implement New Zealand’s first AutoStore system. This state-of-the-art automated storage and retrieval solution is designed to optimise warehouse space, increase picking speed, and improve inventory accuracy.
The Situation:
Meeting Required Industrial Flooring Standards
The AutoStore system’s performance is highly dependent on the precision and flatness of the warehouse floor. Any imperfections can lead to operational inefficiencies, robotic malfunctions, and increased maintenance costs.
Douglas needed to ensure their warehouse floor met the stringent flatness and levelness standards required for the AutoStore installation.
The Solution:
Floor Flatness Testing and Concrete Floor Grinding
Kardex, a global leader in automated storage solutions and the integrator for this project recognised the critical importance of a flawless flooring foundation. Leveraging their extensive industry experience, Kardex recommended CoGri Group for their specialised expertise in industrial flooring.
The New Zealand branch of CoGri was commissioned to provide precision floor grinding services.
Additionally, FACE Consultants, a subsidiary of the CoGri Group specializing in flatness testing and consultancy, was engaged to conduct specialised testing to ensure compliance with the exacting standards required.
Bespoke Industrial Flooring Services
CoGri Limited NZ and FACE Consultants provided a comprehensive flooring solution encompassing assessment, remediation, and certification:
1. Assessment and Analysis by FACE Consultants
- Performed a detailed survey of the existing warehouse floor using advanced floor profiling equipment.
- Identified areas of deviation from the required flatness and levelness tolerances specified for the AutoStore system.
2. Customised Grinding Solution by CoGri
- Developed a tailored plan to correct floor irregularities.
- Executed precision grinding to achieve the tight tolerances necessary for optimal AutoStore performance.
3. Quality Assurance by FACE Consultants
- Conducted rigorous post-grinding flatness testing to verify compliance with the AutoStore’s stringent requirements.
The Results:
Flooring Excellence for Productive AutoStore Systems
Seamless Integration of AutoStore System
- The precisely levelled floor enabled the smooth installation and commissioning of the AutoStore system.
- Facilitated optimal performance of the robots, enhancing picking speed and inventory accuracy.
Operational Efficiency and Reliability
- Reduced equipment wear and tear due to the elimination of floor-induced stresses.
- Minimised risk of operational downtime, ensuring consistent productivity.
Are you planning on implementing a new AutoStore grid, or need help with an existing system? Contact us today to find out how we can help you.
Testimonials:
Douglas Pharmaceuticals
“CoGri FACE Consultants played a pivotal role in the success of our AutoStore implementation. Their professionalism and attention to detail ensured our flooring met the highest standards, enabling a trouble-free system installation, completed on time and within budget.”
Ryan Gibbs, Warehouse Operations Manager, Douglas Pharmaceuticals
Kardex Group
“Recommending CoGri Group was an easy decision. Their specialised flooring solutions are unmatched, and they delivered exceptional results that were critical to the AutoStore’s performance.”
Grant Smith, Sales Manager AutoStore, Kardex Group
Conclusion
The partnership between Douglas Pharmaceuticals, Kardex, and CoGri Group exemplifies the importance of collaboration and specialised expertise in logistics automation projects. By providing a flawless flooring foundation, CoGri Limited NZ and FACE Consultants contributed to the successful deployment of New Zealand’s first AutoStore system, enhancing the operational capabilities of Douglas Pharmaceuticals.
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