Belimo opens automated fulfillment center in Shanghai

Belimo has brought a highly automated distribution center online in Shanghai with TGW Logistics, aiming to boost storage capacity, speed up throughput and lower operating costs. The system is built around Mustang R mini-load storage and retrieval machines and supports the HVAC parts maker's production and customer deliveries.

Why it matters: - Belimo's new automated site in Shanghai is designed to relieve storage and fulfillment bottlenecks at a production hub that had outgrown a manual process. - The upgrade gives Belimo more space-efficient storage, faster internal handling and lower operating expenses. - The system is built to support both factory supply and customer shipping, which makes the operation more flexible.

What happened: - TGW Logistics implemented a highly automated distribution center for Belimo in Shanghai and the site has gone live. - Mustang R mini-load storage and retrieval machines form the core of the installation. - Belimo runs a production site in Shanghai and uses the facility for HVAC components and order fulfillment.

The details: - The system includes a two-aisle automated storage and retrieval setup with more than 11,000 double-deep storage locations. - The Mustang R machines reach nearly 69 feet in height and handle up to 280 totes per aisle per hour. - Inbound components are manually loaded into totes before moving into the automated storage system. - For order fulfillment, the machines retrieve totes and send them to ergonomic picking workstations. - Multiple floors of the installation are connected with energy-efficient KingDrive conveyor technology. - Belimo is using a Lifetime Services contract for ongoing operations. - TGW's onsite experts work with Belimo's team to keep the system running smoothly and at peak performance. - Belimo was founded in 1975 in Switzerland and now operates worldwide with 2,800 employees and more than 1.1 billion Swiss francs in recent revenue. - The company focuses on damper actuators, control valves, sensors and meters for energy-efficient HVAC control.

Between the lines: - The project shows how automation is being used to squeeze more capacity out of constrained urban industrial space. - TGW's use of a tailored concept suggests the Shanghai site needed a custom layout rather than a standard warehouse design. - The shift away from manual handling likely reflects a broader push in manufacturing to improve reliability as volumes grow.

What's next: - Belimo's Shanghai operation will now lean on the automated system to keep production supplied and customer orders moving faster. - TGW's service team will continue supporting day-to-day operations under the Lifetime Services agreement. - The site's performance will likely hinge on how well the automation sustains throughput in a compact footprint.