Wurth Australia is investing in automated order fulfilment at its Yatala, Queensland and Keysborough, Victoria distribution facilities through a new partnership with supply chain automation provider Dematic.
The solution will use Dematic’s AutoStore Goods-to-Person (GTP) system to provide high-density automated storage and support split- and full-case picking, according to Dematic. The automation will operate alongside dedicated manual picking areas for products with different storage and handling requirements.
Wurth Australia distributes more than 22,000 products to over 56,000 active customers across sectors including automotive, transport, earthworks, fabrication, maintenance, repair and operations (MRO), construction and mining.
Wurth Australia Chief Executive Officer and Senior Vice President of the Wurth Group Oceania, Serge Oppedisano, said the investment was intended to improve the speed and reliability of order fulfilment.
“The customer experience is incredibly important to us here at Wurth, and a big part of that is ensuring our customers receive accurate and complete orders when they expect them,” Oppedisano said.
He said the automation investment would also support the company’s approach to inventory management.
“This investment reflects those same values in our own operations – strengthening how we manage inventory, fulfil orders and move products through our national distribution network,” Oppedisano said.
Under the solution, orders will move between automated and manual picking areas before progressing through automated conveyor transport, document insertion, carton optimisation and sealing, labelling and despatch sortation.
Dematic’s Warehouse Control System will integrate with Wurth’s warehouse management system to coordinate picking tasks and the movement of goods across the automated equipment.
Dematic Business Development Manager Terry Jamieson said the combination of automated and manual processes was intended to accommodate Wurth’s broad product range.
“Wurth’s extensive product range means there isn’t a one-size-fits-all approach to fulfilment,” Jamieson said.
“Bringing together AutoStore with dedicated picking areas and downstream automation allows different products and orders to move through the most appropriate process,” he said.
According to Dematic, the Yatala solution is expected to become operational in August 2027, with the larger Keysborough facility scheduled to follow in December 2027.
