Gebo Cermex delivers intelligence and a complete end-of-line solution

One of the leaders in packaging line engineering, Gebo Cermex, part of the Sidel Group, is renowned for its expertise in end-of-line, palletising equipment and intralogistics — the latter capability developed since 2015 via the company’s partnership with BA Systèmes.

Nathalie Rauch, operations manager for Moulin de la Chaume, one of the bakery production units of the Intermarché Group, highlighted the capabilities of Gebo Cermex, which were demonstrated during a complete rebuild of the site following a serious fire.

Gebo Cermex was chosen for its ability to provide, in a challenging timeframe, a complete end-of-line solution, managed via a centralised supervision system connected with the site’s ERP (Enterprise Resource Planning). This enabled the integration of production order management, as well as the traceability and intralogistics functions. Four robotic palletising cells were installed in parallel, along with a range of equipment to provide additional functionality: stretch-wrapping, labelling, case and pallet conveying. Two AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) ensure effective management of empty and full pallets, as well as the supply of consumables on the lines.

A strategic project for the Intermarché Group

Moulin de la Chaume is one of the four industrial bakeries of Agromousquetaires, an integrated production division of the Intermarché Group.

More than 30 different types of white and speciality breads are processed by the bakery, packaged in six different cardboard case formats. Each hour, 30 pallets come off the lines, directed to one of 3,000 slots in the refrigeration chamber.

Devastated by a fire, the plant was entirely rebuilt and re-equipped. Pleased with Gebo Cermex’s performance on other projects within the Intermarché Group, the integrated design office of Agromousquetaires had no reservation in validating the choice of Moulin de la Chaume to trust the Gebo Cermex palletising/depalletising division for its end-of-line and intralogistics services.

A complete, fully connected end-of-line solution

Featuring several different technologies and components, the solution installed by Gebo Cermex is characterised by high operational intelligence and smooth integration into the production flow, contributing to the efficiency of the four lines, as well as improving operator safety and batch traceability.

Its supervision system covers manufacturing order management and provides full traceability of the pallets and cases as it is fully connected with the customer’s ERP, the information printed on the labels are detected and sent to the Moulin de la Chaume product information system.

Results that exceed expectations

Moulin de la Chaume is the best performer of the four Agromousquetaires industrial bakeries in terms of the division’s logistics indicators. Nathalie Rauch recognises that this is primarily due to the integration of the four palletising cells and the additional equipment in the overall manufacturing order management system, as well as to the fact that they are all centrally managed.

Moulin de la Chaume has gained in terms of efficiency, with better management of production orders via end-of-line supervision, and also in terms of batch and pallet traceability and upgradability. “With this equipment, we have made a leap into Industry 4.0 production — and we can easily integrate it into our future line management,” continues Rauch. The benefits of PalDesigner and the possibility to deliver consumables on lines by optimising the use of AGVs are also behind her positive feedback.