Press Release

Nippon Express opens cutting-edge showroom-style logistics facility

July 30, 2020

NEX-Auto Logistics Facility (NEX-ALFA) goes into operation

Nippon Express Co., Ltd. (Mitsuru Saito, President), has completed construction of its NEX-Auto Logistics Facility (NEX-ALFA) within a warehouse location in Tokyo's Koto Ward, and this cutting-edge showroom-style logistics facility utilizing AI-IoT technology went into operation on Wednesday, July 22.

• 
  (Interior view of facility)
• 
  (AutoStore robot storage system)

• 
  (EVE automated transport robot)
• 
  (Projection Picking SystemR)

• A showroom guide will be made available sometime in or after October 2020.

Declining birthrates and a shrinking population have resulted in serious labor shortages in recent years for Japan's logistics industry, which has been pursuing "work style reform" as advocated by the government and finding it increasingly necessary to introduce automatic/labor-saving equipment at logistics locations. The installation of state-of-the-art logistics equipment at existing warehouses requires companies to select the optimal equipment, make layout changes, revamp the flow of operations and resolve such issues as securing investment capital.

The newly opened NEX-ALFA features a variety of logistics equipment employing advanced technology to segmentalize tasks and processes within the logistics center and achieve greater efficiency and labor-saving in logistics operations. This facility will also serve in a showroom capacity to allow visiting customers to see logistics equipment actually operating under a sharing model at a logistics center that handles a full range of tasks - from warehouse receiving to storage, picking, packing, and shipping - for apparel-related products.

Nippon Express will continue providing order-made logistics solutions to resolve customers' logistics issues as best suited to each customer's facilities and products by integrating the logistics equipment deemed optimal for each customer's needs with its own front-line capabilities.

[Introduced cutting-edge logistics equipment]

• AutoStore: a robot storage system that maximizes storage efficiency
• EVE: an automated transport robot designed to improve storage efficiency and reduce labor
• RACK FORK AUTO: an unmanned automated forklift designed to reduce labor
• AGV: a guideless automated transport device for roll combitainers
• THOUZER: a target-guided autonomous robot designed to reduce the labor required for warehousing tasks
• Projection Picking SystemR: a digital picking system employing image processing technology
• RFID Tunnel Gate: a device that utilizes RFID tags to make inspection work more efficient

• 
  (Entrance)
• 
  (Lounge for business discussions)
• 
  (Presentation room)

[Profile of facility]

Name	NEX-Auto Logistics Facility (NEX-ALFA)
Address	3F, Nittsu Shinsuna No. 5, Shinsuna 2-4-10, Koto-ku, Tokyo
Floor area	2,998m2

Related news releases: https://www.nipponexpress.com/press/release/2020/12-Feb-20-1.html