This Dordogne company has invested in a robotic system used by major brands

"We're reducing order preparation time, and employees no longer have to travel as many miles or carry as much weight," explains Chairman and CEO Mickaël Hammel. However, the machine wasn't installed to replace humans—quite the opposite. Twelve people have been hired since the move. "The machine helps humans and directs them toward positions of greater responsibility. We end up with teams that occupy several different positions throughout the day," adds the manager.

The production line follows very specific steps. First, operators fill the crates with the corresponding merchandise. The robots intervene for the first time to drive these crates to their respective locations, in 14-meter-high shelves. As soon as an order is being prepared, the robot retrieves the crate containing the desired item and brings it to the operator. The latter takes the number of items he needs and the machine takes care of storing the bin. If it is empty, it returns to the filling station.