FORTNA, a leading automation and software company for the full logistics value chain, today announces recognition of the company’s OptiSweep solution as Automated Sortation System of the Year in the third annual SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards. The innovative solution leverages FORTNA WCS™ software, specially designed hardware and Geekplus mobile robots to automate what is typically a labor-intensive process in high-volume eCommerce and parcel distribution centers. This year’s edition of the SupplyTech Breakthrough Awards received thousands of entries, with winners selected across a range of categories including eCommerce logistics, digital freight shipping, inventory management, and more.
The traditional, established sorter close-out process uses workers to monitor specific sorter destinations, physically remove items and walk them to a consolidation station for downstream processes. FORTNA OptiSweep significantly reduces these labor requirements by using Geekplus robots to collect orders from sorter divert locations and bring them to specially designed goods-to-person locations for bulk consolidation and outbound processes. The solution easily integrates with other automated sorter systems and can match a range of throughput requirements, offering processing flexibility from 4,000 to more than 34,000 pieces per hour.
“Our approach to innovation targets the most pressing challenges facing today’s eCommerce-driven supply chains with best-fit automation technology, tailored to what businesses need,” says Rob McKeel, CEO, FORTNA. “Our priority and focus continue to be on accelerating supply chain automation that elevates competitive advantage, and OptiSweep delivers on that promise, delivering consistent performance and scalability to a process particularly prone to labor challenges.”
FORTNA and Geekplus announced a global strategic partnership in 2023 to design, develop and implement cutting-edge automated robotic solutions. FORTNA OptiSweep shows this combination in action, with FORTNA WCS™ software and its proprietary algorithms seamlessly orchestrating workflow and Geekplus mobile robots collecting and transporting orders.
“We worked in close collaboration with FORTNA to make this new sorter changeover process a reality, and the result is a truly innovative solution,” says Lit Fung, Vice President and Managing Director for International Business, Geekplus. “The warehouse market needs automation to handle the demands of today’s order fulfillment and this SupplyTech Award is recognition that together we’re targeting the right application with the right technology.”
