Refrigerated Storage Tending with AS/RS Buffer System
Project summary
Faced with labor shortages and the challenges of cold storage fulfillment, a leading pharmaceutical distributor turned to Midwest Engineered Systems for a smarter solution. MWES delivered a fully automated system featuring an AS/RS buffer, robotic layer picking, and seamless WMS integration—dramatically improving order accuracy, throughput, and labor efficiency in a refrigerated environment.
The Challenge of Labor-Intensive Cold Storage Fulfillment
Staffing a large refrigerated warehouse is already a major challenge—but when skilled labor is scarce and costly, fulfilling orders accurately and efficiently becomes even harder. A leading healthcare and pharmaceutical distributor came to MWES facing exactly this issue. They needed a smarter way to handle inventory:
Less reliance on manual labor
More accurate order fulfillment
Improved tracking, tracing, and retrieval of inventory
A solution that could thrive in subzero, regulated environments
They didn’t just need automation. They needed intelligent, integrated automation built for cold chain complexity.
Cold Storage Fulfillment, Fully Optimized
With the custom automation solution MWES provided—including an AS/RS buffer system, conveyors, a layer-picking gantry, and a pallet-handling robot—the customer achieved:
Maximized throughput with consistent order cycles
Minimal manual labor even in high-volume operations
Improved accuracy and tracking for compliance-heavy industries
Safer environments, with less human exposure to cold zones
Smarter inventory management, even for mixed-SKU pallets
Layer pick cycles now take just 30 seconds, with pallet retrievals in 45 seconds—a level of performance few systems can match.
How MWES Makes It Possible
MWES' Custom Solution
Our team engineered a comprehensive fulfillment system designed to simplify complex warehousing operations:
Inbound pallets are delivered and manually unwrapped
A robotic layer-picking gantry selects cases for specific orders
Orders are automatically palletized and stretch-wrapped
Completed orders are staged; incomplete ones enter AS/RS for buffering
When additional SKUs become available, AS/RS releases the pallet for completion
All guided by smart software that integrates with the customer’s Warehouse Management System (WMS) to determine the optimal build sequences and order fulfillment timing—eliminating guesswork and manual coordination.
Why an AS/RS Buffer System?
An Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS) is a robotics-based storage solution that enables precise, high-speed handling of inventory in compact or temperature-controlled spaces. In refrigerated environments, it reduces exposure risks for workers, boosts traceability, and maintains compliance with pharmaceutical handling standards.
Key benefits include:
Automated inventory traceability for compliance and accuracy
Reduction of manual labor and cold environment exposure
Improved space utilization and order turnaround
Seamless integration with production and fulfillment workflows
Flexible Automation
Whether you want a fully autonomous system or one that works alongside your team, MWES tailors AS/RS solutions to your needs. From automated replenishment based on stock thresholds to hybrid human-robot operations, we design systems that scale with your business.
Results That Speak for Themselves
By partnering with MWES, the customer:
Increased order fulfillment speed dramatically
Reduced labor dependency in a tight labor market
Improved consistency and accuracy of complex mixed-SKU orders
Enhanced safety in subzero warehouse environments
This is modern cold chain fulfillment—faster, smarter, and built to scale.
Whether fully autonomous or designed for human-robot collaboration, MWES AS/RS systems adapt to your operations. From frozen food distribution to pharmaceutical warehousing, we engineer automation solutions that solve the most demanding cold chain challenges.
Ready to Automate Your Cold Storage Operation?
Midwest Engineered Systems has decades of experience designing and integrating advanced AS/RS buffer systems with robotic layer picking. If you’re ready to take your refrigerated warehousing to the next level, let’s talk.
Client Details
A premier manufacturer, packager and distributor of over-the-counter pharmaceutical products and consumer healthcare goods based in South Carolina.