Despite the unfavourable economic climate on the current Greek market, Masoutis decided to make an important investment in its central distribution centre in Thessaloniki. Egemin Automation was selected to optimise the internal logistics operations. A few years ago, Masoutis hired a consultancy agency to investigate how internal logistics in the distribution centre could best be organised to achieve maximum return on investment.

Following a first analysis of the possibilities and a visit to an Egemin reference installation in Spain, the agency met with Egemin. Right from the start Masoutis was convinced of Egemin’s high level of professionalism. The decision to commission the assignment was subsequently made after an inspection of a similar installation, realised by Egemin for a Dutch supermarket chain.

The in-floor chain conveyor system

The Masoutis project involves the implementation of an E’tow® in-floor chain conveyor system consisting of a main loop of 1.4 kilometres including four main drives, eight diverters, one transfer and one infeed lane. The in-floor chain conveyor will ensure proper transport of roll containers from the manual picking zone to the loading docks. The E’tow® system also controls the transportation of goods back out of the supermarket with the use of hand pallet trucks.

Egemin’s product information software E’tis® checks the product flows in the distribution centre and ensures that the carriers are directed to their destination based on a loading dock ID, registration and logging. Egemin will start mounting the system on site in September this year. The delivery of the entire project is expected to take place by the end of 2010 or early 2011.

About Masoutis

The first Masoutis store opened its doors in 1976, in Thessaloniki, Greece. More than 30 years later, Masoutis has grown into a supermarket chain with 160 stores and 15 cash and carry outlets, ranking it in the Greek retail top 5 with main activities in the North of Greece and Macedonia.