Coca-Cola HBC Ireland and Northern Ireland has expanded its warehousing operations with the installation of a semi-automated storage solution from Mecalux at its Knockmore Hill facility in Lisburn. The new finished-goods warehouse, designed to store up to 9,000 pallets, features Mecalux’s Pallet Shuttle system, enabling autonomous handling of palletised goods.
The Knockmore Hill site, operational since 2010, houses nine production lines and distributes a wide range of beverage brands across the island of Ireland. In response to ongoing growth, the company has adopted the Pallet Shuttle system to enhance efficiency in putaway and dispatch operations.
The installed solution includes four motorised shuttles that move independently within storage channels to place and retrieve pallets without manual handling. Operators initiate commands via a tablet connected to Mecalux’s warehouse control system, allowing for remote operation and real-time inventory tracking. This level of automation reduces the need for forklift travel inside the racking, streamlining internal logistics processes.
According to Coca-Cola HBC, the adoption of this technology forms part of its broader strategy to align manufacturing and logistics operations with Industry 4.0 standards.
The Lisburn site supports the distribution of global and local beverage brands, including Coca-Cola, Dr Pepper, Monster Energy, Powerade, Schweppes, Sprite, and Deep RiverRock.
