REWE links warehouse automation with resilience and workforce support

REWE’s approach to fresh-food logistics shows that automation alone does not create resilience. At its Oranienburg distribution centre, the retailer is pairing automated handling with maintenance, digital system management and trained employees, supported by Cimcorp’s Success Services.

The site normally processes over 650,000 units each day and serves more than 370 supermarkets and 580 stores. Because fresh products move through narrow delivery windows, system downtime can quickly become a supply problem rather than merely a technical incident.

Resilience designed into operations

Two preventive inspections each year give Cimcorp specialists an opportunity to examine system condition, identify wear and fatigue and carry out fundamental maintenance. The work is coordinated with REWE’s own technicians, supporting the transfer of practical knowledge and reducing reliance on emergency intervention.

When an issue occurs, remote specialists provide a diagnostic and resolution channel for problems that cannot be handled locally. On-site support adds physical repairs and corrective maintenance, with coverage arranged for six days a week and additional availability on Sundays and public holidays when needed.

The service model also treats cybersecurity and IT stability as part of material-flow performance. Remote system management covers antivirus protection, network administration, database supervision and monitoring of the infrastructure behind the automated conveyor systems. This creates a more integrated view of reliability, linking physical assets with the digital systems that control them.

Human-centred automation

REWE also sees automation as a response to labour shortages and physically demanding warehouse work. Its dedicated technicians are trained to manage the system in daily operations, while Cimcorp remains available for escalation. Employees are therefore supported rather than displaced from the operating model: routine expertise stays in-house, and specialist knowledge is available when the situation exceeds local capacity.

Matthias Menzel, general manager at Oranienburg, says the retailer needs partners able to react at the pace expected by fresh-food distribution. The result is an operating framework built around availability, technical learning and reduced pressure on the workforce.