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I’m interested to learn how these crucial
KPIs are arrived at. “Experience is the
main asset we bring to the table, but
we can also run dynamic simulations
to reassure the customer about the
necessary information.”
With agility and speed being so
important to today’s logistics decision-
maker, clearly implementation time is
of the utmost importance in the overall
equation. What might the duration of
a typical schedule look like, always
understanding that, by their very nature,
each and every project the company
takes on is very different in scale and
character?
“From first contact we will be several
weeks or months in defining and
analysing the customer needs and
then in proposing the right solutions,”
explains Mr Depont. “Then it would
normally be few months for manufacture
and anything from a few days to several
weeks to implement within the site.”
What about for the man who (heaven
forbid) walks in off the street – does the
company offer a straight off-the-shelf
AGV? “Yes and no,” he smiles. “We have
a large range of hardware and a design
department so customer needs can and
will be adapted where necessary. For
instance, AGVs can be configured to
carry one pallet, or two to four. In the
paper industry, we work with a client
who needs vehicles that can carry
anything from one to four large rolls of
paper or which need to be adapted for
high-bay storage. So customization is
important, even if we have a large range
of AGV catalogue.”
The Future
Indeed, it is that blend of customized
hardware and software that is paving
the way to the future for BA Systèmes.
“With our mobile robotic capability, we
are able to offer integrated systems
with bespoke new applications – for
example, polyarticulated robots which
can work within order picking efficiency.”
Combined applications are the future,
he asserts. “In healthcare, we are
working with General Electric, we
have created mobile robots to carry an
imaging system now used by surgeons
in operations.” This is the Discovery IGS
730, which guides various cardiovascular
and cancer procedures through 3D
imaging. “Another innovation we’ve
been developing over the past year
or so is for AGV transport container
capability in ports. The application
is able to ensure the transfer of the
container between the ship and
the floor storage in the port.” Is this
actually in use anywhere in the world
at this point? “As I say, it’s only been in
development for a year but we do have
live proposals on the table.”
Working in a market with so many
competitors, and in such a fast-
developing arena in which everyone
is of necessity learning new skills on
a daily basis, it seems reasonable to
ask about the threats that stand in
the way of BA Systèmes. Mr Depont
is bullish: “We work together with
other providers. So in packaging
and end of line, we are now working
with Gebo Cermex on packaging
solutions integrating intralogistics
systems, we are able to offer
that fully integrated service
the customer is demanding.”
This was a deal announced
in autumn 2015 – through this
global partnership, Gebo Cermex
will propose AGVs at a worldwide
level to its Beverage and FHPC (Food,
Home and Personal Care) customers
worldwide as part of its equipment
range. In this context, the AGVs will
be manufactured by BA Systèmes and
carry a new identity “Gebo Cermex by
BA Systèmes”.
So, what’s next for BA
Systèmes? Where will the
next step change come from
in the AGV market? Inevitably,
Mr Depont does not have good
news for those who wish to retain the
human touch: “The areas to explore
are those where jobs in production line
and assembly are still being done by
humans, are still manual and difficult for
operators. We are looking to combine
tools with robotics that answer the next
generation of needs in intralogistics
and allow to reintegrate individuals at
the centre of the system – operators
for example could concentrate on more
added value tasks avoiding the risks of
muscular and skeletal disorders.”
It seems that no-one is standing still at
BA Systèmes, least of all their Business
Director. “A lot of things remain
possible,” he asserts confidently.
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Logistics Business Magazine | February 2016
AUTOMATIC GUIDED VEHICLES (AGV)