Dematic has signed a new logistics automation deal with Bio-Rad Laboratories, rolling out a purpose-built modular conveyor system to modernise the company’s Asia-Pacific distribution operations.

The upgrade targets Bio-Rad’s Singapore distribution centre, a key hub supporting deliveries across the Asia-Pacific, as demand growth and increasingly complex order profiles put pressure on throughput and compliance requirements.

Instead of automating a single step, the project restructures the end-to-end packing and shipping workflow to reduce manual decision-making and cut the risk of errors across a broad product portfolio with a high volume of stock-keeping units.

About Dematic

With research and development engineering centres, manufacturing facilities, and service centres located in more than 26 countries, the Dematic global network of approximately 10,000 employees has integrated and supported automation solutions for many of the world’s leading brands.

A major focus is cold chain logistics, where even short delays between storage, packing and dispatch can jeopardise product integrity and regulatory obligations.

Dematic said its modular conveyor system was engineered to address these constraints with intelligent sortation and cloud-based controls designed to remove bottlenecks and eliminate manual decision points.

“Once items are picked and placed on the conveyor, everything is managed automatically,” says Terence Chan, Senior Sales Manager, Dematic Asia.

“The system diverts each product to the correct packing station, using the appropriate packing materials based on real-time data,”

From there, finished cartons are routed to the correct shipping lane for outbound processing.” said Chan.

One of the key innovations was the use of powered right-angle transfer (RAT) technology in place of compressed air systems.

“This not only reduces capital expenditure (CAPEX) but also lowers ongoing maintenance requirements, making the solution more sustainable and cost-effective for Bio-Rad,” Chan said.

Cloud-based Controls Gave Bio-Rad Remote Flexibility From Day One.

“With Dematic’s system architecture, authorised users can access diagnostics and make adjustments from anywhere with an internet connection,” explains Chan. “This capability proved invaluable during the commissioning phase and remains a huge advantage for ongoing support.”

The project was a complex rollout involving a wide variety of products, from tiny vials to large diagnostic equipment, all requiring an exceptionally high level of precision at every stage, from picking to packing and sorting.

During testing and commissioning, the team worked closely with Bio-Rad to fine-tune the system, making small adjustments to optimise each piece of equipment for accuracy and efficiency.

Since going live, the automated conveyor system has brought measurable improvements to Bio-Rad’s distribution operations. Packing times have dropped, accuracy rates have climbed and the cold chain process is now faster and more controlled.

“The system has had a significant impact on Bio-Rad’s operations by streamlining and simplifying key processes,” said Chan

With the technology now managing all sorting and packing decisions, errors have been reduced and workflows have become noticeably smoother. This has allowed the team to concentrate on maintaining high levels of quality and efficiency,” he said.