Exotec expands pharmaceutical customer portfolio through partnerships with Hygie31 and Hartmann Group

Exotec's Skypod robotic system will improve the speed of order processing and increase logistical efficiency for both organisations

5 December 2024 -- Georgia, US -- Exotec, a global provider of warehouse automation and robotics solutions, has announced partnerships with two new organisations in the pharmaceutical sector: Hygie31 and Hartmann Group. Both companies will adopt Exotec’s Skypod robotic system to automate warehouse processes and increase efficiency.

Hygie31, a major player in the healthcare industry has chosen Exotec to transform its pharmacy Dhygietal logistics platform, with the Skypod robots implemented at the company’s La Veuve warehouse. The Exotec installation covers 1,500 m2 and comprises 38 Skypod robots, moving autonomously in all directions and up to 11 metres in height.

The installation will be instrumental to Hygie31’s ongoing growth, with the company aiming to increase productivity sixfold over the next three years, while tripling the number of product references from 23,000 to 70,000. The system was designed to be deliberately oversized for this reason, and will be integral in the development and rollout of Hygie31’s HygieStore supply tool. This aims to give pharmacies across France access to a wider range of products, with shorter delivery times.

Hervé Jouves, Chairman of Hygie31, said “With the addition of this new automated logistics platform, Hygie 31 group has acquired a modern tool, which is unique to the pharmacy market, providing a competitive advantage for its digital business, local pharmacy groups and pharmacy Lafayette brand. From a social point of view, we are also preserving the working conditions of Dhygietal's employees, as Exotec’s robots will take over repetitive and arduous tasks, enabling them to concentrate on value-added tasks

Hartmann Group is a leading European provider of professional medical and care products, and associated services. It has taken on Exotec’s Skypod system in order to double its storage density and increase the speed of order processing at its site in the Auvergne-Rhône-Alpes region. The new installation will also improve working conditions at the site, support employees in the warehouse, increase performance output, shorten delivery times, and expand volumes of express deliveries. Hartmann expects the project to be completed and operational by early 2025.

Emmanuel DENOUES, Director of Operations at Hartmann France, added:
"This collaboration with Exotec is a major milestone for Hartmann France, enabling us to continue our growth in the French market. With this investment in our site, we are committed to providing a wider range of services and even better performance for our pharmacist partners."

Thomas Genestar, General Manager for Western Europe at Exotec, said: "We are proud to support both Hygie31 and Hartmann France in their ongoing growth, and to demonstrate the effectiveness of our Skypod system in serving two prominent players in healthcare, a hugely competitive industry. The system offers significant benefits to both customers in terms of storage, traceability, and order preparation, helping transform efficiency and service quality. We look forward to helping raise Hygie31 and Hartmann to new levels of success over the coming months and years.”

About Exotec
Exotec is a global warehouse robotics company powering the world’s largest brands. The company combines the best of hardware and software to offer elegant warehouse robotic systems that drive operational efficiency, add resiliency, and improve working conditions for warehouse operators. 50+ industry-leading brands including Gap Inc., Carrefour, Decathlon, and UNIQLO trust Exotec to improve their operations across 100+ sites worldwide. Visit: www.exotec.com.

About Hygie31
With combined sales of 3.3 billion euros and over 1,400 pharmacies represented in France and Spain, Hygie31 is a major player in the healthcare sector, with expertise in 4 major activities:

• Promotion of the 4 LafSanté Group banners: Pharmacie Lafayette (306 dispensaries), Parapharmacie Lafayette, Optique Lafayette (51 stores) and Médical Lafayette (44 stores)
• Support for regional traditional pharmacy groups: Pharmacorp (562 pharmacies), Pharmacyal (146 pharmacies in the Hauts-de-France region), Magdaléon (104 pharmacies in the Grand Est region) and Quartz (115 pharmacies)
• E-commerce with its subsidiaries dhygietal (cocooncenter.com and parapharmacielafayette.com) and Distrimed, one of France's leading online distributors of medical devices to healthcare professionals
• Development of the Ecoceutics network in Spain (135 pharmacies).