JA Aichi Minami - Established a New Distribution Center Exclusively for Flowers in a Major Flower Production Area to Ensure a Steady Supply of Fresh, High-Quality Products
The Aichi region boasts Japan’s largest flower production. Aichi, in particular, has a one-third share of the country’s chrysanthemum market (based on 2007 figures). The region grows chrysanthemums throughout the year using lighting / light-shielding technology. In October 2008, Japan Agriculture (JA) Aichi Minami (headquartered at Tahara, Aichi) consolidated two centers in Akabane and Tahara City located in the Astumi peninsula, into one distribution center called Flower Station. The new distribution center is used exclusively for flowers. The center provides a steady flow of products, which ensures quality and freshness. Additionally, the new center reduces growers’ workloads and provides instantaneous inventory and sales information to reinforce its brand value as Japan’s number one flower producer.
Introducing various material handling systems helped speed up operations, while maintaining high quality
In 2001, three centers in Atsumi, Tahara, and Akabane were merged to form Aichi Minami. In 2002, a distribution center named the Flower Port Center opened in the Atsumi area to strengthen the business. In 2006, Mum Port, an automatic sorting and packing facility for chrysanthemums that was located in the same area, updated its sorting and storage systems. Then, in October 2008, the Flower Station distribution center was constructed as part of a management structural improvement project in 2007 with an investment of 1,167 million yen. The center features state-of-the-art material handling systems including a refrigerated mini load automated storage & retrieval system (AS/RS), a high-speed sorting system called Jet Surfing Sorter (JSUS) and palletizing robots. The changes improve work efficiency, reduce labor costs and maintain high-quality and freshness by providing temperature control.
The center handles 400 different types of flowers including round chrysanthemums that are grown using lighting technology, spray chrysanthemums, and western flowers. It processes an average of 6,500 cases daily and up to 10,000 cases during peak times. Approximately 1.1 million cases are shipped yearly to 85 markets from Hokkaido to Himeji.
Before the Flower Station opened, the only automation installed in the distribution centers was transporting conveyors. Products were stored on the floor and sorted manually for shipping, making it difficult to provide quick and accurate shipping information to the markets. In the new center, the process for growers is much simpler. After unloading their flowers at the receiving area, growers use touch panel terminals to input their codes, product types, and quantities. Next, workers at the center put the flowers onto conveyors. Then the conveyors move the flowers to inspection tables, where workers grade the quality of the flowers. According to the grades, barcode labels are automatically printed and attached to the cases. Finally, the flowers are temporarily stored in the mini load AS/RS at a temperature of 15 degrees Celsius (59 degrees Fahrenheit).
When the flowers are ready to be shipped, workers use the inspection information to assign cases to the markets.
Products are retrieved from the mini load AS/RS and sorted by destination via the JSUS according to the delivery data. The mini load AS/RS measures the volume of the flowers. When the amount of flowers shipping to the same destination equals one pallet, the palletizing robot stacks the cases onto the pallet. If flowers are not shipping immediately, they are temporarily stored in refrigerators. The three refrigerators are equipped with Gravity Carts (GRC), which are used to push back pallet racks. One of the three refrigerators is designed for storing roses. It has an ethylene-free device that eliminates ethylene emitted from cut flowers, prevents fungus, and generates ozone and ion in order to keep the flowers fresh.
Receiving and inspection information is collected and promptly provided to the markets to improve the sales process
The new center also includes an information system that manages receiving and inspection information in real time. The information system integrates receiving information from five satellite collecting locations, which helps reduce the workloads of growers who service a wide area.
“Inspection results are instantly integrated with delivery operations, which allows inspection grades to be provided to the markets at the same time as delivery confirmation,” shares Mr. Hirofumi Suzuki, Section Manager. “We strive to continue to reduce growers’ workloads, strengthen the brand power, and improve production.”
