Sonepar Spain, a B2B distributor of electrical equipment, products and related solutions for the industrial, residential and tertiary sectors, has implemented AutoStore systems at two of its logistics sites as part of a wider effort to modernise and optimise supply chain operations.
The installations, supplied and integrated by intralogistics specialist Kardex, have gone live at facilities in Valencia and Arteixo (Galicia).
The site in Valencia became operational in February 2024 and includes eight AutoStore carousel ports, 30 AutoStore robots and 30,000 storage bins. The system is complemented by an automated storage and retrieval system (ASRS) for cable drum handling and cutting.
The Galicia site followed in October 2024 with a similar configuration, including six ports, 26 robots and 23,000 bins, alongside a dedicated cable handling solution.
The AutoStore cube storage and retrieval system increases storage density by stacking totes vertically in a grid layout.
Kardex customised each system using its proprietary software and also supplied its Intuitive Picking Assistant, which enhances the picking process by projecting visual guidance at workstations.
The system can detect hand movements to improve accuracy and minimise errors, while also enabling performance monitoring through data capture and AI-powered analytics.
Additional features include Kardex’s Automatic Cleaning System, which reduces downtime and supports continuous robot operation.
Francisco Velez, supply chain engineer at Sonepar Spain, said: “The AutoStore solution allows Sonepar to make better use of the space we have in the logistics centre and increase capacity.
“Thanks to Kardex, we no longer need to expand the warehouse, as small materials are now handled in a dedicated area. And Kardex’s Intuitive Picking Assistant helps us to be even more efficient.”
The projects in Spain build on Sonepar’s wider adoption of AutoStore solutions supplied and integrated by Kardex in countries including Switzerland, Germany and the USA.
Sonepar currently operates 2,400 branches across 40 countries through a network of 80 brands.
Achievements and innovations in warehouse automation across retail and e-commerce, healthcare and pharmaceuticals, food and beverage, automotive, transport and logistics, and more will be celebrated at the third annual Robotics & Automation Awards on 29 October 2025 at De Vere Grand Connaught Rooms in London. Visit www.roboticsandautomationawards.co.uk to learn more about this unmissable event for the UK’s robotics and automation sectors!
