In healthcare logistics, maintaining stringent cleanliness and compliance standards is paramount. For Healthcare Logistics, a medical healthcare distribution provider in Australia & New Zealand, these standards are non-negotiable.
Regulatory audits, client expectations, and public safety depend on the highest quality standards To help meet these rigorous demands, they’ve deployed the Kärcher KIRA B 50, an autonomous robotic scrubber-dryer, transforming their cleaning operations.
Healthcare Logistics Auckland manages a 13,000 sqm distribution centre, handling temperature-sensitive medicines requiring strict hygiene and regulatory adherence. National Operations Manager, Charles Chute, emphasises the critical nature of cleanliness, stating they are “heavily regulated by MedSafe” and undergo “regular internal audits, as well as audits from our customers and principals.” Manual cleaning was often time-consuming and diverted employees from essential logistics tasks.
The KIRA B 50 emerged as the ideal solution. Designed as an integrated robotic system, it offers superior reliability and performance compared to machines with retrofitted automation. Unlike competitors relying on third-party navigation, Kärcher engineers the KIRA B 50 entirely in-house, ensuring seamless integration and continuous optimisation.
This autonomous scrubber-dryer now operates daily for 60 minutes. It navigates the facility, adapting in real-time, and provides audit-ready reports, ensuring consistent cleanliness and compliance without operational disruption. The KIRA B 50 self-launches, avoids obstacles with 360-degree laser sensors, and self-manages draining, rinsing, re-filling, and recharging.
The impact has been significant. Cleaning frequency has more than doubled without increased labour costs, and compliance records are now automated. Digital audit trails, accessible via a private web portal, provide detailed map-based reports, enhancing transparency. Bill Watson, National Supply Manager at Healthcare Logistics explains, “Rather than relying on signed cleaning records, we can see cleaning times and map-based reports to confirm what was cleaned.”
Beyond cleanliness, the KIRA B 50 is crucial to Healthcare Logistics’ Smart Warehousing and Logistics 4.0 strategy. Employees can focus on core tasks such as picking, packing, and distribution. For Charles and his team, choosing the right supplier goes beyond price. It’s about shared vision.
“It’s important for Healthcare Logistics to select the right partners – partners that share the same vision and the same approach to automation and high-quality care,” he says.
The efficiency and reliability of the KIRA B 50 reinforces Healthcare Logistics’ commitment to high standards and future-proofing operations.
To learn more about the Kärcher KIRA B 50 visit karcher.com.au