BALYO deployed 17 autonomous robots to deliver 24/7 warehouse automation, improving efficiency, throughput, and scalability without infrastructure changes.
In the fast-paced world of food and beverage manufacturing, downtime is costly. When a major U.S. manufacturer set out to expand operations with a new warehouse facility, they had a clear goal: support round-the-clock production across three shifts.
The problem? They lacked both the workforce and the time to build an infrastructure-heavy solution.
Instead, they needed a solution that could move with them – something fast, scalable, and frictionless.
That’s where BALYO stepped in.
A familiar problem, intensified by volume
A 24/7 production schedule demands synchronised intralogistics. Without warehouse operations running at the same cadence, material flow breaks down. Line-side replenishment is delayed, buffer zones get overwhelmed, and unplanned downtime becomes routine.
In high-throughput environments, even minor disruptions in pallet movement can cascade into costly slowdowns. For this manufacturer, the stakes were high:
- Multiple production lines needing real-time feeding
- Thousands of pallets moving daily between racking and lines
- A tight project window with different pallets having different priority
What they needed was automation that adapted to their processes – not the other way around.
The solution: Scalable, infrastructure-free automation for high-volume operations
Faced with strict time constraints, headcount limitations, and growing throughput demands, the manufacturer needed a solution that enhanced pallet flow without disrupting existing operations. BALYO’s approach focused on automating the flow—not just the movement—delivering operational gains without requiring any structural overhaul.
The solution? A hybrid fleet of 17 autonomous robots—a mix of VEENY (Very Narrow Aisle robots) and REACHY (Reach truck robots). Together, they created an end-to-end pallet handling system that was fully integrated with BALYO’s Storage Optimiser.
No reflectors, no magnets, no redesign. BALYO’s robots use LiDAR-based SLAM navigation and real-time mapping, allowing them to operate in live environments without disrupting production or requiring physical infrastructure changes.
Hybrid workflows for high-throughput environments
Rather than removing operators from the process, BALYO’s system was engineered to augment the workforce. Dynamic buffer zones were created near production lines, where REACHY robots autonomously deliver pallets in real time, aligned with the manufacturing schedule.
Operators could still interact with these zones for SKU selection or manual picking, but the repetitive, high-frequency movements were fully automated.
Simultaneously, VEENY robots managed vertical storage – retrieving and returning pallets from high-bay racking. With advanced 3D perception and full 360° safety coverage, VEENY performed precise pallet handling even in high-density, very narrow aisles as tight as 1.8 metres.
The result: A warehouse that matched the speed and scale of the production floor – without adding shifts or staff.
Tangible results in real-world conditions
At a single facility, the 17-robot fleet running across three shifts delivered:
- Seamless 24/7 pallet flow, from high-bay storage to production lines and back
- Zero disruption to ongoing operations during implementation
- Several million dollars in annual efficiency gains, attributed to labour savings, increased throughput, and reduced downtime
- Rapid return on investment, with the full project expected to break even in under two years
The system is fully scalable. Across multiple similar sites, the customer can now project an enterprise-wide fleet of 100+ robots – supporting global production with flexible, easy AGV deployment.
By deploying infrastructure-free, WMS-integrated robots that work alongside people and scale as demand grows, the manufacturer established a logistics backbone built for modern manufacturing. One that enhances flow, not complicates it. One that delivers results – quickly.
With 17 autonomous robots, they unlocked 24/7 operational continuity across three shifts, without increasing headcount or redesigning the warehouse. And now, with plans to replicate the setup across multiple facilities, the system isn’t just a fix – it’s a foundation.