Dematic Creates New Distribution Center for ERAM in France

Dematic has received the order from the French shoe and clothing brand ERAM to automate the new distribution center in Chemillé-en-Anjou (Maine-et-Loire department) in western France. This decision is part of a comprehensive strategy by the fashion division of the corporate group to modernize and make central B2B and B2C warehousing and distribution processes more efficient.

(Offenbach/Chemillé-en-Anjou) “Dematic has impressively demonstrated its extensive expertise in implementing AutoStore™ systems and convincingly shown the synergies that arise from collaboration with other brands of the parent company KION Group,” says Jean-Louis Borde, head of logistics activities at the ERAM Group. The family-owned company based in France with an international presence plans to consolidate the logistics flows of its shoe brands – including Gémo, ERAM, Bocage, and Mellow Yellow – in a new distribution center in the Loire Valley.

The facility, which spans over 40,000 square meters, is being built in Chemillé-en-Anjou, approximately 300 kilometers southwest of Paris. A crucial criterion for choosing the Dematic solution over comparable offers was the particularly compact design of the AutoStore™ system, which will be integrated into the new distribution center. This offers a higher storage capacity on the same footprint and can be flexibly expanded as needed.

Increasing Order Fulfillment Efficiency

Dematic’s solution combines several advanced technologies in a compact, scalable design. It automates both picking and palletizing and includes, among other things, a space-saving AutoStore™ system that is expected to significantly increase the efficiency of order fulfillment at the ERAM Group. The facility is complemented by an inbound conveyor belt with two automatic unloading units for trucks and containers, as well as another conveyor belt for package sorting before subsequent palletizing.

The AutoStore™ system itself includes 80,000 containers, 84 robots, and 16 workstations, enabling highly automated, flexible order processing. One robot opens the boxes, while another stores non-sellable goods in the system. A packing station is provided for the picking process, from which orders are directly forwarded to the shipping area via a conveyor belt.

All picking and fulfillment processes are controlled by Dematic’s Warehouse Control Software (WCS). It ensures that both logistical requirements and customer satisfaction expectations are reliably met. Additionally, the solution can be seamlessly integrated into the existing IT infrastructure of the ERAM Group.

Commissioning in Q4 2026

The project is already underway. Completion and commissioning are scheduled for Q4 2026. Alain Bussod, President of Dematic France, summarizes: “We are very pleased to collaborate with the ERAM Group, an outstanding French family business and an iconic brand. This project marks the beginning of a promising partnership based on shared values and a common vision of quality and innovation.”

Photo: © Dematic