Toyota Material Handling moves heavy industry into the next era of automation logistics at Aluman
In heavy industry, uninterrupted operation, safety and the utilisation of every available resource are fundamental requirements for the smooth operation of every business. The collaboration between Aluman and Toyota Material Handling Greece is a clear example of how warehouse automation, when designed around real operational needs, can transform the performance of a production facility.
This project represents the first FIFO automation project delivered by Toyota Material Handling in Europe, setting new benchmarks for warehouse automation in demanding heavy-industry environments.
About Aluman
Aluman is an industry-leading supplier of quality aluminium slugs and discs used as raw materials in the food, pharmaceutical and cosmetic industries. With facilities running 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, the manufacturer serves highly demanding customer networks in Greece and abroad. Product quality, delivery consistency and operational safety are core pillars of the company’s philosophy.
Facts and figures
- Company: Aluman S.A.
- Location: Oinofyta, Greece
- Industry: Heavy industry, aluminium production
- Solutions: Swarm Automation with centralised control via T-ONE software and integration with WMS and PLCs, 2 automated reach trucks RAE and 1 automated stacker SAE, FIFO Toyota Radioshuttle high-density storage system
The challenge: growth without compromise
Aluman’s steady investment in new production lines led to a substantial rise in production output, but the company’s existing storage facilities were no longer able to keep pace with this expansion. Relying on floorbased pallet storage, limited available space and heavy forklift traffic meant that vertical capacity remained underused, the likelihood of shipment mistakes increased and overall warehouse safety was compromised.
As Production Manager George Langas explains, the rapid growth made change unavoidable: “The increase in our production required an immediate solution that would ensure structure, control and safety, without disrupting production flow. We had to rethink how our warehouse operated.”
The solution: Swarm Automation adapted to heavy industry
Toyota Material Handling Greece designed and implemented a fully automated FIFO radio shuttle solution grounded in the Swarm Automation philosophy, enabling every subsystem to function as a single, coordinated ecosystem. The installation features a FIFO radio shuttle high-density racking system with a total capacity of 1,224 pallet positions and delivers a 45% increase in storage capacity. AGVs manage pallet transport, storage and retrieval autonomously, while the T-ONE software platform orchestrates all operations by integrating AGVs, shuttles, the WMS and production signals into one seamless flow.
As Dimitra Stergiou, Automation Sales Engineer at Toyota Material Handling Greece, explains, the entire system was built around shipment ID management to ensure that each pallet follows a fully controlled and traceable route from production to loading, maintaining realtime visibility and precision throughout the process.
The value of European-level collaboration
The collaboration with Toyota Material Handling Romania, who have extensive experience in automation projects, also played an important role in the success of the project.
“Working closely with our colleagues in Romania,” according to Antonis Passas, Automation Engineer at Toyota Material Handling Greece, “allowed us to deliver a highly complex and demanding project, leveraging Toyota Material Handling’s European automation expertise.”
The result: measurable efficiency and enhanced safety
Following implementation, the benefits were immediate: productivity rose sharply, shipment errors dropped noticeably, warehouse safety improved substantially, and operations continued smoothly around the clock without interruption.
“The system is now fully embedded in our daily operations,” explains George Langas, “It provides control, safety and flow, while supporting our growth without compromise.”
The philosophy behind the project
Toyota Material Handling Greece, a pioneer in warehouse automation in the Greek market, continues to invest in advanced automation technologies and to shape the future of intralogistics in heavy industry.
The Aluman project reflects the core philosophy of Toyota Material Handling Europe: quality excellence, collaboration and continuous improvement (Kaizen). The goal is not simply to deploy technology, but to deliver solutions aligned with real customer needs and long-term operational strategies.