Exotec Nihon, apparel group PAL, and Acca International announced on September 10th the expansion of the Skypod warehouse automation solution, which was introduced in 2024 at the "PAL CLOSET Robotics Solution Center (PRSC)".
Approximately one year after its launch, PRSC has handled a total of 11,000 orders, keeping pace with the rapid growth of PAL's e-commerce sales. This has resulted in an improvement in logistics efficiency of approximately 140% compared to previous logistics facilities.
Furthermore, the time from order to delivery has been shortened to approximately 1 to 2 days, significantly contributing to the efficiency of PAL CLOSET's fulfillment and the improvement of the customer experience. With this expansion of the Skypod system, further improvements in processing capacity and operational stability will be ensured, and Exotec and Acca International will work together to support PAL's medium- to long-term goal of achieving 1000 billion yen in e-commerce sales by 2028 (of which 500 billion yen will come from PAL CLOSET alone) from a logistical standpoint.
The PRSC expansion plan is scheduled to begin in October 2025 and be completed in February 2026. The number of additional robots will increase by 18 (from the current 48 to 66) and the number of additional workstations will increase by 3 (from 5 stations to 8 stations).
Storage capacity has increased from 25,536 bins to 35,616 bins (an increase of approximately 40%), and the addition of a dedicated receiving function introduces a bin interface, completely separating shipping and receiving. This allows receiving operations to be carried out without reducing shipping capacity.
The expansion involves reorganizing the non-robot area to create a new area of approximately 1000m2 (approximately 30m x 33m). To minimize the impact on operations, the construction method employs a multi-step phased construction process, including nighttime work.
This is expected to improve order processing capacity by approximately 30% compared to the current level.
PAL is continuously enhancing the value it provides to its customers while promoting the development of next-generation smart logistics. This expansion represents a strategic capital investment to ensure greater processing capacity and operational stability as PAL further grows its e-commerce business.
This initiative, which balances the optimization of logistics with the improvement of the quality of work sites, is an advanced effort to enhance the company's sustainability and market competitiveness, demonstrating PAL's stance as a leader in the industry.
