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At Toyota Material Handling, we know that every operation is different. Processes, people, material flows, infrastructure and business priorities all influence how automation should work.
That is why our Swarm Automation projects start with your flows, not with the technology. We work closely with your teams to understand your challenges, design the right solution and support you from the first idea through implementation and beyond.
You benefit from a local Toyota team that understands your business, backed by automation expertise and experience from across our European network.
See what happens behind the scenes of an automation project, with Guylian as a real-life example.
What would you like to improve? Perhaps you are facing labour shortages, want to create a more predictable material flow, reduce repetitive transport, improve safety, support growing production or enable your people to focus on higher-value tasks.
Before proposing a solution, we look at the full process to understand your existing way of working. This means looking beyond material flows and transport volumes to understand the people, daily routines, bottlenecks and operational requirements behind them.
Close teamwork with management and operators helps us build a realistic picture of your operation and create a solution that works technically while fitting naturally into everyday activities.
Through discussions, site visits and process mapping, we identify where automation can create the most value and where it makes sense to start.
At Guylian, this meant looking closely at existing material movements and understanding how a more stable and predictable flow could support their operation.
Once we understand what’s needed, the automation concept starts to take shape.
Routes are mapped, stations are defined, transport volumes are calculated and safety requirements are analysed. Different configurations can be simulated to determine the setup needed to achieve your performance targets.
Together, we refine the proposed solution and agree on the specifications for the material flows you want to automate.
This gives you a clear understanding of what will be automated, how the solution will work and how it will fit into your existing layout before implementation begins.
Much of a successful Swarm Automation project happens off site.
Before automated vehicles arrive at your facility, our engineering teams prepare and test the solution according to the agreed specifications.
Configurations are simulated, software is prepared and different components are verified. At the same time, we work with your team to prepare the required infrastructure, connectivity and interfaces on site.
This detailed preparation helps us identify potential challenges early, reduce uncertainty during implementation and make the transition to automation as smooth as possible.
Once everything is ready, we move from preparation to implementation.
Vehicles are commissioned, routes and stations are verified, system configurations are fine-tuned and communication between the different components is tested. The complete solution is then verified against the agreed requirements before becoming part of your everyday routine. Safety and quality are considered throughout the project – from the first design decisions through testing and final implementation.
For you, this means greater confidence that the solution has been designed, prepared and tested around the realities of your operation.
Successful automation is about more than technology.
The people who work with the system every day are an essential part of the project. Operators and Super Users are involved and trained so they understand the solution and feel confident working alongside it.
Their feedback is also valuable throughout the project. By combining their operational knowledge with our automation expertise, we can better integrate the solution into everyday activities.
“Automation supports people, it doesn’t replace them.
The aim is to take over repetitive transport tasks
while allowing people to focus on activities
where their knowledge and experience create more value.”
Thomas Vercammen
Logistics Solutions & Automation Director, Toyota Material Handling Belgium
When you work with Toyota, you have a local partner close to where you are that understands your site, your business and your specific requirements.
But you are not relying on one local team alone. Behind them is a wider European automation network bringing together specialist knowledge, engineering expertise and project experience from different industries and markets. This knowledge is shared across our network. Lessons learned in one market can help strengthen projects in another, while common processes and tools help us deliver consistent standards across Europe.
For you, that means local support combined with the strength and experience of a European automation network.
“We support our local teams by providing the expertise, structure and resources they need to deliver automation projects efficiently and consistently with high quality, regardless of location. At the same time, experience and lessons learned across our network help us continuously improve the way we work.”
Maria Carslsson, Manager Automation Product Management, Toyota Material Handling Europe
Your automation journey does not end when the system goes live.
During the first phase of operation, our teams remain closely involved to support your users, monitor performance and fine-tune the solution where needed.
From there, the relationship develops into ongoing service, support and continuous improvement.
And as your business changes, your automation can evolve with it. New flows, changing volumes or future expansion can become part of the next stage of your automation journey.
“Every automation project is supported throughout its lifecycle. By combining our local service presence with knowledge and experience from across Europe, we can continue supporting customers after implementation and keep improving the solution as their operation evolves.”
Mathias Haspel, Manager Service Business Support and Quality, Toyota Material Handling Europe
You don't have to automate everything at once. Whether you are considering automation for the first time, looking to automate a specific material flow or ready to expand an existing solution, we can help you identify where to start.
Start small, build confidence and grow step by step with Swarm Automation.
The journey with Guylian starts by understanding the customer's challenges and processes. The solution is then designed and simulated, prepared and tested, implemented together with the customer's teams and supported once it becomes part of everyday operations.
Guylian is a customer of Toyota Material Handling Belgium, but the approach goes much further as our European automation team supports with additional expert advice.
While Guylian is an example from Toyota Material Handling Belgium, the approach is much wider. The similar way of working applies to businesses across Europe. Our local Toyota automation experts work closely with you in your market, supported by our wider European automation team whenever additional expertise is needed.
Together, we combine close local customer relationships with European automation expertise, adapting each project to your operation while drawing on knowledge and experience from across our network.