Mitsui-Soko Logistics Co., Ltd. (Fukuoka Office / T-sort Implementation)

Background

Aiming for Greater Efficiency and Future Scalability

Mitsui-Soko Logistics Co., Ltd. operates a 3PL business primarily serving the home appliance sector. The Fukuoka Office manages product distribution to major home appliance retailers throughout the Kyushu region. In October 2024, the company introduced TOYO KANETSU’s T-sort (Table-Sorting System) as a new small appliance sortation system, with the objective of achieving further operational efficiency and establishing a scalable platform for future expansion.

Why We Were Selected

Recognized for Our Capabilities and Expertise as a System Integrator

When considering labor reduction and productivity improvement at our logistics center, Mitsu-Soko was looking for a company capable of consolidating multiple solutions as a system integrator and maximizing overall center performance.

Among the candidates, TOYO KANETSU stood out for its strong capabilities and proven expertise as a system integrator. For this reason, we selected them as our trusted partner.

About the Operation

T-sort AMRs Automatically Select the Most Efficient Route

The T-sort system installed at the Fukuoka Office consists of four induction stations and two sortation lanes. A fleet of 40 AMRs (Autonomous Mobile Robots), with a total processing capacity of 2,000 units per hour, dynamically travels throughout the system to sort products for approximately 100 retail destinations.

At each induction station, operators scan the barcode of the small appliance item, place the product onto the AMR, and complete the process via the system monitor. Compared with conventional rack-based sortation, which requires repeated vertical movement and bending, T-sort only requires horizontal movement, significantly reducing operator workload. The simplicity of the task also makes training straightforward.

Once loaded, each AMR automatically selects the most efficient route to its designated chute, even while multiple AMRs operate simultaneously. Upon arrival at the chute, the AMR discharges the product into the chute, where it is directed into a container positioned at the end of the lane.

All 40 AMRs are centrally monitored via a system display, enabling real-time visualization of operating status and performance across the entire fleet.

The modular design of T-sort enhances maintainability. In the event of a malfunction, individual AMRs can be replaced without stopping the overall operation, minimizing downtime and preventing delays. When charging is required, AMRs automatically dock at charging stations and resume operation autonomously once charging is complete.

Future Outlook

Driving the Future of Real-Tech Logistics

Because T-sort features a modular design that allows for short installation lead times as well as easy expansion and reconfiguration, we are considering adding additional sortation lanes and increasing the number of AMRs as future growth demands.

In addition, by integrating T-sort with various material handling systems—including robotics and WMS—we aim to further reduce labor dependency and enhance productivity across the logistics center.

Looking ahead, we aspire to combine our on-site operational excellence with TOYO KANETSU’s material handling expertise and the power of DX (digital transformation) to build what we call “Real-Tech Logistics.” Through this initiative, we seek to establish a highly advanced logistics operation capable of adapting to ongoing changes in society and delivering next-generation logistics services.

*This article reflects information as of February 2025.