New partnership results in significant improvements to the TransCar Automated Guided Vehicle, with strong market acceptance.
Westerstede, December 13, 2013. Swisslog, the leading provider of hospital automation for material handling and medication management, today announced the first sale of its next-generation automated guided vehicle (AGV) to an NHS Hospital in the United Kingdom. The next-generation TransCar AGV, developed in partnership with JBT Corporation, worldwide leader in AGV systems, was released for sale at the MEDICA trade fair in mid-November in Düsseldorf, Germany, where it attracted considerable market interest.
Due to their flexibility and efficiency, TransCar Automated Guided Vehicles support hospitals by optimizing cost-effective container transport. For more than ten years, previous generations of AGV systems have found great acceptance in the hospital market and have recently gained strongholds in Singapore. A focus on developing the AGV business in South-East Asia and Australia resulted in two significant TransCar orders in Singapore and the first installed system in Sydney, Australia in 2013.
The latest evolution of the TransCar maintains industry leading safety systems and is considerably more maneuverable, making it easier to integrate into existing hospital structures. Furthermore, the TransCar fulfills the strict hygiene standards required in hospitals and performs as effectively and discretely as any colleague within the service team.
„We expect to see growing interest in AGVs in all of our markets in the coming months, as hospitals realize their true potential for labor savings and safety improvements,“ notes Pieter Feenstra, Head of Swisslog HCS Europe. „Our strong Swisslog customer service network across the globe, combined with local project management and the integration competence of Swisslog customer service organizations guarantee a high level of customer satisfaction with TransCar.“
„We are pleased with the results delivered through our collaboration with Swisslog in the development of this next generation AGV platform,“ adds Barry Douglas, General Manager of JBT“s AGV business. „Together, we believe this technology offers a unique opportunity for hospitals to reduce costs and improve operational efficiency.“
Both Swisslog and JBT, recognized for high-performance automation, are proud of their long-term partnership and contributed significant resources to the joint development of this next-generation automated guided vehicle. The partners combined operational excellence and healthcare experience to address market needs for easy implementation, reliability and efficiency. The TransCar LTC3 Automated Guided Vehicle, like the previous model AGV, offers proven performance for routine and repetitive material transport activities.
Hospitals worldwide are looking to automation like the TransCar AGV to address labor and budget shortages. Reducing the reliance on manual deliveries within the hospital allows staff to focus on delivering a greater patient experience – leading to better patient outcomes. Interest for AGVs are expected to grow, across all continents, as hospitals discover the value of automated guided vehicles. Healthcare-specific automated solutions from Swisslog increase workflow efficiency and improve the patient experience.
About Swisslog
Swisslog designs, develops, and delivers efficient automation for forward-thinking hospitals, warehouses, and distribution centers. We offer integrated solutions from a single source – from consulting services to design, implementation and lifetime customer service. Headquartered in Buchs/Aarau, Switzerland, Swisslog has 2 200 employees in 20 countries worldwide, supporting customers in more than 50 countries. The group“s parent company, Swisslog Holding AG, is listed on the SIX Swiss Exchange (security number: 1232462, Telekurs: SLOG, Reuters: SLOG.S). Leading hospitals around the world work closely with Swisslog to optimize their logistics processes, increase their efficiency and effectiveness, and improve patient services.
Kontakt:
Swisslog Healthcare GmbH
Lina Christmann
Hansacker 5-7
26655 Westerstede
+4944888389128
lina.christmann@swisslog.com
http://www.swisslog.com