ALSTEF GROUP AUTOMATES THE LOGISTICS PLATFORM FOR SUNTORY BEVERAGE & FOOD FRANCE
Alstef Group at Suntory Beverage & Food
- Location: Donnery, France
- Scope: End-to-end automated intralogistics system including shuttle-based storage, pallet transfer loops, production line interfaces, external receiving docks, outbound docks, picking and co-packing areas, and WCS software
- Industry: Food & Beverage - Bottling
©Suntory Beverage & Food
A Strategic Logistics Platform at the Heart of Production
In June 2025, Suntory Beverage & Food France officially opened its fully automated logistics platform, directly connected to its historic production facility in Donnery. Alstef Group is proud to have played a central role in this major project, overseeing the full design and integration of the intralogistics system.
The goal: to support growing volumes - 350 million litres of beverages handled annually - while boosting the efficiency and responsiveness of Suntory’s supply chain.
A Comprehensive System: High-Density Storage, Smart Pallet Handling, and Centralized Control
Spanning over 20,000 m², the system designed by Alstef Group provides a fully integrated response to the site’s operational needs, bringing together automated storage, smart horizontal pallet transport, and centralized control via a dedicated software suite.
Key material handling features include:
- A shuttle-based storage system with 36 multi-depth shuttles operating across 9 levels, offering capacity for up to 58,000 pallets - equivalent to 62 km of racking.
- An inbound receiving area with three exterior docks.
- An outbound shipping zone equipped with 34 gravity conveyors, 16 powered conveyors, and 19 truck-loading docks.
- 72 automated pallet shuttles operating in two dedicated loops:
- One connecting the production plant to the warehouse via a 300-meter overhead gallery,
- The other linking the warehouse to 22 outbound loading docks.
All systems are managed by OPAL, Alstef Group’s proprietary WCS software, ensuring real-time control, full traceability, and continuous flow optimization.
A Sustainable, Fully Connected Logistics System
A key strength of the project lies in its full integration with Suntory’s production processes. The gallery allows continuous, interruption-free transfer of finished goods from the plant to the warehouse. This setup eliminates 15,000 truck trips each year, reducing lead times, enhancing reliability, and significantly lowering the site’s environmental footprint.
The system also includes smart energy management: shuttle operations adapt automatically to real-time activity levels. During low-demand periods, part of the fleet parks in standby zones to avoid unnecessary movement - lowering electricity consumption while maintaining system responsiveness.
On the shipping side, the system can process up to 400 pallets per hour, enabling fast and efficient truck loading - a major asset for managing peaks in activity and delivering top-tier customer service.
A Model Collaboration with Suntory
The project was built on strong collaboration between Suntory Beverage & Food, Alstef Group, and Alainé (the logistics operator in charge of site operations), united by a shared commitment to industrial and logistics excellence.
Alstef Group’s local presence enabled a high level of responsiveness - with specialists available on-site within hours - facilitating fluid communication and efficient coordination throughout every project phase.
“Working with Alstef Group was key to the success of this ambitious project. Today, we have a robust, high-performance automated solution tailored to our industrial challenges. Their deep understanding of our needs, their ability to bring in the right expertise at the right time, and their responsiveness were all crucial factors. This new system is a true accelerator for Suntory Beverage & Food’s logistics performance.” - Abdallah Oulbid, Plant Director, Suntory Beverage & Food France – Donnery
A New Benchmark for the Food & Beverage Supply Chain
To ensure long-term system reliability and uptime, a dedicated Alstef Group maintenance team is now permanently based on site. This team of six technicians oversees both preventive and corrective maintenance, along with real-time monitoring of the entire system. Their on-site presence ensures maximum availability and seamless coordination with operational teams.
This landmark project highlights Alstef Group’s ability to deliver high-performance, scalable intralogistics solutions, tailored to meet the strategic needs of global industrial leaders.