Kermené has stepped up automation across its production network by working with Zetes on a shipping verification system designed to tighten traceability and reduce manual handling errors.
The agri-food group, which supplies E.Leclerc supermarkets exclusively, said the move reflects the scale and complexity of its logistics operation. With about 4,000 employees, annual revenue of around €1.2 billion, seven production sites and close to 100,000 boxes leaving its facilities eac...
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h day, the company handles a flow where even a small labelling mistake can have serious consequences.
According to the company, the previous process still left room for errors in pallet composition and identification because some checks were carried out manually. In a sector built around ultra-fresh products, that left Kermené looking for a more robust system that could secure shipments while also improving throughput.
Zetes installed 11 automated pallet-control camera gates across five production sites in France. The system, built on ImageID technology, scans each pallet before it leaves for the logistics platform, checking barcodes, box counts, batch numbers, use-by dates and product references.
The set-up has also been enhanced with an artificial intelligence module trained on images captured on site. The company says this helps the system spot unlabelled boxes, missing parcels or other irregularities immediately. Once a pallet is cleared, its label is generated automatically and the associated data and images are transmitted to the ERP system for instant traceability updates.
Kermené says the change has brought clear operational gains. Manual inspection that once involved as many as 144 scans and could take more than a minute is now completed in about five seconds, while traceability is now fully controlled, with each box linked to its pallet. The company also says the system has delivered productivity savings equivalent to five full-time roles, allowing staff to move to higher-value tasks.
Arnaud Valet, head of tertiary processing plants and supply chain at Kermené, said the relationship with Zetes was built on a long-term partnership model rather than a simple supplier contract, describing the technology provider as responsive and innovative.
For Kermené, the project is part of a wider push to invest in tools that protect quality and strengthen supply chain security. For E.Leclerc stores and consumers, it is intended to provide greater assurance that ultra-fresh goods are shipped with tighter control and better visibility from factory to shelf.
Source: Noah Wire Services
