Rhenus launches major robotic warehouse system in Poland

Rhenus Warehousing Solutions has officially launched one of Poland’s largest AutoStore installations at its logistics centre in Bolesławiec, marking a significant expansion of its automated warehousing capabilities and its support for the growing e-commerce market.

The system, inaugurated on October 22, is the second-largest AutoStore installation within the Rhenus Group and forms part of the company’s wider European warehouse automation strategy. Located within a 57,000-square-metre logistics centre, the new installation occupies approximately 4,500 square metres and provides storage capacity for 1.8 million product units.

The facility uses more than 100 autonomous robots operating across a grid-based storage system containing nearly 140,000 bins. According to Rhenus, the installation can handle more than 38,000 bin presentations per day, supporting high-volume order fulfilment operations.

The investment is intended to improve the efficiency, flexibility and scalability of warehouse processes as demand for e-commerce logistics services continues to evolve.

Automated warehouse strengthens e-commerce operations

The AutoStore system uses autonomous robots to retrieve storage bins and deliver them to workstations, enabling goods to be stored densely while supporting automated order-picking processes.

At Bolesławiec, the installation incorporates the largest bins available for the AutoStore system, allowing the facility to accommodate a broader range of products, including larger items.

Rhenus said the new system has already tripled the efficiency of the processes it supports, despite having only recently entered operation. The company also identified faster and more accurate order picking, increased storage density and greater operational scalability among the principal benefits of the investment.

The implementation strengthens the technological capabilities of the Bolesławiec logistics centre, which Rhenus describes as one of Poland’s most advanced warehousing facilities.

“Implementation of the AutoStore system at our own facility in Bolesławiec marks another milestone in the development of the operations in Poland,” said Paweł Nowak, Country Manager of Rhenus Warehousing Solutions Poland.

Nowak said the launch represents a new phase in the company’s Polish operations, centred on automation and advanced technologies to support modern warehouse logistics.

Implementation completed with Element Logic

The AutoStore project began at the end of 2025 with initial testing and conceptual development to determine the final system configuration.

Following the selection of a technology partner, Rhenus appointed Element Logic, an automated warehouse solutions provider, to implement the installation.

The eight-month implementation process included system manufacturing, installation, testing and adaptations to the warehouse management system (WMS). The main physical installation phase took place between March and July 2026, transforming part of the existing warehouse into an automated storage and retrieval environment.

Rhenus said the project benefited from experience gained through previous AutoStore installations across its European network. The company introduced its first AutoStore system in the Netherlands in 2018 and has since expanded its expertise in automated storage and order-picking operations.

Anna Wiśniewska, Managing Director Poland at Element Logic, highlighted the cooperation between the two companies throughout the implementation process.

According to Wiśniewska, the project combined Element Logic’s technological capabilities with Rhenus’s logistics expertise, enabling the teams to complete the installation through close collaboration.

Rhenus expands European warehouse automation strategy

The Bolesławiec launch represents another step in Rhenus’s efforts to integrate automated technologies into its European contract logistics operations.

The company is focusing on systems that improve order fulfilment performance while providing flexibility for customers whose storage and distribution requirements change over time.

The installation’s storage capacity, robotic handling capabilities and high-density configuration are designed to support e-commerce operations that require efficient processing of large product volumes.

“Our customers expect speed, flexibility and scalability. The AutoStore enables us to meet these expectations while creating a future-ready logistics operation that can continue to grow alongside our customers’ businesses,” said Ronny Sassen, CEO of Rhenus Contract Logistics.

According to Rhenus, the investment establishes a scalable platform for future customer growth and further strengthens its automated warehousing capabilities in Europe.

The official launch follows the completion of the installation and implementation process, bringing the Bolesławiec AutoStore system into operation as part of the company’s Polish logistics network.