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Kiva Systems Revolutionizes Pallet And Case Handling with Launch of CaseFetch™ Case Picking System

Kiva CaseFetch triples operator productivity in full-case selection, integrates with ItemFetch™ and OrderFetch™ to create complete four-wall solution for the DC

Woburn, MA - January 8, 2007 -Kiva Systems, a developer of breakthrough mobile robotic solutions for the dynamic storage, movement and sortation of inventory, today announced the general availability of the CaseFetch case-picking system. An extension of the revolutionary Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System, CaseFetch uses mobile robots to allow every case-pick operator access to any pallet in the building. Together with the Kiva ItemFetch™ and OrderFetch™ solutions, Kiva now offers a complete four-walls product line for distribution center operations that dramatically increases productivity, speed, accuracy and flexibility across the entire facility

With the Kiva CaseFetch system, pallets entering the building are fork-loaded onto mobile pod bases at pick-and-drop locations and then transported to storage by mobile robotic drive units. The pallets are stored in a high-density grid pattern in the interior of the facility while pick workers stand at stations around the perimeter. During the outbound order fulfillment process, a continuous stream of pallet and case reserve pods are fetched by mobile drive units and brought to the operator. In this way, every operator can access every case item in the building without moving their feet, tripling productivity and reducing operator fatigue.

The CaseFetch mobile robotic drive units are a larger version of the successful ItemFetch drive units, with payload capacity of up to 3,000 pounds and a lower profile that preserves storage density across multiple levels of mezzanine. Kiva offers a range of pallet and case pod configurations that support full pallets as well as mixed pallet put-away into half pallet, quarter pallet or even single case locations for efficient dock-to-stock workflows.

“With the introduction of the Kiva CaseFetch solution, we have extended our powerful philosophy of any item, any time, any where to the entire warehouse to include pallets and cases,” said Mick Mountz, CEO and founder of Kiva Systems, “Now all the inventory in your building can store, move and sort itself, tripling productivity while simultaneously increasing the speed, accuracy and flexibility of your operations. It simply defies the existing laws of fulfillment.”

Used together, the Kiva ItemFetch split-case picking system, OrderFetch shipping sorter, and CaseFetch case picking system create a completely mobile DC where every element is dynamic including pallets, cases, items and orders. And unlike complex three-year AS/RS installations, the Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System can be installed in one week, uses zero feet of conveyor and is easily expanded or reconfigured on the fly.

About Kiva Systems

Kiva Systems, Inc. uses a breakthrough approach to help companies reduce cost and increase flexibility in their distribution centers. Using autonomous mobile robots, storage pods, and powerful control software, the Kiva Mobile Fulfillment System enables a smooth flow of materials through the facility. The result is a low-cost building that is quick to set up, inexpensive to operate, and easy to change.
For more information on Kiva Systems and its solutions, please visit www.kivasystems.com

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