Holbox automates internal logistics with mobile robots

Holbox, a Dutch family-owned specialist in display solutions, relocated in spring 2025 from Echt to a newly built production site in Roermond. The move created an opportunity to reorganise production and logistics processes with a stronger focus on efficiency and sustainability.

Material flows between production, warehouse, goods receipt and shipping were identified as a key area for improvement. The objective was to reduce manual transport, increase safety and create a logistics setup capable of supporting future growth.

Automating repetitive transport tasks
To meet these goals, Jungheinrich implemented an automated logistics solution centred on mobile robots. At the core of the system are two EKS 215a mobile robots, supported by additional industrial trucks equipped with lithium-ion batteries.

The mobile robots handle heavy and repetitive pallet transport tasks, significantly reducing the workload for forklift drivers. This allows employees to focus on more complex and value-adding activities while maintaining a continuous and reliable material flow throughout the facility.

Intuitive operation and mixed-traffic navigation
The mobile robots are operated via a custom-configured, web-based user interface accessible on tablets. The interface allows employees to start, monitor and manage transport orders intuitively, without specialised training.

Navigation is based on laser scanning and intelligent sensor technology, enabling safe operation in mixed environments where mobile robots, pedestrians and manually operated vehicles share the same space. Standard safety sensors monitor the travel path and adjust behaviour based on speed and load. When obstacles are detected, the vehicles slow down or stop in a controlled manner.

Enhanced safety concept for complex loads
A distinctive element of the project is an extended safety concept developed specifically for Holbox. In addition to standard safety systems, the mobile robots are equipped with supplementary sensors that detect obstacles above the typical 20-centimetre detection height.

This additional monitoring is particularly relevant for raised or protruding loads, which are common in Holbox’s production environment. When such obstacles are identified, the robots automatically reduce speed or stop, further increasing operational safety. According to Jungheinrich, this configuration represents a first application of its kind in the Netherlands.

The cantilever mobile robots are also fitted with a customised multi-fork. Alongside Euro and industrial pallets, it enables the transport of oversized paper pallets measuring 1,600 × 1,200 millimetres, a critical requirement for Holbox’s manufacturing processes.

Employee acceptance and future-ready logistics
Although initial scepticism was present among forklift drivers, the mobile robots were quickly integrated into daily operations. By reliably taking over physically demanding transport tasks, they have become a functional part of the logistics team.

For Holbox, the automated solution delivers measurable benefits in efficiency, safety and ergonomics while aligning with the sustainability objectives of the new facility. The project demonstrates how targeted intralogistics automation can support modern manufacturing environments, combining mixed-traffic safety with customised handling capabilities and a scalable foundation for future expansion.