Phononic and Vidir Introduce First Actively-Cooled and Automated Buy Online Pick-up On Site Fulfillment and Staging Solution for Grocers

Integrated Solution Combines Actively-Cooled Freezer and Refrigerator Totes in Vertical Storage System Enabling Curbside Grocery Automation and Delivery Fulfillment

DURHAM, N.C. – Phononic, a global leader in solid state cooling technology, and Vidir Solutions, a leading manufacturer and worldwide supplier of vertical motorized material handling and storage systems, today announced commercial availability of a joint solution – the Vidir Powered Carousel – that will make online grocery delivery and curbside fulfillment easier and more efficient for grocers.

This first-of-its-kind automated BOPOS (Buy Online Pick-up On Site) fulfillment and staging solution combines Phononic’s actively-cooled refrigerator and freezer totes with Vidir’s vertical lift system, enabling grocers to stage frozen, chilled and ambient orders in one central location. By consolidating orders in a vertical storage system, retailers can now reduce the number of touches required by their associates to fulfill an order while also decreasing the time it takes to get an order to their customers for curbside pickup and delivery.

“Online grocery sales in the U.S. are expected to grow at an annual rate of nearly 12% over the next five years. As such, it’s paramount that grocers have solutions that can adapt quickly to the increase in demand and ensure a seamless customer experience for curbside and delivery orders,” said Larry Yang, Chief Product Officer at Phononic. “The integration between Phononic and Vidir’s technology makes this possible by reducing the friction associated with limited warehouse space, manual labor costs and timely curbside delivery of fresh, temperature-controlled products.”

Vidir’s highly versatile line of vertical storage solutions scales with each grocer’s business, maximizing utilization of floor space and providing a high-density staging system that reduces the number of touches needed to fulfill an order for curbside or delivery. The Vidir Powered Carousel enables vertical space usage that is otherwise wasted and enables the same or more throughput by using significantly less floor space. Additionally, orders are kept at precise temperatures in Phononic’s IoT-enabled refrigerator and freezer totes in the joint solution. These totes can be turned off when not in use which increases energy savings and brings a “smart” capability to the process.

“Together, Vidir and Phononic are powering the ultimate online pickup fulfillment experience. The joint solution eliminates the need for manual staging and labor-intensive retrieval of orders by automating the order consolidation process and enhancing time to curb for customers, while also minimizing order errors—a win-win for grocers’ efficiency and customer experience,” added Mario Fontes, Director of Sales & Marketing at Vidir Solutions.

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About Phononic:

As the global leader in solid state cooling technology, Phononic is driving the world to a more sustainable way to cool. Its transformational technology reduces greenhouse gas (GhG) emissions and supports climate goals, while meeting the demanding performance needs of the market. The company’s thermoelectric devices and integrated products are mission critical to how people work and communicate; how automobiles ‘see’; to the protection and effective delivery of life-saving vaccines and drugs; to cooling solutions supporting grocery cold chain fulfillment needs; and to innovative methods that cool living and workspaces. For more information on the company, visit: phononic.com

About Vidir Solutions:
Vidir Solutions is a leading manufacturer and worldwide supplier of material handling equipment, vertical motorized storage carousels, vertical lift machines, and display systems. Our highly versatile line of machines offers industry solutions for all industries including construction, retail, medical, warehouse, government, automotive, printing, and manufacturing. Visit: vidirsolutions.com