How ABB Robots Enhance Nespresso's Manufacturing Efficiency

Nespresso is turning to automation to meet rising customer demand across the Benelux region.

Known for delivering coffee capsules directly to consumers, the Swiss brand is deploying an automated order handling system designed to increase efficiency, accuracy and responsiveness in its distribution centre operations.

To ensure consistent service quality while processing a growing volume of complex orders, Nespresso has partnered with logistics firm ID Logistics (IDL). It has now integrated a full automation solution developed by ABB, a manufacturer of industrial robotics and automation technology.

Located at IDL’s Tilburg site in the Netherlands, the system includes robotic depalletising, high-speed picking and order packing, supported by intelligent software control and round-the-clock technical assistance.

ABB’s material management platform forms the core of the solution, providing real-time data oversight and control of product movement.

IDL Site Manager Dominic Maas says: “With Nespresso seeing continued growth in demand for its products, the company was keen to see how an automated order handling could help.”

Previously, IDL staff manually picked and packed orders involving Nespresso’s signature coffee sleeves. The manual process could not keep pace with rising order volumes.

ABB’s automated system now enables the site to handle up to 625 orders an hour. Productivity has increased by 200% and accuracy stands at 99.9%.

Robotics streamline complex fulfilment

The ABB setup operates in two primary stages: depalletising and high-speed picking. First, an IRB660 robot handles depalletising, selecting boxes from any of 40 pallet locations. These are moved onto a conveyor where the boxes are automatically opened, ready for item selection.

Next, four FlexPicker IRB 360 delta robots execute high-speed picking. Each robot accesses up to 10 different sleeve variants and completes as many as 150 picks per minute.

These robots can pick up to five sleeves in one motion and place them directly into customer carts on a moving conveyor.

Each cart then travels to a packing station, where an operator is directed on the correct box size to use. Coffee sleeves are automatically inserted into the box, while the operator adds extras such as chocolates, seals the package and applies a shipping label.

The entire process is managed by ABB’s software platform, which sits beneath Nespresso’s warehouse management system.

This includes SCADA (Supervisory Control and Data Acquisition), which visualises key operational data and assists operators by displaying system performance metrics and alerts.

Dominic highlights the system’s precision: “One thing that stands out is the pick and place mechanism while the conveyor is running. The ABB’s FlexPicker can pick one sleeve or multiple sleeves from the box and place them in the moving cart.”

Visibility and control improve performance

With automation in place, the Tilburg facility can maintain quality standards at a higher scale of operations. Error rates have fallen sharply, with customer complaints and rejections now at just 0.06% of orders.

The new system also supports greater flexibility. As order volumes fluctuate, the automation adjusts without needing packaging modifications—existing boxes and pallets remain in use.

Operators interact with an intuitive interface, which flags faults and recommends solutions.

A visual system map enhances understanding of robot activity and allows for quicker intervention in case of stoppages or adjustments.

Sorin Geambasu, Global Warehouse Efficiency Manager at Nespresso, says: “We have been delighted with the system, which is increasing our agility and our ability to fulfil customer orders more efficiently with less errors.”

Scaling automation across operations

Support from ABB extends beyond deployment. The supplier provides training for IDL personnel to make small operational adjustments and offers remote and on-site technical support around the clock.

This Tilburg project marks Nespresso’s first use of full automation in its fulfilment operations.

The company and its logistics partner now plan to explore similar solutions at other sites based on the success of this deployment.

Sorin confirms that the move to automation has had measurable impact on service and output. The model at Tilburg sets a precedent as the company evaluates next steps.

“This is the first time that such an innovative automated solution has been implemented for Nespresso,” he says.

“We are always reviewing ways to improve customer satisfaction and automation has proven itself as a way of achieving this.