United Drug

United Drug is Ireland’s largest pharmaceutical distribution company and was originally founded by a group of pharmacists in Ballina, Mayo in 1948.

In 2022 United Drug became part of the PHOENIX group and is now part of Europe’s leading healthcare provider in the sector.

Due to a lack of available labour to support the increased order levels from the United Drug Consumer business, United Drug needed to look to technology to allow it meet current and future fulfilment demands.

United Drug chose to work with Locus Robotics as they recognised it was a scalable solution that would improve productivity, pick accuracy, and lessen the physical effort required from the existing warehouse team.

The robots operate as “cobots,” working alongside existing workers, augmenting their productivity.

Whilst United Drug tried to find more people and retain the existing staff at its Baldonnel centre, its location in City West on the outskirts of Dublin city was difficult for some to get to.

Robotic automation was their only viable option.

The initial deployment of 21 Origin autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) from Locus Robotics is primarily focused on improving order fulfilment productivity with additional benefits including increased pick accuracy, and workplace safety.