Huawei South Africa has launched a 14 000m² smart warehouse facility in Johannesburg, which the company views as a strategic investment in an industry projected to grow in value to $157 billion by 2032.
Huawei said the AI-powered green intelligent facility is driven by green power solutions, e-security systems and modern logistics (GEM), and this framework is delivered through a digital warehouse management system. This makes it possible to automate 60% of daily processes, according to the company.
The site utilises a 150KWp PV system supported by Huawei’s SUN2000-100KTL-M2 inverter on each building. This generates around 90% of the facility’s daytime energy needs.
In terms of e-security, Huawei said an intelligent camera system provides 24/7 full colour coverage and AI-enabled features to detect safety hazards and security incidents.
The company added that the picking operation in the warehouse is 100% paperless, using PDA scanners for real-time operations. The role of warehouse pickers at this smart facility has also evolved thanks to its use of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) and automated guided forklifts (AGFs).
York Ning, director of enterprise marketing and solutions at Huawei South Africa, said: “Our warehouse management system unifies all logistic operations, integrating AGVs and AGFs to provide intelligent task allocation and scheduling.”
Smart systems are used to enable staff members to work with autonomous technology and improve productivity by 37% per employee, added Ning.
Speaking at the launch, Fergus Fitch, COO at Africa Global Logistics, a Huawei industry partner, said: "We have been logistics partners with Huawei for 15 years now, and have extended our partnership further with the procurement of their technology, which has helped Africa Global Logistics achieve operational excellence and streamline our processes."
The company employs more than 23 000 people across 50 countries, and it has plans to integrate Huawei technology as it expands in Africa. “We will build approximately 35 000m² of warehousing and a five-storey office building, which will be our flagship Africa Global Logistics campus on the continent, which will be fully integrated with Huawei products,” Fitch added.
Will Meng, CEO of Huawei South Africa, added: “The warehouse and logistics market in South Africa was valued at $93 billion in 2024 and is poised to reach $157 billion by 2032. This growth signifies more than just numbers; it represents a transformation towards more agile, responsive and technologically advanced supply chains, which are essential for maintaining a competitive edge in today’s rapidly evolving marketplace,” said Meng.
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