The site in October 2024 before the warehouse became operational

Six inbound lanes

The eight Omni-Moles

Moses Sekhwela – Operations Manager and Portia Ramalatswa – Automated Warehouse and Logistics Manager

Mpact Plastic Containers Castleview takes bold step into automation, sets new industry standard

MPACT Plastic Containers Castleview (MPCC) has taken a bold step into the future of logistics by commissioning one of South Africa’s most advanced automated warehousing systems for palletised products.

The newly installed Omni-Mole® Automated Storage and Retrieval System (AS/RS), developed by Pretoria-based Storage Management Systems (SMS), has been fully operational at MPCC’s site in Castleview, Johannesburg, since January 2025.

This state-of-the-art AS/RS installation significantly enhances space utilisation and operational efficiency at the facility, marking a milestone in the plastics industry. While similar technologies are already in use by logistics companies across the country, MPCC is among the first in South Africa’s plastics sector to adopt such a high-level automation solution.

SMS, a leader in automated warehousing technology, has expanded its footprint internationally with the installation of several warehousing systems predominantly in the United States. Its Omni Mole® system offers transformative capabilities, enabling MPCC to:

• Increase space utilisation to 90%
• Boost productivity to 90%
• Achieve inventory accuracy of 99.9%
• Handle inbound throughput of up to 20 pallets per hour
• Dispatch 40 pallets per hour

Unlike traditional systems, the Omni-Mole® operates on a three-dimensional plane, a leap forward from the one-dimensional movement of its predecessor, the Pallet Mole. Vertical pallet transfers are managed by a Vertical Transfer Unit (VTU), allowing seamless access to any location within the multi-level, high-density racking system.

Although MPCC has not yet integrated automated guided vehicles (AGVs), the Omni-Mole® AS/RS is fully compatible with this technology, offering scalability for future expansion.

The entire system is orchestrated through SMS’s robust Warehouse Execution Software suite, which includes:
• Track-IT®: Advanced inventory management
• Control-IT®: Machine control for Omni-Mole® units, VTUs, chargers, and conveyors
• Map-IT®: Optimised traffic management and anticollision control

This installation not only positions MPCC at the forefront of warehouse automation in the plastics industry but also sets a benchmark for operational excellence and innovation in South African manufacturing.

Diverse Product Range Demands Precision

As a leading manufacturer of plastic crates, MPCC recognised warehouse automation as a strategic necessity. The company produces a wide variety of crate types, many of which look similar but differ in specification, making manual handling prone to mistakes. With the introduction of the Omni-Mole® AS/RS system, human error has been greatly reduced in the storage and retrieval process, resulting in greater accuracy and efficiency.

Beyond accuracy, the system’s 24/7 operational capability means products can be automatically loaded onto racking shelves and retrieved for dispatch without interruption. The result is a seamless, intelligent workflow that ensures the right products are delivered every time.

Automation Megatrend

Increased automation is a megatrend applicable to most businesses that handle goods and seeking to optimise efficiencies in their supply chain. MPCC understands this well with firsthand experience our customers have had on this journey.

From Rescue to Revival: Inside MPCC’s Third Manufacturing Site

Mpact Plastic Containers Castleview (MPCC) expanded its footprint in 2021 by opening a third manufacturing facility at Castleview, Johannesburg. The site was previously occupied by Mpact Polymers, which operated a recycled PET facility from 2016 until production ceased in 2020. That venture entered business rescue during the economic slowdown brought on by the Covid pandemic, making recovery efforts particularly difficult.

At the time, MPCC operated two other plants, one in Atlantis in the Western Cape and another in Brits in the North West, where it had also built a polyolefins recycling operation. It was in pursuit of equipment for the recycling business that Managing Director Loutjie de Jongh visited the Castleview site in 2020. Initially searching for granulators and other machinery, he quickly realised the site offered exactly what MPCC needed: a large, covered space, sufficient power infrastructure, and excellent transport access, located just north of Wadeville near the N17.

“We bought everything, including the headache” said de Jongh. At the time, the warehouse still housed the massive Krones PET recycling line, capable of processing over 2,000 tonnes of PET bottle material each month. The line was later sold and shipped to the United States.

With the equipment cleared, de Jongh and Operations General Manager Ruben Brandt began implementing their vision for the site. The building was stripped and the roof raised by four metres, replacing the original multi-gabled structure with a flat roof to accommodate solar panels.

The 10,000 square metre facility was reconfigured, with roughly one third dedicated to production and the remainder allocated to warehousing, now home to the SMS Omni-Mole® system. MPCC has significantly expanded its injection moulding capacity at Castleview, installing machines with clamping forces of 1,000 tonnes and above.

Automation in Action

The Omni-Mole® system now completes the transformation at MPCC’s new site, bringing together the various upgrades into a fully integrated logistics hub.

Developed by Storage Management Systems, this worldclass solution uses advanced control systems to manage all vertical transfer units, chargers, and robotic shuttle units. The result is a seamless, high-speed automated pallet movement and storage process for the wide range of crates and moulded products stored in the facility.

The system operates continuously, ensuring efficient movement and precise handling of stock within the warehouse. Its intelligent design allows MPCC to maintain accuracy, reduce manual intervention, and optimise space and time across its logistics operations.