Arvato Supply Chain Solutions (SCS) invested heavily in automation in 2021. At the Dortmund site, for example, an AutoStore warehouse system was put into operation that would set a new record: It has more robots than any other warehouse system in Europe. The system is being built in a new hall with floor space of 7,700 square meters. With a capacity of around 180,000 bin locations and 280 robots, it is specially designed for the rapidly growing online business of existing international customers from the fashion industry.

Vereinigte Verlagsauslieferung (VVA), which is part of Arvato, also followed the trend. It expanded its existing facility at the Gütersloh distribution center to include an automated shuttle warehouse with picking system. Such warehouse automation solutions are an important part of Arvato SCS’s comprehensive digitalization strategy. The company increasingly relies on standardized building blocks that can be individually combined into an overall concept for a given project.

Arvato Systems selectively expanded its strategic partnerships in financial year 2021, in particular its ties with leading tech corporations. Microsoft verified Arvato Systems as a top partner with 16 gold competencies and one silver competency. In the cloud environment, the company was granted, among other things, Amazon Web Services’ “AWS Well-Architected Partner” status, a distinction for partners that have specialized technical skills and proven customer success. Market analysts also reconfirmed Arvato Systems’ extensive expertise with distinctions including “Leader for Public Cloud Services” in the “ISG Provider Lens™ Public Cloud – Solutions & Service.”

With the successful integration of two printing sites in the United States acquired at the end of 2020, Bertelsmann Printing Group established itself as the country’s second-largest book manufacturer. At the same time, this secured fellow Group subsidiary Penguin Random House’s supply chain long term. Organizational structures were standardized and processes along integrated value chains were optimized. Beyond this, investments in leading-edge production facilities will boost performance for major publishing customers going forward.

GGP Media, Europe’s leading book producer, also made progress, expanding its print-on-demand services through a cooperation with Books on Demand (BoD). GGP can now offer publishing customers an integrated and holistic print service covering all kinds of demand. The company also made investments in digital printing and sustainable book production.