Designed to eliminate temporary storage requirements, and reduce delays for transport companies, Sunco Industries' new automated warehouse in Higashiosaka, Japan, represents a major investment in logistics automation, with the capacity to store approximately 13,000 pallets. Officially inaugurated during a completion ceremony on 1st October 2025, the facility combines advanced image recognition technology, automated dispatch systems, and dedicated storage for long products, helping the fastener distributor improve efficiency across its supply chain. During the completion ceremony, around 50 attendees, including Mr Okuyama, president at Sunco Industries, Mr Yoshikazu Noda, Mayor of Higashiosaka City, as well as Sunco employees and the construction team, gathered to mark the occasion. The event celebrated the successful completion of the warehouse and included a traditional prayer for its safety. President Okuyama delivered a speech explaining the reason behind relocating the previous warehouse and shared details on the features of this new investment: “This facility eliminates the need for temporary product storage space, allowing products to be automatically dispatched at the designated times for each delivery carrier. This reduces carrier waiting times and resolves issues caused by limited workspace.” The warehouse also includes a dedicated area for storing threaded rods, with capacity for items up to two metres in length. The most significant feature of the new warehouse is substantial improvement in collection efficiency for transport companies, thanks to the introduction of the rotary racks. These racks feature an image recognition system that enables fully automated banding – using cameras to detect whether cardboard cases lack plastic bands and applying them as needed. Previously, goods awaiting collection would remain on the warehouse floor, reducing operational efficiency. With the rotary rack, items are temporarily stored and automatically retrieved according to each carrier’s scheduled collection times, streamlining the handover process. This not only prevents overflows within the warehouse but