Cooktops on the Move: Autonomous Material Flow at Electrolux
In Rothenburg, deep in the heart of German appliance manufacturing, Electrolux Hausgeräte GmbH produces cooktops for kitchens across Europe. As one of the world’s leading household appliance manufacturers, Electrolux is known for quality, innovation, and a steady push toward more sustainable production. So when the company set out to modernise the internal logistics of its cooktop line, the bar was set high: the new solution had to be flexible, ergonomic, and built for the long term — without disrupting an already running production setup.
Company: Electrolux
Industry: Appliance Manufacturing
Location: Rothenburg, Germany
Local Partner: JUGARD+Künstner
AMR setup: Nord Pallet Mover 1000 + MiR600
Together with our integration partner JUGARD+KÜNSTNER, Electrolux moved from a mix of manual handling and rigid conveyor technology to a fully autonomous material flow — using two MiR600 mobile robots equipped with the Nord Modules Pallet Mover 1000.
THE CHALLENGE
Rethinking a production line already in motion
Manual transport routines and fixed conveyor systems had reached their limits. The team at Electrolux needed a way to move packaged cooktops between stations more efficiently, while keeping the option to adapt the layout in the future. Four objectives shaped the project:
- Flexibility – no rigid conveyor technology, with easy adaptation to future layout changes
- Ergonomics – replacing manual carton handling with an autonomous system
- Fast integration – implementation in an already-running production environment, with minimal interruption
- User-friendliness – an intuitive setup that Electrolux could operate, adjust, and scale in-house
Scalability across other production areas and sites was a key requirement from the outset.
THE SOLUTION
Two MiR600s, two Pallet Mover 1000s, full autonomy
Packaged cooktops are staged two cartons at a time on gravity conveyors at the production line. A sensor detects when material needs to move, automatically triggering a transport order through MiR Fleet Enterprise. From there, the MiR600 — fitted with the Nord Modules Pallet Mover 1000 — picks up the load and delivers it autonomously, precisely, and safely to its destination. No fixed conveyors. No manual handling.
The Pallet Mover 1000 was selected for its industrial-grade construction and proven ability to handle repeated transfers reliably in continuous operation — the kind of workload where component quality and tested durability are non-negotiable.
“It was important for us to have a flexible solution that integrates easily into our existing systems and that we can fully control ourselves.”
— Patrick Bach, Manufacturing Engineering, Electrolux
A close partnership with JUGARD+KÜNSTNER
The project was delivered in close collaboration with JUGARD+KÜNSTNER, whose deep experience with MiR and industrial automation made it possible to integrate the solution into an already-running production environment within a short timeframe. Through targeted training at JUGARD+KÜNSTNER, the Electrolux team built up the in-house competence needed to run the system independently and to extend it as production requirements evolve.
That handover was deliberate. The goal wasn’t just to deliver an automated transport solution — it was to leave Electrolux with a system they own, understand, and can develop further.
A future-proof setup, with minimal interference
The Electrolux project is a clear example of what autonomous mobile robots can do when paired with the right top module and the right partner: replace rigid, labour-intensive processes with a flexible, scalable setup — without halting the production lines that pay for it.
It’s also a reminder of what matters most when automation moves into existing factories. Not the flashiest technology, but the most dependable: industrial-grade modules, robots that perform shift after shift, and a partnership that gives the customer real control over their own operation.
