Forte and PAS Join Swisslog Warehouse and Distribution Solutions

Forte and Power Automation Systems (PAS) will join Swisslog WDS Americas under a single brand name and corporate structure. Swisslog WDS Americas will continue to be headquartered in Newport News, Virginia and will now have a Midwest office at the former Forte headquarters in Mason, Ohio and West Coast office at the former PAS headquarters in Salida, California.

Swisslog acquired Forte Industries in April 2015 and has operated the company as a separate business unit focused on consulting, systems integration and warehouse execution software for companies primarily in the e-commerce and multi-channel retail segments. Forte’s expertise in conveyor and sortation systems for case and piece picking operations has served its growing client base very well.

Since the acquisition the company has been working to integrate its operations as well as enhance its offerings with Swisslog’s wide range of automation solutions. The Mason, Ohio office will continue to be led by A.K. Schultz, vice president of Swisslog WDS Americas.

Similarly, the acquisition of PAS was announced in April 2016 at MODEX and was immediately integrated with Swisslog under the leadership of vice president Michael Felbinger. The PAS PowerStore is a leader in pallet shuttle automated storage and retrieval systems (ASRS) and is an increasingly important part of Swisslog’s growing portfolio of innovative technologies.

Markus Schmidt, president WDS Americas

Employees in the Mason and Salida offices will join more than 2,500 colleagues at Swisslog worldwide, supporting customers in 50 countries. All share the same passion for designing, developing and delivering logistics automation systems and software that drive customer success. As part of the KUKA Group, a leading global supplier of intelligent automation solutions, no other company is better positioned to shape the future of intralogistics by introducing a new era of robotic, data-driven and flexible automation solutions that create exceptional customer value.

“We look forward to continuing to serve our current and future clients as one Swisslog,” said Markus Schmidt, president WDS Americas. “We will do this by offering a full spectrum of innovative solutions ranging from light automation to the most advanced robotics. You can count on our continued dedication to a deep understanding of our customer’s business, a thorough analysis of their data and an unwavering commitment to customer support.”