PepsiCo is strengthening its logistics footprint in Central Europe with a new automated warehouse in Grodzisk Mazowiecki, Poland. The facility, built in partnership with Mecalux, will connect production directly to distribution using round-the-clock automation to improve efficiency, lower emissions, and expand capacity without physical expansion.
Seamless Production-to-Dispatch Integration
Scheduled to open in the third quarter of 2026, the new automated storage and retrieval system (AS/RS) will manage potato crisps and other snacks directly from PepsiCo’s production lines. Six stacker cranes equipped with the Mecalux Automated Pallet Shuttle will serve dense racking, while an electric monorail system and conveyor network will ensure continuous pallet flow between manufacturing, storage, and dispatch.
The system will be controlled by Mecalux’s Easy WMS software, integrated with PepsiCo’s SAP eWM platform. This two-way link will synchronize every movement across the plant, from goods receipt through order fulfillment, and create a unified data layer for logistics visibility. “Production, warehouse, and dispatch will now operate as a single automated system,” said Bartłomiej Lesiuk, Warehouse Automation Design Manager at PepsiCo, in an official statement. “Our modular setup also gives us flexibility as our operations evolve.”
Energy Efficiency and Emissions Reduction Built In
The Grodzisk Mazowiecki site marks PepsiCo Polska’s third automation project with Mecalux, and its most advanced to date. Each stacker crane includes an energy recovery system that reduces electricity consumption by up to 20% per cycle. In addition, AI-based computer vision replaces traditional photocells, improving accuracy in pallet handling while reducing downtime.
The facility’s automation will allow PepsiCo to ship directly from production, eliminating double handling and cutting internal transport requirements. The company estimates the system will reduce annual greenhouse gas emissions by 200 tonnes, aligning with its broader sustainability targets for 2030. Similar automation projects across Europe, such as those at PepsiCo’s Środa Śląska and Veurne plants, have demonstrated comparable efficiency gains and waste reductions, according to company data.
Automation as Infrastructure, Not Equipment
PepsiCo’s approach in Poland reflects how automation is maturing from an operational upgrade into infrastructure planning logic. As logistics networks across Europe face land scarcity and decarbonization mandates, embedded automation offers a way to scale output without expanding footprint or emissions. This reframing, treating warehouse automation as fixed infrastructure with compounding returns, is quietly redefining how global manufacturers allocate capital between capacity, technology, and sustainability.
