Swire Coca-Cola has begun commercial operation of an AI-controlled robotic system for order picking at its Zhengzhou factory, putting robots to work on one of the more difficult parts of beverage warehouse logistics: moving heavy, shrink-wrapped products.

The system, developed with Hangzhou-based SETH Robotics, uses intelligent picking robots alongside autonomous mobile robots to identify products, pick heavy loads, move them and build mixed-product pallets according to orders. Chinese reports say three picking robots and three autonomous mobile robots are currently operating at the site. Swire Coca-Cola’s Zhengzhou factory began operations in October 2025 and includes automated logistics systems.

The company said the robotic system began operating this month as Swire Coca-Cola responds to changing demand across sales channels including convenience stores, vending machines and snack stores. Peter Mills, chief supply chain officer of Swire Coca-Cola, told the South China Morning Post that the company needs a more flexible supply chain as consumer habits change.

With an estimated capital outlay of well over 900 million yuan ($134 million), and an annual capacity for production of more than 1 million metric tons, the Zhengzhou factory is reported to have logistics that include automated guided vehicles and robot sorting machines. Xinhua reported the factory’s investment and production capacity.

The newly introduced picking robots are built for heavier work. According to Swire Coca-Cola and SETH Robotics, the system is capable of handling loads of up to 40 kilograms and has a capacity of 600 cases per hour.

However, those figures are company and partner claims rather than independently verified performance measurements.

The challenge does not merely involve shifting a box from one point to another. Beverage packs shrink-wrapped in plastic are translucent and reflective and have a tendency to deform under pressure, making them difficult for robotic manipulation systems to detect and handle. The companies say the system was developed through repeated testing in the Zhengzhou facility to handle those conditions.

Swire Coca-Cola has already made substantial investments in automation at the factory. According to an October 2025 report from Xinhua, more than 30 digital systems had already been integrated into operations ranging from ordering and stock management to packaging and distribution.

No independent data comparing the performance of the machines with human workers has been provided by Swire Coca-Cola, and the reported 600-case-per-hour figure is a peak capability rather than a sustained production rate.