Kardex launches PortScale for AutoStore in Australia

Kardex has launched its PortScale precision weighing system for AutoStore installations in Australia, marking the company's 10th proprietary addition to the AutoStore system.

The launch covers Australia and New Zealand and centres on a workstation setup that combines PortScale with Kardex's Intuitive Picking Assistant. The arrangement is aimed at warehouses that need tighter control over order accuracy and faster verification during picking and replenishment.

PortScale is built into the AutoStore port rather than added as a separate downstream checking process. The system uses multiple weight sensors in the port shelf to measure bin weight in real time and support automated item-count verification through its ScaleManager software.

That approach reflects a broader push across warehouse operations to reduce manual checks as operators face labour shortages, rising order volumes and higher service expectations. Weight-based verification is one of several methods warehouse technology suppliers use to cut avoidable errors before orders leave the picking station.

PortScale is intended for higher-throughput sites where even small picking mistakes can affect inventory records, returns handling and customer service. By measuring bin weight continuously at the port, the system is designed to flag errors immediately, reducing the need for later recounts and manual exception handling.

The workstation can also be combined with barcode scanning, computer vision and track-and-trace data capture. In practice, warehouse teams can use several layers of verification within a single picking position rather than relying on one check at the end of the process.

AutoStore push

The Australian launch comes as Kardex seeks to deepen its position in the AutoStore ecosystem, where integrators increasingly differentiate themselves through software, workflow tools and station-level add-ons rather than the core grid system alone. AutoStore's cube-based storage model is widely used in sectors such as retail, consumer goods, spare parts and healthcare, where operators want dense storage and fast goods-to-person retrieval.

Kardex says it has completed more than 150 AutoStore deployments globally over the past five years. Over that period, its AutoStore operation expanded from one employee in 2021 to 250 employees, underlining the importance of the business to its wider intralogistics portfolio.

The company's additions to AutoStore include warehouse execution software, guided picking tools, automated cleaning systems and AI-based bin induction. These products are intended to address practical operating issues around uptime, labour use, stock accuracy and workstation efficiency.

For warehouse operators, the significance of station-level weighing lies in the economics of error reduction. A wrong pick can trigger repeat handling, returns processing, customer complaints and stock corrections, all of which add cost beyond the original mistake. In automated environments, errors can also distort inventory accuracy across a larger flow of orders if they are not caught immediately.

Integrating weighing at the port addresses that problem at source. Instead of moving an order forward and checking later, the process can verify activity as it happens. That is especially relevant in operations where one worker handles a high volume of orders from a goods-to-person station and where speed can increase the risk of mis-picks.

Regional demand

Australia and the wider Asia-Pacific region have seen steady investment in warehouse automation as retailers, distributors and manufacturers seek to improve fulfilment speed and make better use of labour. Higher wages, tighter labour markets and pressure for next-day or same-day delivery have strengthened the case for automation projects that can raise output without expanding floor space at the same rate.

Kardex is positioning PortScale as part of that trend, focusing on sites looking for more precise control at the picking interface rather than a full warehouse redesign. Because the system is designed specifically for AutoStore ports, it targets existing users of the storage platform as well as businesses considering a new AutoStore installation.

Freddy Zhong, Regional Director, Business Development AutoStore, Asia Pacific, Kardex, said, "At Kardex we work closely with AutoStore and our customers to develop solutions to real-world challenges and extend the capabilities of AutoStore. Innovation only matters if it creates measurable value for our customers, which is why every new technology we develop is designed to solve practical operational challenges. Within five years we have become both the most innovative and fastest-growing AutoStore integrator, demonstrating the success of our creative, customer-centric approach and proprietary solutions. No two projects are the same, and we work closely with companies from a wide range of industries throughout their AutoStore journey to increase storage density, improve picking productivity and accuracy, and create more resilient fulfilment operations."

He added, "CeMAT Australia gave visitors a great opportunity to experience our AutoStore innovations live and learn how we are pushing the boundaries of what AutoStore can achieve, with PortScale attracting significant interest during the event. We are continuing to innovate and expand our AutoStore services and solutions to deliver even greater value to our customers around the world."