Africa-Press – Ghana. Huawei South Africa has unveiled an advanced smart warehouse in Johannesburg, signaling a significant advancement in the region’s logistics sector.
Covering 14,000 square meters, this state-of-the-art facility is equipped with advanced technologies designed to enhance efficiency, security, and environmental sustainability across African supply chains.
The new warehouse is a key component of Huawei’s larger initiative to modernize logistics operations throughout Africa.
With automation and intelligent systems integrated, the facility is optimized to streamline processes and reduce costs.
This move underscores Huawei’s commitment to fostering innovation and technological development on the continent.
Will Meng, CEO of Huawei South Africa, underscored the growing significance of the country’s logistics market.
“In 2024, the South African warehouse and logistics market was valued at $93 billion. By 2032, it is projected to reach $157 billion,” he stated.
Meng pointed out that this growth is not only financial but also indicative of a shift toward smarter, faster, and more resilient supply chains that can remain competitive in the global economy.
Technology-Driven Efficiency
The GEM framework—Green Power, E-security, and Modern Logistics—forms the foundation of Huawei’s smart warehouse.
This framework is supported by a digital warehouse management system that automates approximately 60% of daily tasks, enabling faster and more reliable operations.
Green Power: The warehouse is powered by a 150KWp solar system equipped with Huawei’s SUN2000-100KTL-M2 inverters, which supply nearly 90% of the building’s daytime energy requirements. Herman Fourie, Senior Solutions Manager at Huawei’s Digital Power division, explained that this model offers companies a cost-effective energy solution, with the added benefit of potentially selling surplus power back to the grid.
E-Security: Safety is ensured through AI-powered cameras that provide full-color, 24/7 monitoring, even in complete darkness. These cameras can detect potential threats and operational issues without the need for large control centers, thereby optimizing space for storage and enhancing the overall safety of the warehouse.
Modern Logistics: The warehouse has eliminated paper from its picking operations, replacing it with PDA scanners and automated equipment such as AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and AGFs (Automated Guided Forklifts). These technologies deliver items to workers, rather than requiring them to retrieve items themselves, enabling workers to complete up to 110 tasks per hour—almost doubling the output of traditional methods.
Stevin John Du Plessis, Logistics Manager at Huawei South Africa, led an exclusive tour of the facility, demonstrating how the combination of automation and human oversight has increased efficiency by 70% to 80%.
A Glimpse Into the Future
York Ning, Director of Enterprise Marketing & Solutions, highlighted how the warehouse integrates all operations into a single digital system.
“Our platform coordinates automated machines and staff, improving output by 37% per employee,” he stated.
This collaboration between human workers and technology shows how Huawei is establishing new standards for logistics innovation in Africa.
The Johannesburg smart warehouse represents more than just a local facility—it symbolizes Huawei’s ambition to shape the future of logistics across the continent through sustainable, secure, and intelligent infrastructure.
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