Trust A&C announced on the 23rd that it had finalized the registration of a patent for a new generation “AI Building” which integrates automated logistics equipment into the building structure. Trust A&C also plans to trademark this technology in major overseas markets and continue its global expansion.
The heart of this patent lies in the use of the automated rack structure itself as a key structural element of the building. Unlike conventional logistics centers, which were designed by separating the building structure and automation equipment, Trust A&C designed automated logistics equipment as a structural framework, implementing logistics centers as an “automation-based building system”.
The AI building is designed based on a vertical rack structure and shuttle system, enabling high-rise and high-density storage. It can maximize land use efficiency, even on restricted sites, while ensuring space efficiency, structural stability and cost-effectiveness in the design and construction phases.
Trust A&C’s AI Building applies a construction method in which the structural structure of the shuttle rack, an automated logistics facility, is first erected to a height of approximately 30 to 40 meters, followed by the construction of the exterior walls and roof. A distinctive feature is that the entire logistics center is designed and implemented on the basis of automation.
The construction takes place in four stages: △ construction of the base structure and pouring of the foundation concrete △ installation of the shuttle rack structure △ finishing of the exterior walls and roof △ construction of the automation equipment such as shuttle racks, elevators, IT systems, WMS and WCS. All processes are organically linked based on the installation of automation equipment, enabling planning from design to construction to operation in a single flow. The system can also be expanded or reconfigured based on changes in cargo volume or operating methods, thereby improving the flexibility of logistics operations.
Additionally, the AI building leverages an integrated automation system that combines shuttles, elevators and conveyors, enhancing both storage efficiency and operational efficiency. It can be expanded and applied in various forms, including general ambient logistics centers, cold and frozen warehouses, urban logistics facilities and automated high-bay warehouses.
Trust A&C explains that using the AI Building rack can significantly increase storage throughput for the same floor space while reducing operating costs. He says it goes beyond just adopting equipment to structurally improve return on investment (ROI). According to the company’s analysis, for a storage capacity of 5,000 pallets, a conventional logistics center requires a site of around 7,000 pyeong with construction costs of around 10 billion KRW, while applying the AI Building method allows building on a site of around 1,100 pyeong at a cost of around 2.5 billion KRW.
Based on a high-rise and high-density storage structure, the number of units stored per same site area can be maximized, thereby strengthening the competitiveness of logistics operations. It is evaluated as a new logistics center model that simultaneously increases throughput and operational performance while optimizing land and cost structures.
Trust A&C also further enhances AI building operational competitiveness with a warehouse automation solution that combines SaaS-based WMS/WCS with AI technology. The WMS manages the entire logistics process, including entry, inventory, picking and exit, while the WCS controls automation equipment such as shuttle racks, elevators and conveyors in real time. By adding an AI layer, it can detect inventory placement errors and damage risks in advance and optimize picking routes in real time.
The platform includes central cloud-based control, real-time inventory visibility, predictive maintenance and dynamic location optimization, and is delivered in a SaaS framework. It enables flexible response to changing logistics environments and keeps the system current through continuous upgrades and performance-based pricing options. In particular, leveraging its own patented automated construction rack technology and integration capabilities, the platform is designed to manage the entire process, from equipment and space management to data analysis and operational optimization, within a single system.
Trust A&C’s strategy is to redefine logistics warehouses not as simple storage spaces but as “operational infrastructure”, thereby leading future logistics innovation. A company representative said: “The AI Building is a structure that maximizes storage volume per same area while simultaneously reducing land acquisition and construction costs,” adding: “The aim is to present a model of intelligent logistics infrastructure focused on return on investment.
Going forward, Trust A&C plans to continue to expand the development of smart logistics technologies, including advancing SaaS-based WMS optimized for building AI and automated building racks, real-time monitoring based on digital twins, and solutions that respond to evolving humanoid and AI trends.
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