Posted by Travis Baker on Thu, Jan 05, 2012 @ 08:57 AM
ES3’s direct-to-store (D2S) program has been selected as the winner of the 2011 Supply Chain Innovation Award ™ by the Council of Supply Chain Management Professionals (CSCMP).
The D2S program provides a shared, collaborative warehouse for manufacturers and retailers, resulting in significant reductions in costs and carbon usage, improved speed to shelf, and increased on-shelf availability. The D2S solution was presented by Walt Lentz, Senior Vice President of Ahold USA; Dave Allen, Executive Vice President of Operations of Del Monte Foods; and Brenda Hambleton, Chief Strategy and Marketing Officer of ES3 at the Annual Global CSCMP conference in Philadelphia.
The Supply Chain Innovation Award ™ recognizes outstanding innovations in supply chain practices that reduced costs, streamlined processes, saved energy, and improved operating efficiencies. Six corporate teams competed for the award, including ADT Security Services, Inc. in collaboration with Inmar, Inc.; The Dow Chemical Company in collaboration with Dr. Timothy Pettit of the Air Force Institute of Technology; IMB Corporation; Motorola Mobility; and Polo Ralph Lauren.
Final selection was announced this morning. Upon hearing the news, Walt Lentz expressed his congratulations to the whole D2S team. “Your teams continued hard work and belief in this new concept is greatly appreciated by myself and the greater Ahold organization,” he said.
“Excellent! Congratulations! The future is even brighter,” said Dave Allen.
ES3 has the world’s largest grocery warehouse in York, PA. The facility is the first truly collaborative warehouse and serves as the Northeast mixing center for over 60 manufacturers. ES3’s D2S program provides daily delivery to retail stores directly from manufacturer inventory – eliminating the retail warehouse and a leg of transportation. This speed to shelf store is enabled through ES3’s streamlined processes and automation. ES3 uses SSI Schaefer’s SCP case pick solution to handle slow-mover case selection.
About ES3
ES3 is an experienced team of supply chain experts focused on innovation that will make product move faster, more efficiently, and at less cost than traditional supply chain models. The ES3 network spans the entire US, and includes the world's largest, multi-manufacturer collaborative warehouse, which services the Northeast with ES3's revolutionary Consolidation and D2SSM programs. ES3 provides consolidated warehousing, case pick and transportation services to more than 60 consumer packaged goods manufacturers. ©ES3, LLC.
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Thu, Dec 15, 2011 @ 07:44 AM
Charlotte, NC: WAGO Corporation announced that they awarded Schaefer Systems International the contract to upgrade their distribution center. WAGO, whose corporate office is in Germantown Wisconsin, is a manufacturer of electrical and automation components for industrial equipment.
WAGO wants to increase storage and update the overall system. The Schaefer solution meets both of these goals while substantially increasing the storage capacity of the building and automating the rest of the material handling process.
Schaefer is providing WAGO a system that includes a 2 aisle double-deep mini-load crane with rack, totes, and goods to person workstations. The software controlling the system is designed to interface smoothly with their WMS from Klug GmbH.
This project was one of Schaefer’s “Combi Projects”, meaning that the entire system, from cranes to totes, to rack to software, was developed, designed, and manufactured by Schaefer.
Gordon Hellberg, VP of ASD for Schaefer systems, said, “We are excited about this solution for WAGO. It will meet all their needs and it will interact well with all of the components that were already in place, making for a smooth integration.”
The project is slated to begin in mid-December and has a 37 week timeline.
WAGO is the leader in spring pressure connection technology that eliminates loose wires resulting from vibration and temperature cycling, while providing highly reliable, corrosion-resistant and maintenance-free connections. Products: DIN-rail, PCB and chassis-mount terminal blocks; signal conditioners; the WAGO-I/O-SYSTEM and more.
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Fri, Oct 07, 2011 @ 08:01 AM
With an integrated logistics concept, a new Miniload and connected Pick-to-Tote workstations, SSI Schaefer has significantly increased the capacity and performance in the distribution center of the Danish wholesaler Solar Danmark A/S. After the project the companies formed a strategic cooperation with Schaefer responsible for the design and equipment for Solar's future distribution center projects.
Sensor systems, ventilation systems, sanitary supplies and electrical items for machine engineering are just some of the items supplied by the central warehouse of Solar Danmark A/S in Vejen. The central location in the heart of Jutland, a sophisticated distribution operation and the high quality demanded by Solar have led to a continuous growth and a revenue of more than 340 million Euros in the last year.
“The increasing order volume and the requirements to satisfy demands of modern logistics limited the warehouse capacities and the order picking strategies“, explains Lars Kristensen, technical manager of the logistics system in Vejen. The expansion of the distribution center in Vejen began in early 2009. “We had to increase order picking performance, capacities and efficiency of the order creation to meet the increasing requirements of the market. “
SSI Schaefer was chosen as general contractor for this project. “Modern technology, a good cost/performance ratio as well as the market position and the world-wide presence were the decisive criteria", explains Kristensen. Increasing order volumes made it necessary to create a concept for efficient intra-logistics, resulting in the implementation of an automatic Miniload with connected order picking stations. In addition, Schaefer delivered and integrated the tote conveyor system, connected it to the existing system and installed a tailored warehouse management and control system with visualisation.
The expansion of the 45,000 square-meters distribution center has been in operation since the end of June 2010. Forty trucks arrive at the gate every day to transport the goods. 11,000 orders are commissioned in Vejen daily and are forwarded to the recipients.
“Solar-customers can contact us 24 hours a day, seven days a week. All orders which we receive before 6 p.m. are supplied on the next workday before 7 a.m., if this is geographically possible“, illustrates Kristensen. “Nevertheless the customers expect perfection in the order configuration - and we endeavour to meet this expectation. “
The new Miniload of SSI Schaefer is helping Solar meet their customer’s needs. The bulk of the small parts orders are compiled via the new automation system and the connected ergonomic picking stations - nearly a quarter of the order volume.
The technics wholesaler has 44,000 different items in stock in the old warehouse in Vejen with 32,000 totes available for storage. The capacity of the distribution center has doubled with the compact new system, which significantly increased with the new system. To accommodate the future growth of the company, the new system was designed so that a second, Miniload can be erected on the area previously occupied by older equipment.
At present the capacity of the new warehouse complex offers Solar sufficient range even for peak output. The compact system design with associated efficiency and the high-capacity components for largely automated processes enable the current advantages. Eight single-mast Storage and Retrieval Machines (SRM), Schaefer Miniload Cranes (SMC), with a speed of 23’ per second, and a lifting speed of 13’ per second, generate a throughput of 137 totes per hour each. Their telescopic load-handling device (LHD) offers double-deep storage of totes with a weight of up to 55 lbs. into the Miniload.
For the order creation, the item totes are retrieved in sequence by the SRMs and are sent via a short conveyor to four Pick-to-Tote picking stations. The direct connection to the Miniload offers, per station, a supply and removal buffer of up to 25 totes for retrieval and storage. This enables continuous supply and constant order picking.
Of the four Pick-to-Tote stations installed at Solar - one of them is used for the quality management. “Five order picking stations were originally intended", says Kristensen. “But the simulation clarified that four stations are sufficient to cope with the full load of the Miniload.”
Contrary to the conventional thinking the order picking stations in the new plant are not positioned crosswise, but lengthwise to the Miniload. This design offers a uniform arrangement of the material flows without deviations for the order picking. The benefit for the customer is an efficient supply to the picking stations in a compact area with a smaller conveyor system.
Schaefer designed the workstations for optimal ergonomics and operator ease, which means the picking at the "multi-functional Pick-to-Tote“ stations deliver a 10x increase in capacity compared to conventional strategies. They not only meet the strict occupational safety requirements in Denmark, but also the flexible design enables fatigue-proof and stress-free order picking. Individually adjustable control elements, as well as ergonomically positioned displays and indications direct the operator. The system checks the item amount and the correct allocation of the order and, if applicable, a fault removal routine is activated. This means that Solar can increase not only the picking rates, but also the picking accuracy.
Schaefer installed two separate loops on two levels for the tote supply and removal at the work stations. Each of them offers a high density with a capacity of up to 1,200 totes. The top loop transports the storage totes, the bottom loop the picked order totes. After retrieval from the Miniload the picking positions are supplied with storage totes via the supply section. Supported through a Pick-to-Light system, the goods can be directly picked into the available order totes with a performance of up to 1,000 picks per hour. “However, the high throughput was not decisive at the design", explains Kristensen. “We have to implement numerous additional tasks at the order picking; bags or small cardboard boxes have to be opened, for example. We currently operate every station with around 200 picks per hour. The performance capacity of the stations is already designed for future growth. Safety and efficiency of the processes was especially important for us”
The order totes are linked to two bottom loops so that the picker at the picking stations can pick from top to bottom following a sophisticated picking process; from one storage tote into seven order totes. The interaction of display details and integrated Pick-to-Light system makes for clear operator guidance. The display indicates the respective items and the item amount to the picker. An integrated light grid monitoring of the destination position avoids erroneous order picking. Removal and deposit of the items are confirmed per touch screen – generating at the same time a record in the WMS.
The warehouse management system ACX installed by SSI Schaefer controls both the order-related retrieval and also the order-optimized supply at the picking stations. With its functions and the control functions tailored to the processes at Solar it covers all tasks from warehouse management and inventory management, via processing of goods receiving and shipping, up to order picking and material flow control. The plant visualisation installed by SSI Schaefer offers integrated transparency of the processes and plant status in the Solar distribution center.
After the Pick-to-Tote stations, the goods totes are transported via the top loop back to the transfer conveyors into the Miniload. The completed order totes as well as empty totes are transported on the bottom loop to a transfer position at the installed conveyor system. This serves the packing stations installed in the old plant.
In the packing stations the order items are packed into delivery boxes, equipped with shipping documents, labelled and then forwarded to the goods shipping.
The separate tote management and the decentralisation of the material flows of goods and order totes optimizes the capacity and quality indexes of the entire plant. The integrated quality controls at the Pick-to-Tote stations deliver a high reliability at the order creation. “With 99.8% of faultless Solar-deliveries we are near the zero fault command variable in the order picking" says Kristensen proudly.
Just one year after completion the management of Solar are sure about their decision. “The plan has met our expectations in efficiency and sustainability", sums up Kristensen. “Moreover we can look back on an extremely harmonic course of the project at which SSI Schaefer has not only met all schedules, but even exceeded them. We were able to complete every project section almost one week earlier than scheduled.” The plant in Vejen is a reference plant both for Schaefer and also in the Solar concern. Solar A/S has formed a strategic cooperation with SSI Schaefer. As a partner SSI Schaefer is responsible for the design and equipment provision of the intra-logistics in future projects of Solar A/S.
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Fri, Aug 12, 2011 @ 09:29 AM
SSI SCHAEFER has positioned itself at the forefront of Automation IT with the development of its pack pattern generator. The new software module "Schaefer Pack Pattern Generator (SPPG)" optimizes pallet-build composition from the packing density of the inner pallet arrangement, to the stability criteria in full or partly automated Case Picking Systems.
Route optimization, loading space utilization and store-optimized pallet creation are the keys for cost savings and efficient service delivery at order processing. The wide range of items now handled by retail and wholesale distribution centers presents immense challenges for multi-product palletizing. The computing time of all possible packing combinations of a store-optimized pallet is enormous due to the ever widening variety of products. In additon, there are a multitude of restrictions, which apply to the palletizing of different products, so this operation is normally carried out manually.
However, the processes in retail and wholesale trade logistics are becoming more and more automated. In the food industry the Schaefer Case Picking System (SCP) is an integrated system for fully-automatic, store-specific order fulfillment; including fully-automatic palletizing. The physical pallet creation is done by the use of a packing robot using special gripper technology.
To optimize fully automatic palletizing with customer-specific requirements, SSI SCHAEFER has developed a special pack pattern generator, the Schaefer Pack Pattern Generator (SPPG). The SPPG is available as a software module for the Warehouse Management Systems (WMS). In concert with the WMS, the generator enables the ‘impossible’: it calculates the optimal pallet building plan in the shortest time and transfers it to the WMS. With this information the WMS initiates the order fulfillment processes.
This may sound easy, however, a sophisticated software program is necessary. To reduce the number of pallets the different packages are arranged with the highest density and height possible. The SPPG exactly calculates the weight and ‘stackability’ of the packages so goods arrive undamaged to the stores. The specific allocation of goods by class in the respective stores is included in the planning, so that sorting efforts are also minimized upon arrival. I.e. ‘store-friendly’ sequencing is possible.
Further requirements arise from the different packaging and product characteristics for different customers, sectors and markets. In the food sector this affects the beverage industry, the dry and deep-freeze assortment as well as the handling of problematic packaging and fragile items.
In retail and wholesale distribution, packages differ widely in their dimensions, weights and stacking forms, and in their stackability and load capacity. There are also variations in goods type or family groups.
The most important aspects for the pack optimization are:
- Consideration of different load capacities and weights of the packages to fully utilize the permitted maximium pallet height and weight.
- Positioning accuracy and stability of the packages during the entire pallet creation process. Every package has to stand steady and alone at its position without the help of additional means.
- Implementation of different processing strategies to combine different goods and family groups.
- Maximum stability of the generated pallet to eliminate damage - not only on the conveyor system, but also in the transportion to the store.
- Handling of problematic packages such as large packages with loose covers, light slip lids of display packages or returnable containers whose load capacity is different within the top load-bearing surface. For example, if a heavy package is put into the center of the pallet it would dip into the below package.
Store-optimized pallets, loading space utilization and the many, product-related restrictions result in partly contradictonary requirements. Nevertheless the objective of the SPPG-development was very simple: To automatically generat and build pallets better than the pallets which were built manually by the best packers.
SSI SCHAFER desigined the solution by dividing all the different aspects of the pallet build process. Then special solutions were defined for every aspect and integrated into the software. The combination of the multiple strategies into one solution created a product that solves the whole problem.
With the SPPG, SSI SCHAEFER refined the development of pack optimization software for the pallet creation. During the first application at one of the largest food wholesalers in the USA the software module was successfully proven in the central warehouse. The pallets planned by the SPPG are better than manually-commissioned pallets in packing density and the pallet volume and quantity, as well as the stability during the transportion.
In the SPPG all necessary strategies are integrated into fully-automatic palletizing so SSI SCHAEFER supplies a software module specially tailored to the individual requirement and processes of the customer. The priority of the optimization objects can, if necessary, be newly defined with every commissioning order by the users of the generator. Due to the special software process the SPPG is able to calculate the optimal pallet design within the shortest time and to adjust or balance the packing density with the requirements of the inner pallet arrangement and stability. After the system has performed calculations using the product and requirements data nothing restrains the fully-automatic palletizing in the operating area.
The result is that the SPPG enables a various range of products to undergo fully-automatic processing from order processing through palletizing. This reduces costs. The increased stability of the pallets also ensures less damage and higher customer satisfaction. Last but not least, the algorithms of the software module enable an optimal packing density and, therefore, the best possible utilization of available loading space. This reduces transport costs and improves the impact on the environment. The Schaefer Pack Pattern Generator forms an important component for further automation and efficiency of order processing.
Author: Dr.-Ing. Hua Li, Project manager SSI Schaefer
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Fri, Jul 29, 2011 @ 02:53 PM
In late January 2011, fruit and frozen food specialist Ditzler Chile Ltda. put its new semi-automated mobile racking system into operation. The newly built refrigerated warehouse can accommodate a total of 10,042 industrial pallets.
One of the key requirements of the project was a very high standard of earthquake safety, and it was essential for the provider they chose, to have the necessary experience in this area. The South American fruit producer opted to place the contract with SSI Schaefer AG, a company with a proven track record earthquake-prone Chile. For the new Ditzler Chile racking system, the experts at SSI Schaefer AG refined their high-seismic design to create new, optimized standards for mobile racking systems in earthquake zones.
In the space of less than a year, between February 2010 and January 2011, Chile – an area of frequent seismic activity – suffered two severe earthquakes and several quakes of more moderate intensity. Unsurprisingly, the government imposes very high standards of earthquake-proof building, and individuals are held personally responsible if any defects are found. To prevent this happening, all new buildings – including warehouses and racking systems – are inspected by specialists in line with strict structural engineering guidelines.
Sturdy construction and low environmental impact
The SSI Schaefer system satisfies Chile’s long list of requirements through a combination of different built-in safety mechanisms designed specifically by structural engineers for earthquake zones.
For racking systems in high-seismic zones SSI Schaefer uses thicker materials, which offer additional resistance to powerful tremors. SSI Schaefer’s modular warehouse system concept allows it to adapt their solutions to the level of earthquake risk.
Ditzler Chile’s new refrigerated facility not only sets new standards in earthquake safety, but also in eco-friendly design. Schaefer installed 40 truckloads of special foam panels from Brazil that even exceed current EU standards. Making sure the insulating material was delivered on time was in itself a logistical challenge, but one that more than paid for itself in terms of the ecological and financial benefits.
New warehouse – new possibilities
Ditzler Chile Ltda. is a subsidiary of Louis Ditzler AG, based in Möhlin, Switzerland. The South American firm’s core business is the production of frozen fruit and fruit specialties, which is supplied to major distributors and retail chains.
The company’s own produce only fills about 10% of the capacity of the new mobile racking system. Ditzler Chile makes the remaining 9000 industrial pallet spaces available to other companies in the industry, thus opening up an additional line of business. Ditzler knew this capacity would be in demand due to the high-safety standards and European quality standard of the refrigerated facility.
The 10,000 pallet spaces in the mobile racking system are split into two semi-automated systems, with 16 and 17 double-face mobile bases respectively. As well as the automatic shelf trolley control system, automatic corridor lighting provides added convenience. Goods management is handled by an appropriate IT solution.
International partnership
Louis Ditzler AG and SSI Schaefer AG have been working together for 10 years. However, the mobile racking system in Chile was the first project awarded to SSI Schaefer by the South American subsidiary. The project represented a continuation of an already successful partnership.
The warehouse was handed over almost a year after the contract was placed, with the actual project implementation being completed in just four months. The final completion phase and commissioning took place in late January 2011. Precise planning and coordination were needed, since all the warehouse parts had to be delivered by ship and truck. The fact that all the components were supplied by SSI Schaefer proved to be an advantage here, too.
In spite of the geographical distance that at times separated the project teams at Ditzler Chile and SSI Schaefer AG, the collaboration was both productive and focused. This was thanks, in no small part, to the hard work and dedication of Bruno Ditzler, owner of Louis Ditzler AG. “The project met my expectations in every respect. Even under the more difficult conditions imposed by the earthquake safety requirements, I was able to rely fully on the expertise and cooperativeness of SSI Schaefer,” he commented.
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Fri, Jul 22, 2011 @ 09:01 AM
Exceptional efficiency and capacity increase for southern Europe’s biggest refrigerated logistics center.
Donwload the Case Study
As part of a drive to increase capacity, Frigorificos de Navarra (Frinavarra), one of Spain’s leading providers of refrigerated warehouse logistics, looked to partially automate its 524,934 ft2 of warehouse. SSI Schaefer was awarded the contract for this challenging intralogistics project. Frinavarra chose SSSI Schaefer not only for its innovative technology, but also for its ability to deliver a complete solution. The 30% increase in capacity to 915,354 ft3 made Frinavarra the biggest logistics center in southern Europe for temperature-controlled storage.
This extraordinary project included several successful premieres. It was the debut of the fully automated Schaefer Orbiter System (SOS) shuttle solution combined with the Schaefer Compact Crane (SCC), a storage and retrieval system. Frinavarra is operating the first SOS in Spain.
Fast and reliable
Frinavarra specializes in the storage of fruit and vegetables, which make up around 85% of their inventory. In response to the high seasonal volumes of these goods, the company needed a solution that could handle high throughput and temperature-controlled processes reliably, flexibly, dynamically and – most importantly – automatically. A channel storage system with its efficient use of space was the perfect answer.
SSI Schaefer designed a fully-automated channel storage system with over 11,000 double storage locations (two pallets, one on top of the other), offering a total capacity of 22,000 pallets. These are divided between 500 channels, each containing 22 pallet locations, on five levels, installed in a refrigerated facility 282 ft long, 180 ft wide and 50 ft high and at a controlled temperature of -82.4 ºF. The channels are 22 units deep, facilitating the transfer of stock from truck to warehouse, as the vehicles usually transport this number of pallets containing the same product. SSI Schaefer used its channel storage rack system to build the custom racking needed for this project. It has the advantages of being compact and constructed of galvanized steel.
Transfer to storage and picking follow the FILO principle. The warehouse is stocked using the highly efficient combination of the SOS shuttle vehicle and the SCC automatic storage and retrieval system from SSI Schaefer, which also transfers the SOS to the individual channels. Frinavarra’s daily goods throughput, averaging 45 pallets per hour or 720 pallets a day (on a two-shift pattern of 16 hours), is handled by just one SOS and SCS, which demonstrates the flexibility of the system. At maximum capacity the system can move 75 pallets an hour. Another positive impact on efficiency and reliability was delivered by the state-of-the-art functional and energy technology of the SOS, which uses patented eco-friendly power caps instead of batteries.
Well connected
The connection between the new chamber and the relatively distant loading and unloading stations is provided by the automated conveyor system from SSI Schaefer. The system allows goods to be picked within the cold chain, transporting them directly to the refrigerated chamber. This maintains the high efficiency achieved by the channel storage system.
Everything under control
SSI Schaefer used the warehouse management system WAMAS® to handle the logistics processes in the new refrigerated facility. The logistics software covers all processes in manual, part-automated and fully automated warehouses. The capabilities of WAMAS® – from the provision of key inventory data through a track and trace system to RFID integration – played an essential role in increasing efficiency in this project.
The WAMAS system supplied to Frinavarra has a special function that provides additional process optimization for goods provision and truck loading. All the prepared pallets for one truckload are positioned in separate channels inside the refrigerated warehouse at the position nearest to the loading point. This has the effect of reducing the pallet transfer time from the refrigerated area to the truck to a matter of minutes, which in turn reduces loading times. The company also controls automatic reorganization of the new warehouse with its own software feature, which is operated through WAMAS. This makes it possible to maintain the storage processes in spite of substantial seasonal fluctuations in capacity utilization, and any mixed storage necessitated by capacity reasons is reorganized into non-mixed channel storage.
Perfect interplay
In what could well be a record for a venture of this complexity, it took just 11 months to implement the project, including the time to build the new refrigerated storage facility.
The project owes its success not only to the experience and expertise of the supplier, but also to the close collaboration between Frinavarra and SSI Schaefer. “Our contacts at SSI Schaefer were very flexible and always ready to meet our requirements, some of which only became apparent after discussion. SSI Schaefer also showed its expertise and professionalism in the work carried out prior to the signing of the contract and the very detailed requirements analysis,” says Frinavarra’s director Jorge Fernández-Miranda.
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Fri, Jul 08, 2011 @ 09:47 AM
SSI Schaefer completes the biggest investment in the history of Pistor AG
Pistor was founded in 1916 as a retailer cooperative for the bakery and confectionery branch in Switzerland. Pistor AG is the leader in the bakery/confectionery industry throughout Switzerland and the only independent wholesaler in the catering industry. Pistor's customers benefit from a comprehensive array of products ranging from bakery, kitchen, and restaurant to kiosk and store. The individual services include the combined delivery of fresh and deep-frozen products as well as hard goods, financial services such as ordering and accounting aids, state-of-the-art IT, as well as versatile sales support measures.
Due to the massive growth of the business and the desire to be the best in every sector, Pistor was pushed to its performance limits. It was time for a major step so Pistor made the biggest investment in its history: The new construction of a state of the art distribution center (WUZ West) with a sky walk that connects to the existing small package warehouse.
This project represented a quantum leap, which required the skills of a solid partner. That's why Pistor decided to once again put its trust in SSI Schaefer, which supervised the logistics of the entire project as general contractor.
"High-tech distribution center" for a secure future
The long-term goal of Pistor is to achieve a full product range. The objective of the new distribution center near Luzern, Switzerland was to optimize picking processes and the goods supply, to reduce cycle times as well as variable costs, to create ergonomic work stations and to ensure future expansions. The complete integration of the existing small package warehouse during operations played a significant role for this project.
Another major challenge was the strict schedule. Within only two years of construction time, a volume of more than 300 single-family houses was built on a 21,980 ft2 building area. Stacker cranes, weighing several tons and up to 78’ long, were positioned over the roof by the biggest mobile crane in Switzerland.
One of the key benefits of the project is that future extensions of the warehouse capacity can be added any time during running operations.
Quality on the move
More than 8,000 different articles are automatically stored in the high-bay warehouse and dynamically prepared at the picking front, which is the centerpiece of the system. The variety and different sizes of the SKUs require an extremely flexible picking system. That's why Schaefer designed the high-bay warehouse for pallets, small bins and trays. At the same time, the various requirements of the product range had to be taken into consideration since the goods are stored according to temperature.
The goods are picked on roll containers according to the principle "from heavy to light" in 8 picking tunnels in the high-bay warehouse. Due to the exact calculation beforehand by the warehouse management system, WAMAS and the alignment with the planning of the next day, a total of 12 different customer orders can be picked simultaneously per picking vehicle.
The retrieval aid (drawer system) supports the employees ergonomically. This helps the pickers attain a peak performance of over 400 tons a day.
Articles from the small package warehouse located opposite the DC arrive simultaneously via the sky walk in the consolidation area. Once automatically wrapped, they are forwarded along the conveying system towards the goods-out. Not only in the high-bay warehouse, but also in the Pistor trucks, goods are stored according to their temperature sensitivity. Three different temperature zones in the trucks allow the storage of all product ranges, i.e. dry, fresh and frozen goods.
Customer-orientation from one single source
The biggest advantage is that WAMAS organizes all the various systems of Pistor from one source. The warehouse management system (WMS) connects the actual warehouse management with the software of the business processes, including the order processing, tour planning, distribution and invoicing.
In addition to the role as general contractor for the entire logistics installations, SSI Schaefer supplied its in-house WAMAS warehouse management and material flow system, as well as the control engineering. Another major highlight represented the innovative safety concept featuring a safety PLC across all systems, which was employed for the very first time.
"Although the commissioning phase was pretty hectic since the picking was carried out in the old and new warehouse and two WMS systems were applied simultaneously, we managed to process all customer orders in time" recalls Roland Schweiger, manager of Pistor WUZ West. Even during the comprehensive testing period, the system was in fully running operations every day.
Profitability, quality, ergonomics & sustainability
The WUZ West characterizes the future development of Pistor. The completion of the new distribution center generated a number of outstanding advantages, which include process and personnel cost savings due to the continuous logistics software, a higher energy efficiency, as well as ergonomic work stations.
This technological leap is now has become THE sales tool in customer meetings. Pistor AG can profit from a continuous growth, product range extensions, as well as a major competitive edge.
"We know SSI Schaefer as a very solution-oriented and professional partner, which also has the necessary flexibility when it comes to troubleshooting, fast decision-making and unconventional solutions", says Richard Betschart, project manager as well as logistics manager and member of Pistor's executive board, about the collaboration with SSI Schaefer.
Pistor AG and SSI Schaefer look at a bright future together and further plans after the official inauguration are already in process. Richard Betschart said about the plan: "The construction of the WUZ West for goods that are stored at room temperature was only the beginning. Two additional centers for refrigerated and frozen products are about to follow. Of course we are going to entrust this project to SSI Schaefer again and are convinced to have found the right partner for a successful future for Pistor."
For more information contact Travis A. Baker
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Fri, Jul 01, 2011 @ 07:44 AM
SSI Schaefer is adding storage and retrieval devices to the Schaefer Miniload Crane family with two compact twin-mast devices. Newly developed drive technology enables fast, vibration-dampened transport of loads weighing up to 660 lbs at heights of up to 78 feet. For CeMAT 2011, SSI Schaefer added two new Miniload Cranes to its product portfolio. These add an automated shelf solution for containers, boxes, and trays. The SMC 2 and SMC 2 XL were designed in response to market requirements for dynamic processes for higher loads.
Based on the two new SMC 2 machines customers can use a closed lifting trolley to hold two standard or one large piece of load-carrying equipment. The new machines can access heights of up to 39 ft (SMC 2) or 78 ft (SMC 2 XL) resulting in high payloads and greater throughput.
Irrespective of their different features, all models in the SMC family are designed using the modular principle. An extensive array of tested components are available for the Schaefer Miniload Cranes. Schaefer supplies the single-mast devices up to 36 ft tall fully assembled while, other SMC’s, ranging from ground beam, mast, lifting trolley and head section to on-board drive and control cabinet, are supplied fully pre-assembled, with the main modules commissioned in the factory. This ensures short assembly times and convenient adaptation to the user‘s individual application.
Customers can choose from a wide range of equipment features to individually tailor an SMC. For example, Schaefer can provide the lifting trolleys with a host of load-carrying equipment ranging from combined telescopes, grippers, and pulling fixtures for containers or trays to box and package grippers.
As in the first series, the cranes of the SMC 2 series offer impressive and extremely stable masts and optimum use of space due to their low clearances. A special production process incorporates very high resistance torque, in spite of their low inherent weight. The twin-mast variant can move up to 660 lbs (SMC 2 XL) in a distribution center with closed load-carrying equipment.
The on-board control cabinet is an eye-catching and significant feature of the SMC family, and is found in the SMC 2 variants, as well. The mast reinforcement strut is guided through a recessed groove allows the control cabinet to integrate into the device conserving space. This particular design feature also prevents the mast from vibrating, and perfectly guides the forces to the chassis.
Other quality features of the new SMC 2 include the usual standards for SSI Schaefer self-servicing devices. High quality, and tested machine elements produced in-house ensure low maintenance, as well as longevity. SMC components are highly standardized both in terms of design and production, resulting in quick availability, short assembly, and start-up times.
Green Crane technology, from SSI Schaefer, also ensures minimal energy consumption. Examples of this technology include: a DC network of drive controllers, or energy-optimized overlapping of motion to use and recover braking energy. This approach both conserves the environment and saves money.
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Thu, Jun 02, 2011 @ 09:02 AM
In 2011, SSI Schaefer unveiled its Fulfillment Factory at Hanover. This is a new, innovative conveyor and sorting system, which combines the intra-logistics processes of B2B and B2C orders in one order fulfillment concept.
Via the integral “Fulfillment Factory” concept, SSI Schaefer is offering a totally new product for combined order processing for various sales channels. The newly developed individual product conveyor and sorting technology will merge intra-logistics for supplies to end customers (B2C) and store and wholesale business (B2B) in one order fulfillment process. A patent application for this concept has already been filed.
The Fulfillment Factory concept can be tailored to the user’s logistical requirements across all sectors in terms of range of items, production volumes, spread over various sales channels, and type/structure of picking orders. It is the first system to allow batch-picking, product sorting and order consolidation to be cost-effectively combined following the “goods-to-man” principle.
The Fulfillment Factory is a modular concept including warehousing, ergonomically and logistically optimized batch order picking- a totally new, space saving conveyor module and efficient buffering and sorting of batch items. It also contains ergonomic workstations for the integrated process of order assignment, packing and a link to shipment with a shipment buffer as an available option.
Manufacturers and retailers optimize the sale of goods by continually expanding various sales channels. Customers increasingly have the choice of whether they want to purchase items in a store or on-line. This is a huge challenge for distribution centers, because the logistics requirements and features of supplying end-customers and stores/wholesale are very different. B2B processes involve periodic delivery cycles, 20 to 500 order lines with up to 100 items per line and a targeted number of delivery addresses. The B2C sector is characterized by rapid, ad-hoc deliveries of small quantities at short notice with single-figure order lines each containing up to five items.
However, the spread and increase between the various sales channels is getting harder to plan, and consequently requires a lot of distribution flexibility. In the past, processing these orders simultaneously greatly limited resource efficiency, because of separate storage locations, or order-picking areas for the corresponding sales channels; therefore, compromising process efficiency.
The Fulfillment Factory from SSI Schaefer is the first integral, yet modular system to combine high efficiency with new levels of flexibility. By using standardized system components and a special carrier system, the new order fulfillment system enables both individual products and item quantities to be conveyed in integral system technology. The Fulfillment Factory concept is also perfectly suited to return processes, which have become a very large part of distribution logistics.
Batch order picking coupled with sorting at individual item levels is the most efficient, and also the most flexible way of operating a goods distribution warehouse. In the past, the system technology required for this was so complex and expensive that it was not cost effective to use. The Fulfillment Factory from SSI Schaefer is, therefore, not only a technological breakthrough but a financial one, as well. It delivers maximum efficiency and flexibility for a variety of sales channels.
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.
Posted by Travis Baker on Fri, Apr 15, 2011 @ 08:24 AM
The largest Danish retailer of consumer goods, Coop Danmark A/S, recently completed a major logistics center. SSI Schaefer provided the concept of material flow, the high-performance system components, the ergonomic work stations, and an optimally designed warehouse management system.From the customers point of view, delivery reliability and quick reaction times are two main criteria for quality logistics services. Intelligent storage and distribution systems ensure the quality of logistic services. The best intra-logistic technology cannot deliver if sub-standard warehouse structures limit the quality of logistic services. Also, shuttle transports between warehouses, and unnecessary repeat-handling decrease the results of intra-logistics technologsy. This being the case, the Danish retailer, Coop Danmark A/S, decided to restructure and reconfigure their logistics in 2008. Seven regional warehouses were to be combined into one central warehouse in Odense, Denmark. The central warehouse was to be equipped with state-of-the-art order picking processes. After an international invitation to tender, the contract for designing a suitable logistics concept, as well as the turn-key creation of the logistics center, from construction to furnishing a high bay warehouse, and the installation of an individually-tailored warehouse management system (WMS) was awarded to the intra-logistic specialists, SSI Schaefer, in Giebelstadt, Germany. "In view of our diverse product range, we were looking for a solution with intelligent material flow and well-defined order picking strategies", explains John Møller, warehouse manager at Coop. "SSI Schaefer offered the best solution for our requirements along with an ideal price/performance ratio".
Coop Danmark A/S has more than 9,000 non-food-items in store, from TV’s to video games and clothing. They supply approximately 800 supermarkets throughout Denmark, the Faroe Islands and Greenland. Coop Danmark A/S is Denmark’s largest retailer of fast moving consumer goods. The company operates the retail chains Kvickly, SuperBrugsen, Dagli'Brugsen, LokalBrugsen, the subsidiaries Fakta A/S and Irma A/S, and is owned by FDB. Coop Danmark A/S, together with the co-operative societies, has an annual turnover of approximately DKK 50 billion and has 1,200 stores all over Denmark. The company has approximately 35,000 employees, in total. Many of the products are items from advertising campaigns that must be supplied to all of the stores at a certain time. Since January 2010, supply has taken place from the new central warehouse in Odense. For exactly this purpose, the three-block high bay warehouse (HBW) with four aisles per block and a total of over 36,000 storage locations for single-deep storage of pallets that may weigh up to 1,000 kilograms was constructed by SSI Schaefer. The high bay warehouse (HBL) started running in the beginning of April 2010. Altogether twelve storage and retrieval machines that move at a speed of up to 250 meters per minute ensure quick storage and retrieval of more than 500 pallets per hour. The HBW serves as a supply and transfer warehouse.
Parallel to the high bay warehouse, SSI Schaefer created the warehouse management system for the manual low-bay warehouse. There, storing positions for man-to-goods order picking of fast-moving items are available across three shelf levels. "Stock and processes at the warehouse in Odense are governed according to advertising campaigns" explains Peter Lambrecht, project manager for SSI Schaefer. "The objective is to achieve a high throughput in a short time. In addition there are also finishing treatments that take place at the logistic center. Due to the complex product line, different types of storage areas as well as several different order picking strategies characterize the flow of goods at the Coop logistic center."
Coop does not necessarily achieve utmost flexibility through maximum automation. Due to the complex product line, order picking strategies are, in fact, vastly oriented toward the efficiency of manual processes.
Items delivered on pallets are logged in goods receiving, and then transferred to the high bay warehouse or block storage. Articles like Playstations, which will have CD’s added, will be allocated to the workstations immediately when required. After the addition, they are stored in the high bay warehouse as a new stock item. Smaller, high-value items are stored in a separate paternoster system. Order picking shelves with an attached gravity-roller-conveyor are installed for small volume commodities, like CD’s that are not large enough to be picked directly from the pallet. Both systems are supplied from the high bay warehouse, or as the case may be the manual warehouse; depending on the advertising campaign. "Supply of order picking positions and the picking process itself are controlled by the WMS 'ant' designed by SSI Schaefer", informs Lambrecht. "Particularly due to the varied order picking strategies that Coop pursues in Odense, this project was a special challenge for our IT department."
Up to 25,000 order lines for just under 600 orders are processed daily at Coops central warehouse. Depending on the items in the order and the advertising campaign, five partially linked order picking strategies are designated for this task. Thus, each of the three HBW blocks is equipped with a picking station to palletize items for large orders. Two people can be assigned to each station. Controlled by the WMS, source pallets are retrieved from the high bay warehouse and allocated for order picking at six source positions of each block. There, supported by height adjustable, ergonomically designed working platforms, items are picked from the source pallets onto seven target pallets. Therefore, the six people assigned to order picking can process 21 order pallets. This takes place in three stages. Hence, an hourly output of up to 60 readily picked pallets can be achieved in this area.
Partially used and pre-picked pallets are stored in the high bay warehouse again; empty pallets are removed automatically. Readily picked target pallets are transferred to consolidation points. If the commissioned work is complete and the automatic load securing has taken place, they may be forwarded directly to the three dispatch areas via the conveyor system and the installed lift systems. Parallel to this, the WMS arranges for the disposal of packaging waste. The waste is collected in lattice boxes and removed by forklifts.
"Due to the high portion of smaller consignments (approximately 30 percent) that have to be picked in order commissioning, we followed the recommendation of SSI Schaefer and created a separate picking area for this range of articles." explains Møller. For this purpose, a three-level flow rack, with a total of 120 channels for up to five bins each, was installed and connected to the pick positions for larger consignments. The facility is equipped with a Pick-by-Light-System. Pallets containing items that have been ordered by many stores, and that must be pre-picked are supplied from the high bay warehouse.
"With operating units designed especially for this application, pallets can be brought to the ergonomically ideal height" says Møller. "In Denmark strict guidelines for ergonomics and occupational safety are in place." Items from pallets are picked into boxes or bins made available on trolleys- up to 12 storage aids per trolley. After a container has been filled or one product group has been completed, the order picker generates a label for each box and applies it to the outside of that box. Subsequently, the boxes are temporarily stored in the channels of the shelf system. In case the number of boxes exceeds the capacity of a channel, a new channel will be assigned.
"Once picking for a specific shop in the large consignment area is complete, and this shop also ordered goods of a pre-picked product group, a box from the shelf-channels is added to the shipping pallet.” Møller comments on the subsequent steps of the process. While being transported on the conveyor system, ready-picked pallets pass through a wrapping station, and then are transferred to the consolidating or dispatch area via the lift system. "Apart from a high picking-rate and a low error rate the advantage of this concept lies in the verifiably improved shipping package and safety for items as well as the preventive theft protection after the handover of goods.” explains Møller.
In the consolidation area, pallets from the large dispatch area are consolidated with pre-picked or whole pallets from the high bay warehouse, as well as with picked items of the manually operated storage areas to complete the order. Alongside small items of the shelf-system with gravity-roller-conveyor and the high-value items from the paternoster system, the two top shelves are used as replenishment. Order picking is done from the pallets in the lowermost shelf. Pick-vehicles are in operation to support employees. Depending on product group and number of items, vehicles can be equipped with up to two roller containers. That way items for up to four different orders can be picked using optimized routes. Correspondingly, the possible pick-strategies also vary. "Combined with material flow for storage and retrieval movements of goods received and pre-picked pallets in the high bay warehouse, the WMS has to control and monitor five types of order picking overall.” states SSI Project Manager Lambrecht. "Moreover, all goods movement with respective status are continuously booked and governed by the WMS." Furthermore, a visualization installed by SSI Schaefer offers continuous transparency. With an incorporated Gate Management program the IT department of SSI Schaefer also provides order and structure to the docking of trucks for loading and unloading.
"Using ideal utilization of space, high flexibility, and reliable order processing, SSI Schaefer designed a very efficient solution. Not only did it increase our throughput and process reliability but it also offers us capacities for further expansion of our business areas and activities.” Coop Warehouse Manager Møller sums up. "Our expectations of the restructured logistics and the effectiveness of the new central warehouse were met with the system by SSI Schaefer."
For more information email travis.baker@ssi-schaefer.us
SSI Schaefer began operations over 70 years ago in the Siegerland region of central Germany, a traditional steel smelting and processing area. Since then it has grown into an organization that encompasses a dozen different manufacturing plants in steel and plastics, subsidiaries in 22 countries around the world and over 8,000 employees. It was, and still is today, a privately held and operated company.
Schaefer Systems International, Inc., the North American subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER group of companies, established headquarters in Charlotte, North Carolina, in 1989. Since then, it has undergone tremendous growth. Facilities in the Westlake Business Park in southwest Charlotte have expanded to four buildings.
Total integrated systems design, down to the smallest detail, have earned SSI SCHAEFER an international reputation as a leader in the manufacture of refuse containers, returnable packaging and storage systems. The scope of SSI SCHAEFER's investment in the U.S. is a demonstration of its confidence not only in its products, but also in the U.S. as a viable marketplace for quality products. All SSI SCHAEFER products are backed by over 60 years of experience in the industry and a total commitment to quality. SSI SCHAEFER's manufacturing operation is ISO 9001 certified, guaranteeing consistent quality every time.