SSI SCHÄFER News

A Tall Order from the Wine Society for SSI Schaefer

Wed, 22 Feb 2012 14:19:00 +0100

The installation, now fully operational and complete with high-bay pallet racking, Live Carton Storage (KDR), shelving, integrated conveyor systems, case-picking, single item zone-picking and carton shipping sortation, has given The Wine Society a 40% increase in productivity since going live. Warehouse one, the original building is now the store for maturing wines, warehouse three contains reserve pallets of stock held in warehouse one; warehouses two and four are the heart of operations. It is in these two warehouses, containing medium to fast moving products, where SSI Schaefer installed the high-bay pallet racking system and the picking, packing and sortation system, the latter of which on two levels. Warehouse four currently boasts the flattest warehouse floor in Europe and the highest Very Narrow Aisle (VNA) racking serviced by forklift trucks in Europe – the high bay pallet racking system that has over 12,000 pallet locations, stands at 15.3 metres tall with eight pallet levels inside the 20 metre high building. The VNA racking is serviced by Linde forklift trucks, which extend to the highest point of their range and can handle up to 1250 kg per pallet lift - man-up trucks pick from levels one to six and forklift trucks bring down pallets from levels seven and eight. Full case picking is effected from pallets in warehouse two; put on conveyors, brought down by lowerators to conveyors on the ground level and merged with single item picks (in cases); the single item picks are made in one area surrounded by KDR for fastest movers and shelving for the slower movers. All cases enter a carton sortation system with 13 lanes, two routes per lane; this means The Wine Society can pick and sort 26 van routes in one pick wave – The Wine Society’s own van fleet does 70% of all deliveries. The sortation system also carries cases from the upper level and delivers them to the pick area, via dedicated lanes, for replenishing the shelving and KDR. Peter Styne, Operations Manager, The Wine Society, said: “Once we had chosen SSI Schaefer as our preferred partner on this project, we worked closely with them to develop and design the best solution for our business. We operate a fleet of dedicated delivery vans which resulted in the need for us to develop a routing sortation system. The Schaefer solution, designed to include the high bay, has proved perfect for our needs. ” The busier the operation gets the more efficient it becomes because more people operating in smaller zones means they spend less time walking and more time picking. The Wine Society works just one day shift with 30-90 operators, depending upon season.SSI Schaefer also installed a trash conveyor to remove empty cartons from the building, which are subsequently compacted and recycled. The existing distribution centre in Stevenage, which has been operational since 1965 has undergone steady expansion over the years and now has capacity to store over 7,000,000 bottles; prior to its current location, wine was stored at three separate locations across London, including below the London Palladium in Soho. The Wine Society, founded in 1874, is a multi-award winning member-owned co-operative. Over 100,000 members have access to excellent wine at fair prices, with any profit made ploughed straight back into the business. Its team of 6 buyers continually travels the world, discovering new producers and exploring new regions so that members really can have access to a lifetime’s supply of wine. SSI Schaefer is hosting a Regional Logistics Event at The Wine Society on Wednesday 21 March – numbers are strictly limited – to attend the event or for further information please email: solutions@ssi-schaefer.co.uk

Komori Reduces Pallet Racking Floor Space in half

Fri, 20 Jan 2012 07:41:00 +0100

Often seen as a system only required by large companies, Komori, a small to medium sized manufacturer and supplier of Printing Production Equipment and Machinery, recently purchased a mobile racking system from SSI Schaefer that has now been installed within its new premises in Leeds, Yorkshire.The reduction in pallet racking floor space – in Komori’s case 372mtr² (floor footprint of existing pallet racking layout) less 195mtr² (floor footprint of a mobile pallet racking layout) = 180mtr² floor space saved – also meant that Komori was able to reduce its required spend when looking at new premises to move its operational facility in to.Darren Etherington, Parts Manager, Komori, said: “We have achieved significant space and cost savings as a result of Schaefer’s mobile pallet racking system which is good news for the business – storage capacity is often scarce and expensive but this system has allowed us to gain high density, easy to access storage space without having to pay out for larger premises than necessary.”Stewart Hardy, Area Manager, SSI Schaefer, said: “Mobile racking systems are the ideal alternative for using existing space more cost-effectively whilst storing manifold or varying goods. Our systems consist of rack units mounted on a carriage; hence the rack units are mobile and save the space which a conventional racking system would require for aisles.”He continued: “According to the requirements of the customer, our racking systems are designed for various weights and heavy load mobile racking systems move on rails, powered electrically. Racks for light and medium loads can be operated manually and without tracks.”In direct comparison with traditional compact warehouse systems, the advantages of mobile racking systems are clear: Space utilisation: For the same volume of warehoused goods, mobile racking systems require 40% less space than stationary racking systems.Warehouse volume: In the same amount of space, up to 85% more warehouse volume can be stored using mobile racking systems instead of conventional systems.Building planning: With a space utilisation percentage of 65 - 85%, the use of mobile racking systems can have a positive effect on the overall costs of a warehouse building.

SSI Schaefer Celebrates 50 Year Anniversary in the UK

Tue, 13 Dec 2011 14:25:00 +0100

First founded by Fritz-Schaefer in 1937 in Neunkirchen, Germany, it wasn’t until the 1960’s that the company started to focus on international markets and the first two foreign companies were founded in Basingstoke, UK and Neunkirch, Switzerland. Today the company group is not only represented in Europe, but also in America, Australia and many countries in the Middle East and Asia.Mike Bell, Customer Service Manager, has been with the company 47 years, joining in 1964, starting out as an office junior at the age of 15, and remembers the first UK made shelf unit that was manufactured.Mike spent much of his early career with Schaefer at the company’s previous facility in Basingstoke from 1971 through to 1994, within sales and marketing roles, before moving to its current, purpose built headquarters in Andover.Mike said: “When I started there were no such things as computers or mobile phones and an electronic typewriter was considered very high tech. Salesmen had to ring in daily from a public telephone box to pick up their messages! “Computer systems come and go as technology has advanced culminating in our current Navision system and over the years my department has been heavily involved as a user in the changes and implementation of each new computer system.“The biggest changes over the years that I have witnessed are the number of employees, technology , location and environmental working conditions and as far as the next 50 years are concerned it can only be onwards and upwards building on our achievements within the logistics market.”Steve Summers joined SSI Schaefer in Basingstoke in 1975, as a draughtsman, before the introduction of computers and CAD, so drawings were produced manually on paper using pencil or ink pens – he is now a Contracts Engineer. Holding a number of roles over the years, it was during the 1980s that Steve supervised a number of projects in Iraq and France when the UK branch still carried out many projects in the Middle East and Europe. He was even fortunate enough to supervise a large installation in Barbados during the 1990s when exports were still then a significant part of the business – which is in stark contrast to UK operations today, particularly since manufacturing was centralised in Germany in 2004 and other divisions have developed and opened up around the world that now handle international business.Bob Jane has been with the company for over 30 years, joining at the age of 23. Bob quickly rose through the ranks at work, starting out as an area junior sales representative, before leaping to senior sales rep, then regional manager, followed by national sales manager and now as Business Development Manager. Years ago Bob worked alongside 28 sales representatives across the country and now there are just ten Regional Field Sales (in addition to specialist sales reps in Automation, Static, Dynamic and Plastics), he said: “The world was certainly a different place during the 1980s when we needed more structure in place to deal with more customers and lengthy communication methods. Our ability to communicate has radically changed the way we carry out business today and we no longer need the field sales manpower to achieve the same result. More recently we’ve significantly increased our specialist sale and technical resources in Automation and Project Management.”In terms of the direction in which the business is going and the logistics industry in general, The Company is all too aware that the needs of customers are constantly evolving which is why SSI Schaefer is continually providing materials handling, storage and distribution solutions that fit in with today’s modern warehouse whilst pushing the boundaries in design, technology and innovation in order to keep one step ahead of the competition.He continued: “The value of projects is now much higher and customers are progressively looking for suppliers that can provide a multi-faceted solution, providing a combined approach that includes both static and automated storage and picking. “We now take on the ‘integrator’ role – more and more customers are looking for working partners that can provide them with the confidence and peace of mind that a project can be handed over and followed through to completion, knowing all aspects of design, build, installation and smooth integration of additional contractors will be managed efficiently and effectively. SSI Schaefer is unique in its position to be able to provide most solutions built from its own product portfolio.“I look forward to the next 50 years!”

SYSTEM RETROFIT PROJECTS FOR BUSINESS

Mon, 28 Nov 2011 08:33:00 +0100

Automation and modern intra-logistics solutions increase the productivity and efficiency of a warehouse. Rapidly changing product offerings, more orders with smaller lot sizes plus significantly increased demand for flexibility combine to require new and more efficient systems and holistic solutions for faster, cost-effective access to the goods.However, the "optimum solution" is not always necessary or possible. System modernization or expansion, so-called retrofitting, is often an alternative. By modernizing systems and system components the operational safety is not only increased, but also results in improved warehouse availability and a reduction in personnel costs of up to 30 percent. Intelligent resource management and green logistics offer further potentials. Based on these parameters, retrofit projects become more and more important. Significant aspect: updating the IT-environment and drive and control engineering.SSI Schäfer responded to this development in the early stages by forming a specialized group. Using their business strategies, warehouse and production systems can be updated quickly and safely to the latest state of the art technology by exchanging components, expanding or modernizing IT, and adding new material flows which can be optimally linked to existing production systems. This applies to old systems from SSI Schäfer as well as to systems from third parties.During the last few years, SSI Schäfer has completed a two-digit number of retrofit-projects every year. Key to these projects: For the most part, old systems are in operation where failures would lead to a negative business outcome. In addition, the time frames for the reorganization are shorter. And: Existing and often restrictive building structures have to be considered during the planning phase for the future logistics concept. Meeting schedules, flexibility and expertise regarding business specific processes and available technologies are therefore required from the plant engineer.These requirements are fulfilled by SSI Schäfer with an extensive service offer. First, the necessary requirement for retrofit-measures is determined by specialists from SSI Schäfer. When planning the new intra-logistics concept, the focus is on the mechanical and electrical optimization of the system and the processes, taking into consideration optimal space utilization and/or creating free space. Ultimate goal: optimization and transparency of material flow, sizing the load carriers to be used, as well as work station design - consideration of safety concepts following new machine guidelines. With the customer, a schedule for implementation is prepared, with as little impact on production as possible. SSI Schäfer recently exchanged the entire tray conveyor system, including drive and control engineering for the storage and retrieval machines at KHS in Dortmund, in ten weekends.When modernizing or integrating dynamic system components, special emphasis is placed on the integration of e.g. energy-efficient drives. This ranges from efficiency-optimized drive versions and the so-called deadweight balance via an intelligent control of SRM-main axles including power recovery devices as well as scheduling shutdowns. Old drives and converters are replaced by modern, energy-saving and powerful aggregates, the controls are modified to Siemens S7 and the communication to TCP/IP-protocols.Orders are currently in progress for logistics providers such as Geodis or Plastal in Hambach. Replacement of the existing warehouse management system with the SSI Schäfer software "ant" was successfully completed in the last few months for SKF, Berlin. The existing order-picking workstations and computer hardware were also modernized and updated at this project.Last but not least - the topic maintenance and availability. The newly installed components not only increase the efficiency and throughput by improving networking of the single controls, but in fact the new systems are significantly lower-maintenance and generally offer better and faster remote maintenance possibilities.The example of brand manufacturer Braun located in Marktheidenfeld indicates that such projects can be planned and implemented with SSI Schäfer. The continuous modernization of a nine-aisle high-bay warehouse was coordinated and implemented with the customer over several years. At this point, the components are state-of-the-art and the 1982 system has subsequently received a CE-certificate.These examples confirm: retrofitting is often a good alternative compared to the high investment for constructing a new system. Companies who regularly modernize always receive state-of-the-art systems - and benefit of the economics of the system. The first priority for all parameters is: "As much optimization as possible, as little disturbance of daily operations as necessary“. The result is a single integrated solution. The high availability and the extended life span of the modernized production system also offers good protection for the investment.

System planning without data

Mon, 21 Nov 2011 10:11:00 +0100

New Wave CZ, Czech member of the Karel Holoubek Trade Group, sells qualityproducts in the paper goods and giftware market. The company ships orders within the shortest possible time to shopping centres, department stores, gift boutiques, toy shops, etc. in the Czech Republic and Slovakia. With the objective of increasing productivity, reducing labour costs and cutting picking times, the company placed their trust in SSI Schaefer in Graz and the Czech Republic to set up their distribution centre in Karlovy Vary.A lack of reliable and transparent transaction data previously hampered the company in tracking and efficiently compiling and shipping stocks of stored and picked goods on time. New Wave had also been picking goods entirely manually. This posed particular challenges as SSI Schaefer was not able to access any reliable data to base the new logistics concept on. Nevertheless, the intralogistics specialist delivered a highly sophisticated solution that contributed significantly to the success of New Wave, introducing automated technologies, software solutions and the delivery of all components from one source.The heart of the new system is a 5-aisle, automated small parts storage system with 35,000 container storage spaces. Here the Schaefer Miniload Crane (SMC) storage and retrieval system ensures efficient inward and outward goods movements. The Warehouse Management System (WMS) WAMAS controls all the processes. When a customer submits an order, the WMS processes it and starts picking the goods. In the outward movement, the SMC retrieves the load carriers and delivers them to a transfer zone. From here they travel via conveyors to the pick-to-tote workstations, where employees pick the goods according to the goods-to-man principle. Once again, a conveyor belt acts as a transport system conveying the goods to the dispatch station and preparing them for speedy dispatch.“SSI Schaefer presented us with a concept for a fully automated warehouse using the goods-to-man principle. The solution was new to us, but proved to offer exceptionally high performance. It enabled us to increase our efficiency significantly and to optimise warehouse capacity”, reflects Mr Dusan Materna, CEO at New Wave. “The company now has an extremely advanced and highperformance logistics centre.”

Economically and ecologically effective

Mon, 14 Nov 2011 08:16:00 +0100

Sustainability is currently one of the most important aspects of logistics. Construction services and plant engineering experts, as well as logistic systems operators agree that the rapid development of information technology, including material and system development, primarily in the intra-logistics sector, offer excellent prospects for achieving a balance between economy and ecology. Green Logistics is the keyword that links intra-logistics with the economy and/or process safety via cutbacks such as optimizing time, space, employee, energy and materials-utilization. This requirement for resource efficiency applies during implementation of new systems as well as during retrofits, and/or the modernization of system and plant components. The 2010 intra-logistics forum organized by SSI Schäfer, Giebelstadt at the end of September spelled out the options of the plant engineers and operators in the disputed area between economy and ecology. The introduction of various projects and presentations regarding new developments were part of this forum. Users as well as experts of the Fraunhofer Institute presented practical examples, the latest trends and innovative solutions. More than 170 representatives from 89 companies and 27 countries used this event to exchange information presenting proven solutions and the latest technological developments. The focus: increase added value using aspects of effective Green Logistics….with striking results.Gerhard Lohmeiter, environmental consultant at Hellmann Worldwide Logistics, presented real-time initiatives of the company implementing the requirements of Green Logistics. Logistics service provider Hellmann is specifically concentrating on the reduction, respectively neutralization of CO2-emissions ocurring during transport, storage and commissioning. Sample calculations indicated how the daily CO2-emissions can be reduced by around 50,000 kilograms by relocating 300 swap trailers from the street to the train. Hellmann used different route planning and emission calculation tools for that.In addition to the transport carriers and the introduction of CO2-neutral transports, Hellmann targeted the processes of the entire value added chain - especially their energy consumption. The steps taken range from the utilization of regenreative energies via subsequent utilization of energy-efficient lamps including insulation of the buildings. Hellmann identified the utilization of energy-efficient conveyor and lifting technologies as another important goal.For conveyor and lifting technology particularly significant progress has been made in the last few years using plant engineering regarding resource efficiency. SSI Schäfer summarized one topic titled „Green Crane Technology“. Following consistent improvements in the mechanics using measures such as effectiveness-optimized drives, lightweight construction and rolling resistance-low material combinations between wheel and rail, possible energy savings are decisive for the new and future developments of the systems. Up to 50 percent of the energy consumption can be reduced by the integration of power recovery systems - depending on superior system and order structures. Resulting in an ROI for modern technology utilization of less than three years. The same applies to the models of a wear reducing, low-load operation (20 percent saving, ROI less than 1 year), the DC-link connections (12 %, < 1 year), an intelligent drive cycle control (8 %, < 1 year) or energy-efficient, efficiency-optimized drives (4-8 %, 8-15 years).The more these approaches are used, the larger the possible savings. This is documented for a small parts storage and retrieval system (MiniLoad) with draft cycles using a comparative calculation presented on the Intra-logistics forum in Giebelstadt. The energy consumption is reduced when using a power recovery system from around 71 Watt/h to around 54 Watt/h. Using a power recovery system in combination with a low-load operation or using a power recovery system with low-load operation and intelligent driving cycle control reduces the energy consumption up to 45 Watt/h – resulting in an energy savings of more than 35 percent. An SSI Schäfer system using the latest developments which are based on intelligent drive cycle controls with axis-overall energy exchange instead of refeed, already available in the standard version, result in possible savings between 20 and 25 percent.Similar results can be achieved when utilizing energy-efficient motors in the conveyor system. Here, especially developed drive synchronous motors are characterized by highest energy efficiency (efficiency class 4). As innovator and leading plant manufacturer, SSI Schäfer faces the responsibility for implementing comprehensive resource efficiency in intra-logistics, especially for conveyor systems and in the development of new systems. This begins with planning and layout and ranges from efficiency-optimized drives to actual consumption points to stressing awareness for responsible power consumption.Economy and ecology do not have to be in conflict with each other. This is supported by examples where up to 50 percent energy savings are possible with longitudinal and lateral transports using modern conveyor systems compared to conventional systems. These energy savings can be achieved with careful system planning focused on energy efficiency. Other aspects such as pallet lifters with counter-weights using the load weight when lowered, on-site reduced stand-by-consumption or the energy-saving process optimization using parallel storage and retrieval certainly contribute to that.Effective, value added processes in intra-logistics are the main focus of development work at SSI Schäfer. This is done with the awareness that avoiding waste and the installation of efficient processes can increase the competitive capability which meets the requirements of „Green Logistics“. However: Useless resource consumption has to first be identified as useless. Efficiency loss from overstocking and stockout, multiple handling of items, insufficient warehouse and commissioning strategies, missing replenishment processes, time-consuming voucher systems and lacking transparency are often identified too late. The requirements for intra-logistics increase parallel, especially regarding performance, flexibility, on-demand-reaction, ergonomics and environmental compatibility.In fact, dynamic systems from SSI Schäfer such as the Schäfer Carousel System (SCS), the SQS, the Schäfer Case Picking (SCP) or the mobile racking systems are the most important components for the design of system solutions incorporating ecologic aspects of profitable land and building utilization. Combined with a high-performance Warehouse Management System (WMS) the processes can be designed both inhouse and company-wide under the aspects of sustainability - for example by optimization of the loading order or design of multimodal transports.Stephan Stucky from the Swiss logistics provider Coop clarified during the Intra-Logistics Forum which capabilities for resource efficiency can already be developed using the correct commissioning process. Coop controls the processes in 16 regional and national distribution centers with SSI Schäfer’s IT-systems, SSI Schäfer WAMAS and SAP as the superimposed system. Controlled by the WMS-system WAMAS it is commissioned, in addition to the main procedure, with Pick-by-Voice with a forklift terminal (whole pallets), manual terminals (small amounts) and Pick-by-Light (deep-freeze area). This results in flexible, transparent processes with optimum efficiency, respective savings, of the existing resources. The implementation of the high-performance and homogeneous logistics system of SSI Schäfer led to a significant decrease of process interface and reduction in complexity at the reference Valora project as presented by Stefan Gächter (area manager logistics Valora). In addition to the standardization and safety of processes, Valora can show a reduction of logistics costs of 14 percent.Efficiency and responsible handling with available resources do not have to contradict. This is demonstrated using the examples as well as by the presentations and reports from the Intra-logistics forum. Beginning with the construction planning concept integrating high-quality, environmental building materials which reduce energy demand via the Green Crane Technology to modern dynamic systems and ergonomically designed work stations, SSI Schäfer has an extensive product portfolio which is similarly designed for resource efficiency and economy.The newest products which will be presented to trade experts at CeMAT 2011 prove that SSI Schäfer is not yet satisfied with their results. The resource efficiency is apparent from all systems and components. New material flow systems such as the Schäfer AutoCruiser save up to 80 percent energy compared to conventional systems. Even more: SSI Schäfer as innovation leader is continuously involved in numerous research projects. Results directly influence product development. Newest example: cooperation in energy-efficiency studies for small-parts storage and retrieval machines at the institute for logistics and material flow engineering at theUniversity Magdeburg. These studies deal with recording energy consumption and recovery for drive axles. SSI Schäfer as research partner provides a one-aisle warehouse with a Schäfer Miniload Crane (SMC) and supports the analysis, data evaluation and their integration into new developments.If the challenges of sustainable, environmental logistics are subsequently integrated in the development of innovative solutions, proccess optimization for resource efficiency, and the implementation of Green Logistics, they can then be economically combined with each other. With its range of products and services, SSI Schäfer covers the entire spectrum. In the future, SSI Schäfer will continue to play a significant role in the research and development of new technologies and information systems that further the implementation of Green Logistics and sustainability. Resulting innovations will provide companies with considerable room for improvement in their in-house value added chain, especially in intra-logistics. Concerning intra-logistics, this became apparent during the Intra-logistics forum 2010 in Giebelstadt. The high standards of Green Logistics can be aligned with economic requirements of modern business strategies. Investments that are well worth it. It is up to corporate decision makes to utilize these options.

Seamless, future-oriented solution

Fri, 28 Oct 2011 08:04:00 +0200

Among beer connoisseurs, the original Budweiser lager from the Budweiser Budvar Brewery in the Czech Republic is one of the world's best beers. Brewing history has been made in the town of České Budějovice since 1265. And, since the end of the 19th century, these delicacies originated in the Czech Joint Stock Brewery, which subsequently became the Budweiser Budvar brewery. The brewery now produces around 1.3 million hectolitres of beer each year. Almost half of the production is exported to around 50 countries on every continent. In Germany alone, over 200,000 hectolitres of Budweiser Budvar beer are sold – and the trend is on the up-swing. As a result, bottling production lines and internal logistics in Budvar have been continuously modernised since 2005. The most recent development: a 26 metre high-bay racking system. In three aisles, 3000 pallet storage locations are available for pallets with a weight of up to 900 kilograms which are directly connected to production. The contract to implement the project, including the logistics concept, roof and wall construction, steel framework and pallet conveyor technology, was awarded as part of a bid process to intra-logistics specialist SSI Schaefer, Giebelstadt, as the general contractor. "We were looking for a solution that met our complex requirements using the latest technology", explains Pavel Panek, Head of Logistics and Purchasing at the Budvar brewery. "The key objectives included maximum utilization of existing limited space, 100 percent process control, real-time tracking and the integration of our RFID-led block warehouse into the new Warehouse Management System which is integrated with existing ERP system. SSI Schaefer offered the best concept to meet these needs with an attractive price/performance ratio."Assembly work on the warehouse construction was started in March 2009. The work was completed in less than 20 weeks, including technology and sheathing. The warehouse went into operation with the first incoming pallets in August 2009, as scheduled. The new plant has been running at full operation since the end of September 2009. Up to 50 HGVs are loaded at the outgoing goods gates of the new Budweiser logistics centre each day to send the precious brew on its way to over 50 countries around the world. "This is achieved without any problems due to the transparent goods flow, the additional capacity and fast throughput using the plant technology", confirms Panek.However: "The high bay racking system demanded a little creativity even during the basic planning stage", reflects SSI Sales Executive Jan Rindt. "Firstly, the spatial specifications were critical, and secondly, the goods flow and the storage space management of existing warehouse structures had to be integrated." Together with the brewery, the necessary warehouse capacity was defined and an appropriate layout created. "With the specified height of 26 metres for storing 3000 pallets of finished products, a building with a conventional steel or steel/concrete hall construction was quickly dismissed due to time restrictions, engineering and financial reasons", explains Rindt. Instead, work began on a silo design high bay racking system almost six metres below ground level. In terms of statics, the self-supporting racking also forms the basis for securing the external shell and the roof.When selecting the materials for the high bay racking system, special precautions against excessive heat buildup and against the effects of frost needed to be taken into consideration including fire protection criteria. Sandwich panels with high insulation properties and a high fire protection rating, as well as heat-dissipation flaps installed on the roof ensure that required thermal conditions are met.A further spatial consideration: Lengthwise in front of the high bay warehouse there is a large consolidation and preparation area. This restricted the number of warehouse aisles in the high bay warehouse. To achieve the required number of storage positions in the three-aisle warehouse, and to fully utilise the existing, available space, the first row of shelves and the storage and retrieval devices in the first aisle were designed for double-depth storage. Single-depth storage is provided in the two other racking aisles, "this means we quickly have direct access to the single pallets needed", confirms Head of Logistics Panek.The materials flow:The beer crates or cartons stacked on 120 x 80 cm pallets in production using palletizing robots pass through the high bay warehouse via roller track and conveyor belt technology to the transfer station. Around ten metres above the warehouse ground level, the contours and weights of the goods are recorded, and entered into the Warehouse Management System installed by SSI Schaefer. Controlled by WMS (storage location assignment) and control technology (conveyor technology drives), the pallets are then conveyed to a pallet lift. The remaining processes are controlled by the WMS. The lift transfers the pallets either directly to an outgoing goods table in the direction of the block warehouse or onto a transfer table into the high bay racking storage and retrieval devices. A transfer station has been set up for inside storage into the high bay racking system. A rotary table ensures that the pallets are aligned correctly. For pallets with stackable goods that need to be buffered in approximately 4000 storage spaces from the previous stock of the existing block warehouse, information technicians needed to deploy all their skill and cunning. "At the start of the project, Budweiser decided to apply the principles and strategies for controlling the automatic high bay racking system in the existing block warehouse as well", explains SSI Sales Executive Rindt. "A key feature was that the warehouse processes in the block warehouse are processed via Radio Frequency Identification (RFID). As a result, inventory management and process control functions needed to be integrated into the new WMS both for the automated high bay racking system and for the manually operated block warehouse equipped with RFID."To accelerate the inward and outward storage processes in the block warehouse, Budweiser places considerable emphasis on avoiding unnecessary delays via storage space scanning and confirmation sequences. “Therefore we have decided to use RFID not in connection with product but in connection with storage location” accents Panek. All warehouse channels in the block warehouse are therefore identified using RFID tags. In addition, RFID tags are also fitted to all transfer stations on the conveyor system. Display is used to assign the jobs to the fork lifts from the WMS. The fork lifts are equipped with RFID aerials. When a fork lift drives into the storage channel, the fork lift information is automatically captured and read by a reader. The job information stored on the WMS also defines whether the fork lift carries out inward or outward movements, and in what volume. "The liquids in the environment itself can represent a challenge for the RFID", says Rindt. "What is more, the different technologies and control processes need to be programmed into the WMS."The result is "a highly efficient Warehouse Management System that takes the features and parameters of the individual storage zones into account and unites the warehouse system to create a compact unit", explains Head of Logistics Panek. A comprehensive overview of the utilisation level of the system and resources is also provided using a visualisation system installed by SSI Schaefer.For order picking, the WMS initiates the outward storage processes in the high bay racking system and in the block warehouse. With its speed of 130 metres per minute and a lift of 54 metres per minute, the storage and retrieval devices achieve a throughput of up to 100 two-way movements per hour. The outgoing pallets pass via the installed conveyor technology with roller tracks, chain conveyors and corner switchers to the acceptance station for the fork lifts that are connected directly to the high bay racking. At the same time, the RFID-aided order picking processes are carried out in the block warehouse. In the preparation area in front of the high bay racking system, the jobs are then compiled and prepared for dispatch."A seamless and compact, future-oriented solution", summarises Panek. "As part of a rapidly and reliably implemented project – in terms of the complexity of the task – SSI Schaefer designed an intralogistics concept for our processes that provides maximum warehouse capacity and throughput with maximum space utilisation. The integrated process control has also resulted in the minimisation of order picking errors. Our objectives have been realised in full."And there's more. The system is designed so that Budweiser Budvar will not have any problems in the future integrating further changes to business processes into the plant. For example, a rail connection is already being planned. In the medium-term, the conveyor technology leading into the block warehouse and high bay racking system that is currently used to convey 120 x 80 cm pallets only will be re-designed to transport the larger industrial 120 x 100 cm pallets. "This will require external guidance of the pallets", explains SSI Sales Executive Rindt. "Thanks to the modular design of our components we will then be able to retrofit our systems at the appropriate time without any significant downtime for Budweiser."

SSI Schaefer Invests in Improved Maintenance Support Service

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:52:00 +0200

Michael Gruber, Service Manager, SSI Schaefer, said: “However durable a storage system is, day to day operations within a warehouse or distribution centre will result in wear and tear on the structure. Regular inspections and ongoing maintenance of all systems are a must; warehouse operators can’t afford to have lengthy downtime periods due to faulty machinery or damaged storage equipment.”To further support its commitment to improved maintenance levels, SSI Schaefer has increased its existing fleet size with the addition of four new vans and has employed another field service engineer, taking the on-road team total to eight. The vans enable the team to carry a much greater amount of tools and spare parts, which helps when providing a 24/7 technician on call support service.Michael Gruber continued: “The additional vans will help the team deliver a better level of after-sales care and ongoing maintenance support to our customers across the UK. Over the last two years a lot has changed regarding the scope of work we carry out – increased workloads combined with the amount of different systems that our team now services, meant it was crucial we increased our fleet size. “We now service all of SSI Schaefer’s static and automated products including conveyors, picking systems, miniload systems and mobile racking systems and all work is carried out as swiftly and efficiently as possible to ensure minimum disruption to daily on-going work.” SSI Schaefer’s customer service and support unit promises high availability and long service life, economical operation and fast assistance in the event of a failure – they understand that customer oriented after-sales service and regular maintenance work are the most important approaches in optimising operating times and operational reliability of equipment and systems.SSI Schaefer also offers a SEMA approved rack inspection and repair service for its products, with most spares being available from stock ensuring limited operational down time for its customers.

Automated Dual Purpose Picking and Storage System for Republic

Wed, 26 Oct 2011 17:45:00 +0200

Having already established a solid working relationship with SSI Schaefer in the Far East, IDS (Integrated Distribution Services) Logistics, an Asian-based third party logistics provider looking to expand its foothold in the UK, called upon preferred supplier SSI Schaefer to install an integrated picking and storage system to manage the storage, picking and distribution of flat-packed garments for Republic. With 120 stores currently on the high street, Republic is set to rapidly grow to more than 200 stores over the next two to three years raising its high street presence with additional plans to capitalise on e-commerce sales thereby increasing its online market share. Adrian Robinson, Logistics Director, IDS, said: “We needed SSI Schaefer to design a new system that would handle Republic’s retail store consignments and fulfill its online shopping orders with ease – a challenge more than accomplished with the automated dual purpose picking and storage system now in operation.”He continued: “The installation has enabled us to drop a shift – previously we worked two, sometimes three shifts – we now work one full shift with extra hours to handle late order e-commerce shipments. Currently running at just half its capacity in order to achieve the revised shift pattern, the system has significantly increased picking and shipping accuracy. We are extremely pleased with how the system is operating.”The system is made up of low-level adjustable pallet racking, incorporating shelving for carton picking and pallets for bulk storage. An extensive conveyor system, with a re-circulating facility, routes and delivers cartons of product to a series of ‘put to store’ zones, where items are then individually picked and sorted to store delivery totes.The dual system is effective because full carton volumes of product are picked and supplied for sortation and distribution in specific quantities to stores and residual items are passed automatically via the conveyor to supply or replenish separate e-commerce picking locations without having to be returned to stock. A ‘carton-live’ tote buffer accumulates full totes before being palletised for shipment to stores.Either side of the conveyor system sits an extensive wire basket-based storage facility providing more than 10,000 locations which hold stock for zone-picking internet orders into totes before they are individually packed into bags or cartons for onward delivery. Every product is identified using barcode scanners at both case and individual item level ensuring the whole operation runs at optimum order picking and delivery accuracy.

SSI Schaefer’s Angels: Full Throttle

Wed, 19 Oct 2011 09:16:00 +0200

The team raised in the region of £2K – for every £100 raised, five hours of nursing care can be provided by Marie Cancer Care, which currently provides care for 50% of all cancer patients who pass away at home.The Marie Curie Ladies Driving Challenge event, attended by more than 50 ladies, enabled participants to get behind the wheel of some unusual and challenging vehicles including Fire Engines, Cherry Pickers, HGV's, Army Jeeps, 4x4s, Double Decker Buses and many more, all in the name of charity. Marcia Rosser-Hall, Administration Assistant within the Contracts Department at SSI Schaefer, wanted to give something back following 53 operations over a 20 year period, with three lengthy stays in intensive care due to a form of Crohn’s Disease.She said: “In 2007 I was taken into hospital again and unfortunately, was in there for a total of six months. I had to take a year out of work to recover and SSI Schaefer fully supported me all the way. As cancer affects most families I felt this would be a great challenge to ‘have a bit of fun’ for ourselves whilst helping others in this worthwhile cause. “It was a wonderful event, giving us ladies the chance to drive a host of unique vehicles that we wouldn’t normally be able to drive around some rather challenging courses!”The SSI Schaefer team included: Debbie Griffiths, Sarah Horne, Carla Vos, Val Higginson, Lynda Villiers, Jane Timms and Marcia Rosser-Hall.

Automation Day Hailed a Success

Tue, 18 Oct 2011 11:18:00 +0200

Over 70 delegates attended the event, representing some of the country’s largest and well-known retailers, all wanting to take tips away on how to make significant efficiency improvements to their own operations. They came to get a closer look at how TJ Morris, the UK’s fastest growing discount retailer, has successfully implemented automation into its existing storage and distribution centre resulting in increased storage capacity, maximum product pick efficiency and low labour overheads. A number of presentations were given throughout the day, including Jaap Vos, Director of SSI Schaefer in the UK, who gave an in-depth overview of the company across the globe, its structure and overall capabilities. Guests also heard from David Hibbett, Automation Systems Manager at SSI Schaefer and Mike Oliver, Director at Total Logistics.John-Paul Bednarek, Head of Operations at Teva UK Ltd – Teva is the world’s number one generic pharmaceutical company – described in detail the transition process of centralising their UK logistic activities into a brand new automated single logistic centre, designed and installed by SSI Schaefer, that has significantly reduced supply chain costs, improved picking performance, reduced labour overheads and improved customer service levels.Joe Morris, Operations Director, TJ Morris, gave a passionate account of his family-owned business, which started out in 1976 as just one store in Old Swan, Liverpool and has now grown to over 250stores with plans to expand to over 500 stores by 2018.He vividly described when in 2009 with business expanding and demand for stock levels growing, there was an urgent need for increased storage capacity and maximum product pick efficiency whilst maintaining low labour overheads - it was then that TJ Morris in conjunction with Total Logistics, selected SSI Schaefer to deliver and exceed those expectations within its existing storage and distribution centre in Liverpool, Merseyside.To augment the existing storage whilst accommodating the growing volume of palletised products, a 32 metre automated high-bay extension to the distribution centre was built that enabled TJ Morris to handle growth from 170 stores to 350, drive operational costs down, improve stock availability and significantly improve picking accuracy and speed. Joe told the audience that: “Automation does work and it is currently working in our facility 24 hours a day, seven days a week. However, what I would advise is to always work with a supplier that you know is going to be around for the long-haul and that you can actually get on with. Stay clear of making the solution too complicated, understand individual roles and responsibilities and always get advice from someone that has already been there.”The event closed with a ‘behind the scenes’ tour round the TJ Morris site in Gillmoss, Liverpool – delegates were given a VIP tour of its world class storage and distribution facility which now houses more than 46,000 pallets and 11 pallet cranes that feed products to more than 1,000 ground level picking locations and deliver replenishment orders to an adjacent mini-load crane-based tote storage system, built to hold slower moving items, providing an additional storage capacity of up to 28,000 totes and 804 picking stations.Andy Banks from Waitrose commented: “It was a great day and really gave me some food for thought! The developments being made in the field of automation /mechanisation are certainly very interesting.”Kirsten Tisdale from Aricia Ltd said: “Thanks to SSI Schaefer for another excellent event, it was a very well thought out and organised day - well worth the trip when my diary was already busy with plenty of other things!”

Efficient processes for motorbike accessories

Mon, 17 Oct 2011 07:42:00 +0200

By offering everything bikers could possibly need, the LeMans Corporation has become a leading retailer of motorbike parts, accessories and clothing on the US market. From this base, the senior management started thinking about expanding into the European market. The company's European subsidiary, Parts Europe, chose Konz near Trier (Germany) as the location for its new central warehouse. In the winter of 2008, the foundations for a modern warehousing facility were laid in a green field near the town. The first of four project phases is already complete. Once phase 4 is finished, the entire warehouse will cover 45 000 m².During planning, the management had to take into account the different market structures and requirements in Europe and the US and consider the different intralogistics processes. Since there are different items for everything from tyres and small parts to protective gear, the company needed a totally new approach and a compact installation, mainly automated processes, efficient software and order-picking strategies different from those deployed in the US.SSI Schaefer was tasked with the job of planning the intralogistics concept and providing the necessary equipment. Not only did the companies from the SSI Schaefer group deliver an impressive steel construction, innovative conveyor technology and installation of proven IT systems, they also demonstrated their ability to deliver a coordinated project without conflicts at interfaces. Parts Europe describes their involvement as "a reliable partnership of mutual trust throughout the course of the project resulting in an ultramodern installation, tailored to our needs, giving us a base for solid growth in Europe".The distributor has now firmly broken into the European market. The European central Parts Europe warehouse has been operational since the start of March 2010. Over the next few years, more than 10 000 customers, from anywhere between the Atlantic und the Urals, the North Cape and the Middle East, will receive their orders from Konz in between 24 and 48 hours. To this end, the Parts Europe warehouse holds 150 000 items in stock from many different manufactures and can order-pick up to 2500 shipments an hour. Parts Europe is still new to the market and is expecting order processing to peak in the spring when bikers spruce up their bikes for the new season. Further growth is therefore expected and Parts Europe is planning to process up to 20 000 shipments a day in this DC over the next few years.The intralogistics installation design and components had to be tailored to this forecasted increase in orders and the heterogeneous range of items. In response, the intralogistics specialist developed a complex installation concept with transparent goods flows and individually customised, automated processes for the 16 500 m² warehouse. These processes are controlled by the WAMAS warehouse management system (WMS) and the Convey warehouse control tool from SSI Schaefer. "Given the complex tasks, processes and material flows, the project software was a real challenge," says Hannes Schuster, project manager from SSI Schaefer, Graz. "We had to use the software to develop one solution harmonised to all organisational requirements."Currently the Parts Europe warehouse is split into four areas: tyres store, small parts store, full-case/self-ship area and hazardous goods store. Quarantined goods are also held in a separate area. Deliveries are recorded and split up using WAMAS. Once the barcodes have been recorded, all the items' information is available for use. What is known as a "dimensioner" is used to record the mass, quantities and weight of every new product. This data is linked to the product barcode and stored in the WMS. Not only does this give Parts Europe totally accurate data about the items in its warehouse, but by using supplier barcodes, it avoids the inconvenience of having to re-label.The recorded items are passed on to the conveyor system. It transports the items to the storage locations in the various warehouse areas defined by the WMS. "In total SSI Schaefer has installed around 800 square metres of self-supporting steel platforms for the conveyor technology, sorters and packaging machines installed," explains Schuster. "All in all, the installation comprises 4 kilometres of conveyor technology. More than 800 tons of steel has gone into the shelving and platforms."Four material flows are in place taking items into storage:The order-picking warehouse for small parts is a four-storey platform system with an integrated hanging garments store for biker clothing. Each racking bay has 18 storage levels. A total of 16 000 storage locations are provided in the 2200 m² of order-picking aisles covering four storeys.The second key element is the tyres store. Tyres are supplied loose in containers and separated on telescopic conveyors with an overhead conveyor system and what are known as J hooks. The tyres are suspended from the hooks, the barcode recorded and they are then stored by the overhead conveyor in a 10 m high platform system covering three storeys. There is a total area of more than 3100 m² for tyre storage, providing twelve storage levels per racking bay – 6720 storage levels in total. The final stage of the process involves recording the location and tyre barcodes with handheld terminals and posting the items in the WMS. One special feature of the steel construction is that in order to prevent pressure points on the tyres, the storage level cross bars are welded on at angles. This means that the tyres make even more contact with the surrounding framework and are not forced in.Pallets of items in their original packaging, which are shipped to the motorbike retailers in this form, are transported to the full-case/self-ship area by forklift. There are around 1900 pallet storage spaces. A separate, single-storey R 3000 modular shelving system is provided to store hazardous goods such as paints, batteries and oils, in a separate hazardous goods store. The shelf storage locations with mesh bases and drip trays allow liquids hazardous to water to be stored in compliance with statutory requirements. The option of adding another storey to this system if required was also taken into account during the design.However, the special features of the installation design, material flow concept and software only become apparent during order picking and when assembling orders. Numerous redundant safety features, an intelligent material flow concept and innovative case calculation ensure maximum efficiency and reliable order processing. According to Schuster, this is all thanks to "a conveyor system which can transport the entire heterogeneous range of order-picked items and IT with an intelligent range of functions."Order picking is initiated by the WMS. In the tyres store, the process uses a second overhead conveyor circuit. In order to minimise the number of access aisles, the WMS combines various orders for picking depending on where the tyres are stored. The sequence for picking by order is defined during subsequent order consolidation. Order-pickers receive the orders via radio scanners. The order-picked tyres are hung onto the overhead conveyor's T-hooks and the barcode is scanned. Picked orders are checked automatically at the end of the respective storey before passing on to the next one. There are several possible variants for tyre shipment: individual tyres without packaging or in boxes, several tyres bundled or in boxes and tyres plus small parts in a box. Mention should be made of the fact that when orders are transferred, the WMS from SSI Schaefer uses the dimensions and weights stored in the system to automatically determine the most favourable packaging unit and volume- and shipment-optimised combination of picked order items. If the WMS calculations indicate that tyres are to be combined with other items to form a shipment, they are transferred to the consolidation area.Small parts are picked straight into shipment boxes in the four-storey platform system using radio scanners. Following a volume calculation, the WMS defines which of the six box sizes to use. The boxes are arranged automatically and provided with barcode labels. The WMS requests order-picking in containers for small parts which form part of tyre shipment orders. SSI Schaefer has provided 600 dividable standard containers for this purpose. One continuous conveyor line transports the boxes and containers from one order-picking area to the next. Integrated weighing systems are used to check the picked items before they move to a new storey. Any incorrect order picking can therefore be corrected immediately to ensure a high level of order accuracy. Following order picking, the boxes and containers enter a loop. This discharges the load carriers, either towards shipping preparation or – if combining with other order items – to a consolidation station. "One of the special features of the installation design is that all items are transported on the same conveyor system," says Schuster. "This makes optimum use of space and allows orders to be specifically consolidated at various workstations."The conveyor system uses sequencing roundabouts to transport the containers and tyres to one of six consolidation stations as appropriate for the order. The Convey warehouse control tool from SSI ensures appropriate sequencing. At the consolidation stations the small parts are repackaged into the tyre boxes. Wherever possible, staff also fill the spaces around and inside the tyres to ensure volume-optimised shipment. After final weighing, Schaefer Compact Insertion provides all order-picked boxes ready for shipment with the corresponding papers. Another station places lids on the boxes, provides shipping labels and if necessary uses a strapping machine to wrap the box. This part of the installation greatly helps to minimise shipping costs. The shipment is then passed to a cross belt sorter where all order items from the tyre and full-case stores, small parts and quarantined goods areas are brought together. The items are discharged to the respective shipment tracks of five shipment stations where the orders are stacked onto pallets or transferred to a telescopic conveyor.Speed and reliability are key factors to the success of retailers in the B2B segment. The quality of delivery capability and order processing determines a company’s future competitive position. The intralogistics solution which SSI Schaefer has produced for the European central warehouse makes Parts Europe even more efficient than the company's warehouses in the US. Incoming goods recording using supplier codes, pick-to-box order picking in shipment boxes, volume optimisation for shipment volumes and a conveyor system which can be left to run whenever and wherever it is needed have all helped Parts Europe focus on efficiency upon entering the new market - thanks to the SSI Schaefer solution. Positive results confirm that this was the right decision - a solid basis for future growth.

Flexible and Automated at TJ Morris

Wed, 07 Sep 2011 12:19:00 +0200

Established over 30 years ago by Tom Morris, opening his first store in Liverpool, Tom has grown the business organically to become one of the biggest privately owned companies in the UK (The Sunday Times Top Track 250, 2009). Tom comes from a retailing family that has run shops for three generations and heads up the company along with three of his brothers.Employing more than 7,000 people, it is widely regarded as one of the largest businesses in Merseyside and is the third largest independent grocer in the country according to The Grocer Magazine (March 2010). Home Bargains carries a wide range of top quality, high street brands - from health and beauty products to household goods, food, toys and so much more. All at prices that other retailers struggle to match.The business is run on one key principle: to sell branded goods at the lowest prices possible. Working in partnership with Total Logistics, supply chain consultants, the company intends to continue its rapid growth and has ambitious expansion plans. Consultants from the Total Logistics team developed an outline concept for the expansion of the distribution centre at the company's headquarters in Gillmoss, Liverpool, to facilitate this rapid expansion.With growing business comes growing demand for stock levels and quick turnaround for store replenishment – needing increased storage capacity, and maximum product pick efficiency whilst maintaining low labour overheads. TJ Morris in conjunction with Total Logistics, selected SSI Schaefer to deliver and exceed those expectations within its existing storage and distribution centre in Liverpool, Merseyside.SSI Schaefer were chosen to provide TJ Morris with an optimum solution that would not only address the immediate operational efficiencies but also provide a flexible solution to accommodate future growth within the business.Close to reaching ‘critical mass’, the Home Bargains Operation required a significant increase in bulk storage capacity – the decision was also made to make the whole picking operation more efficient and operator friendly. To augment the existing storage whilst accommodating the growing volume of palletised products, a 32 metre high-bay extension to the distribution centre was built.The new extension, able to house more than 46,000 pallets, has 11 pallet cranes that feed products to more than 1,000 ground level picking locations and deliver replenishment orders to an adjacent mini-load crane-based tote storage system, built to hold slower moving items, providing an additional storage capacity of up to 28,000 totes and 804 picking stations.The storage totes, are provided in two sizes by SSI Schaefer, one to keep stored products and one to ship items out to store. Both pallet crane and mini-load storage areas are served by extensive pallet and tote conveyor systems.Pallets arrive either pre-labelled or are labelled upon receipt and quickly inducted on to a pallet conveyor system, which has been designed to handle up to 300 pallets per hour. Two pallet checking stations, capable of processing 150 pallets per hour, check weight and identify broken blocks or bottom boards. A conveyor feed system into the high bay is mounted on a mezzanine floor with elevator access in order to avoid any obstruction to the picking operation.Pallet cranes feed full pallets to case-picking aisles directly below the high bay storage locations, where cases are picked manually. Full pallets are routed by conveyor to the despatch area or to replenish stock in the mini-load storage system. At the mini-load receiving stations pallets are placed upon hydraulic lifts, ergonomically designed to help operators break down and decant items into storage totes. The storage totes are then placed on a tote conveyor, which delivers direct to a mini-load crane docking station from where they are picked up and put away in the racking via a crane. Waste cardboard generated by the process is taken away by an overhead belt conveyor to an external compactor. Product bearing totes are subsequently delivered by the crane to picking locations in flow racks integrated within the mini-load racking at ground level. Operators, fed by a constant supply of conveyed empty totes, voice-pick products to fulfil multiple orders which, when completed, are placed on a takeaway conveyor and sent to a goods-out marshalling area, where they are automatically sorted by despatch route for waiting vehicles.SSI Schaefer have fully automated both the strapping round boxes and the ink jet printing and application of labels on the strapping. The whole system is effectively controlled and managed using SSI Schaefer’s Convey Warehouse Control System.Joe Morris, Operations Director, TJ Morris, said: “Without the expertise and systems technology provided by SSI Schaefer our operation would have struggled to meet the demands placed upon the business by the increased sales of a rapidly expanding store base throughout the UK.”He continued: “Expanding our storage capability and automating the most labour-intensive areas of our distribution operation has enabled us to expand and future-proof our operation without the need for continual investment in additional labour.”

SSI Schaefer Race for Life

Tue, 26 Jul 2011 15:28:00 +0200

Five members of the Schaefer team bravely battled against the elements on a wet and windy day in Winchester to complete the 5K race.This is the first time that a Schaefer group has completed Race for Life, which is all about having fun, raising money and celebrating the lives of women that have either won or lost their battle with cancer. Paula Hopgood, Senior Sales Administrator, SSI Schaefer, said: “We had such fun taking part in the race, despite the awful weather! It was such a triumphant feeling when we all crossed the finish line, knowing what a good cause it was for. We decided to get involved in the race as a group following a team member that was personally affected by cancer and because there are so many other people and families affected by it daily – it is a truly worthwhile cause and we have all agreed to take part again next year, where we hope to raise even more money.”

Vospers head back to SSI Schaefer

Tue, 31 May 2011 15:16:00 +0200

As an existing supplier to Vospers with a relationship spanning over two decades, SSI Schaefer were drafted in for their expertise in materials handling and space utilisation – SSI Schaefer had to ensure that shelving and flooring in the new parts area tied in seamlessly with storage products from the current stores facility installed over 15 years ago (by SSI Schaefer).Making the most of available space within the newly developed parts area, cushioned alongside a number of offices, thereby limiting surroundings, SSI Schaefer has cleverly designed and installed a new mezzanine floor that meets at the same floor level as the older oversailing floor and R4000 shelving originally built by SSI Schaefer – complementing their existing parts store.In addition, SSI Schaefer has fitted its R3000 multi-tier shelving, including RK containers and shelf dividers for optimum organisation, designed to house small and medium-sized goods and accommodate bulky components – a unique shelving product, popular for its space optimising credentials and flexibility – the system that can be easily adjusted to suit future business expansion. The shelving in the new parts area is now joined onto the new mezzanine floor in the ‘older’ parts area via a bespoke staircase.Bob Foster, Vosper Group Parts Director, said: “As a business we are continually growing and looking ahead, the recent expansion into a multi-franchise dealership meant that we needed more space to house a mixture of car parts from six manufacturers – however, with limited resources to achieve this we required the available space to be used as efficiently and effectively as possible.“Having built a new stores area, SSI Schaefer were then able to provide, within a very tight area, a workable storage facility with mezzanine floor that now flows smoothly from our existing stores area – they really have given us maximum use within a confined space which is exactly what we requested.”

Machine Vision Technology

Tue, 31 May 2011 08:13:00 +0200

SSI Schaefer extends in-house IT system expertise to include machine vision technology. Customers stand to gain from the technological benefits of industrial image processing in automation, quality checks through innovative product developments and use of fewer interfaces. SSI Schaefer is continuing to build on its IT development integration expertise in industrial image processing. Its overall objective is to identify and tap into new logistical uses for what is known as machine vision technology. “We have been working with machine vision technology for more than four years now and have already developed numerous innovations for automated order picking, sequencing and quality assurance by combining our expertise in this mechanical vision, machine control and logistical applications for our customers,” explains Dr. Max Winkler, head of development at SSI Schaefer. “We now boast extensive in-house know-how in all three fields which is unique in the sector. As a technology leader in intralogistics, we will use this to generate new system functionalities with new developments and produce additional added-value for our customers.”Industrial image processing is now one of the key technologies in automation. Its use in the pharmaceutical and automotive industry has become standard practice when checking components critical to safety. Machine vision technology can be used for tasks such as intelligently controlling machines, automating processes and verifying and checking components and items. Corresponding systems also check quality criteria and provide valuable data for process optimisation. The technology can therefore potentially be used in industrial production and intralogistics for tasks ranging from fully automatic palleting and depalleting, through sequence, position and orientation checks to quality assurance including complete documentation and traceability.Using machine vision technology, SSI Schaefer has now implemented system concepts such as Schaefer Case Picking (SCP), the Order Verifier and the Schaefer Robo-Pick (SRP). Integrated image processing makes e.g. the Robo-Pick and SSI Order Verifier the fastest fully automatic order-picking systems in their market sectors. The various image processing systems in the Schaefer Case Picking concept make distribution centres possible which deliver a customised mix of products fully automatically. Machine vision allows robots to fully exploit their goods distribution performance, thereby relieving staff of the arduous task of pallet order picking. For the user, this translates into efficiently automated and monitored production processes. Quality assurance and order picking become an integrated process, resulting in minimised error rates and greatly reduced staffing, energy and freight costs. The potential savings ensure a rapid return on investment (ROI).Another benefit of SSI Schaefer image processing technologies is that they are designed as independent subsystems with a flexible interface architecture, allowing them to be integrated in the intralogistics systems supplied by SSI Schaefer in many different ways. Not only can the systems be smoothly integrated into existing structures, they can also be quickly and conveniently adapted to modified production processes and model changes.The intelligent teach-in feature of machine vision technology from SSI Schaefer eliminates any lengthy teaching phase for the products to be handled. A larger range of products can thereby be flexibly detected. And the technology is perfectly aligned to the requirements of production logistics and intralogistics. Appropriately equipped systems are, for example, perfectly suited to rapid, complex automation and test tasks, ensuring less downtime, better process stability and great efficiency in the use of resources.By further extending its development and integration expertise in machine vision technology, the SSI Schaefer Group is now able to offer customers the linkage they need between software, intralogistics hardware and industrial image processing from one source. “SSI Schaefer has added an important future-focused technology to its range of products and services,” sums up Dr. Winkler. “By individually tailoring the technology to customer specific applications, we can produce numerous options for intelligently automated processes, improved quality, greater reliability and improved process reliability and economic viability.”

LogiMat® Storage Lift Presented at CeMAT by SSI Schaefer

Fri, 27 May 2011 11:37:00 +0200

The integration of Handler A/S, based in Humlebæk, Denmark, further strengthens SSI Schaefer’s reputation as a full-service provider to the logistics industry. It is expected that Handler A/S, currently occupying a strong market position in the storage lift sector, particularly in the Scandinavian region, will work in synergy with the Schaefer Group, effectively managing production, distribution, project management and customer service and support as one unit.The LogiMat® storage lift is considered to be extremely operator-friendly thanks to its ergonomically conceived components and integrates seamlessly into the SSI Schaefer product range Ergonomics@Work®. Height-adjustable access openings, without the need for steps, and incline devices on trays for the correct removal of goods are just two ergonomic examples from the fully-equipped package. Thanks to the compact storage and modular design of the LogiMat®, the storage lift impressively only requires one tenth of the storage space compared to a common static storage solution. Its clever Small Parts Storage control can be supplemented by SSI Schaefer’s in-house software package WAMAS® -– an integrated solution for controlling and optimising logistics processes – and/or integrated seamlessly into an existing inventory management system. Various options for increased efficiency levels including maximum optimisation of picking speed complete the package.

Sophisticated Order Picking for Coop Danmark A/S

Thu, 26 May 2011 13:47:00 +0200

Wanting to exceed in both customer delivery and reaction times, Coop Danmark A/S recently reconfigured its logistics to provide an optimum, intelligent storage and distribution system using the latest technology. Bringing together seven regional warehouses into one central warehouse in Odense, Denmark, equipped with state-of-the-art order picking processes, was no easy task - after an international invitation to tender, the contract was awarded to SSI Schaefer."In view of our diverse product range, we were looking for a solution with intelligent material flow and well-defined order picking strategies", said John Møller, Warehouse Manager at Coop. He continued: "SSI Schaefer offered the best solution for our requirements along with an ideal price/performance ratio".The three-block high bay warehouse (HBW), which now serves as a supply and transfer warehouse, has four aisles per block with over 36,000 storage locations for single-deep storage of pallets that can weigh up to 1000 kilograms each. Twelve storage and retrieval machines, that move at a speed of up to 250 metres per minute, ensure quick storage and retrieval of more than 500 pallets per hour. Running alongside the high bay warehouse is the WMS that controls the manual low-bay warehouse, storing positions for man-to-goods order picking of fast-moving items, available across three shelf levels. "Stock and processes at the warehouse in Odense are governed according to advertising campaigns", explained Peter Lambrecht, Project Manager for SSI Schaefer. "The objective is to achieve a high throughput in a short time, taking into account finishing treatments. Due to complex product lines, different types of storage areas in addition to several different order picking strategies, characterise the flow of goods at Coop’s logistics centre."Items delivered on pallets are logged in goods receiving and transferred to the high bay warehouse or block storage. Articles, which for example will have CDs added, are allocated to workstations immediately and then 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 that are not large enough to be picked directly from the pallet. Both systems are supplied from the high bay warehouse or the manual warehouse – depending on the advertising campaign. "Supply of order picking positions and the picking process itself are controlled by the WMS", said Lambrecht. "Due to the varied order picking strategies, this project was a special challenge for our IT department."Up to 25,000 order lines for just under 600 orders are processed daily – five partially linked order picking strategies are designated for this task. Each HBW block is equipped with a picking station to palletise items for large orders.Controlled by the WMS, source pallets are retrieved from the high bay warehouse and allocated for order picking at six source positions in each block. There, supported by height adjustable, ergonomically designed working platforms, items are picked from the source pallets onto seven target pallets. 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 commissioned work is complete and automatic load secured, they are forwarded directly to the three dispatch areas via the conveyor and lift systems. In addition, the WMS arranges for the disposal of packaging waste which 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", said 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 also equipped with a Pick-by-Light-System. 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 completed, the order picker generates a label for each box – these are then temporarily stored in the channels of the shelf system."Once picking for a specific shop in the large consignment area is complete and this same order also requires goods of a pre-picked product group, a box from the shelf-channels is added to the shipping pallet”, said Møller. While being transported on the conveyor system, ready-picked pallets pass through a wrapping station and 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 improved shipping package and safety for items as well as the preventive theft protection after the handover of goods", continued 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. "Utilisation of space, high flexibility and reliable order processing - SSI Schaefer has designed a very efficient solution. Not only has it increased our throughput and process reliability but offers us the capacity for future expansion”, summarised Møller.

WAMAS, miniload and sorter technology in perfect interaction

Mon, 16 May 2011 08:13:00 +0200

For Desigual, the SSI Schaefer Group has implemented an order picking solution with maximum efficiency in the smallest possible space. Result: An award-winning material flow concept that ensures individual fashion pieces are available around the world in every size, colour option and in every shop.The Desigual company founded in 1984, headquartered in Barcelona, sells 10 million items of clothing worldwide each year in over 5,000 shops. From Barcelona to New York, from Tokyo to Singapore, the fashion label offers a world of experiences for creative non-conformists and over 1,000 new designs each season.The decision to enter into a partnership with Salomon Automation has opened up whole new options for Desigual. The perfectly coordinated logistics solution from the general contractor, consisting of an order picking and conveyor technology system and a miniload has proved an outstanding success.The world of fashion offers at least two collections each year. These campaigns relate to the seasonally based initial stocking of the shops for the start of the relevant season and are planned and scheduled months in advance of shipment.The high total volume of clothing items is delivered from the production to the distribution centres gradually over a period of weeks. To be able to process the goods efficiently and ship them promptly, Desigual needs to start the order picking process for the orders as early as the inward storage process for the first articles. At the same time, re-orders are coming in on an ongoing basis to restock sold articles in the shops. Re-orders have a lower delivery volume per order and demand minimal throughput times. An optimal order picking solution therefore needs to efficiently combine these two processes.Salomon Automation developed an innovative order picking method in the form of a sorter chute combination modified specifically for processes in the textile trade that copes with the enormous expansion speed of Desigual.The key difference with regard to other well-known systems lies in the automated design of the sorter destinations combined with a split tray sorter process: The sort destinations are designed as chutes in this system and are installed directly underneath the sorter. The customer cartons are dynamically fed into the chutes using the WAMAS logistics software in the correct sequence for emptying. Using this system, Desigual achieves 4,000 orders at 54 physical destinations.At two ergonomically designed order picking workstations, 3,600 items of clothing per hour and workstation are order-picked from the open source cartons onto the sorter feed. What is known as an automatic infeed belt is used here as “breathing space” between order picker and sorter, meaning that staff members are not hindered in their work. The conveyor technology was installed by SSI Schaefer, Graz.The sorter distributes the goods into two exactly sorted stacks on 54 intermediate chutes which drop off the parts with precision following automatic inward transport of the relevant customer cartons. The sometimes partially filled cartons are conveyed automatically into the highly dynamic, 3-aisle miniload intermediate buffer storage with 5,400 storage spaces. This was modified specifically to the height of open cartons by SSI Schaefer, Neunkirchen. In the integrated 6-aisle tray warehouse with 90,000 storage spaces, the target and source cartons are managed with a total of 3 million single items by WAMAS.“We are able to deliver 100,000 items of clothing per day and thanks to our automated warehouse we can store up to 3 million items and process 5,000 orders. We also deliver efficiently around the clock”, reflects Desigual on the new logistics. The solution has been awarded two renowned prizes, the “ICIL Foundation” and the “CEL – Centro Español de Logístico”.

SSI Schaefer is STIHL preferred supplier for Power Tools Specialist

Wed, 04 May 2011 10:49:00 +0200

STIHL, the preferred choice of many professionals and hobby gardeners worldwide, with over 35,000 dealers in more than 160 countries, has been setting the standard for chainsaws and other garden power tools for 80 years.Having built up a long standing relationship with SSI Schaefer working on a number of installations across the globe, STIHL called upon the UK’s leading storage and materials handling provider to construct a new stores area within its existing warehouse.A Regal 3000 three-tier installation has been built to exacting customer specifications, designed in accordance with British Building Regulations, allowing STIHL to develop the business over time without worrying about additional space – the multi-tier structure can be added to as required to fit in with future storage requirements.Paul Brennan, Project Manager, said: “The new multi tier shelving system, built in line with current building regulations, has provided STIHL with a unique spare parts storage area able to accommodate all of the items previously stored in a number of carousel machines. The flexibility and adaptability of the shelving system will see us through the next phase of business growth.”The layout of the existing warehouse was completely reorganised whilst the customer was still trading – STIHL kept disruption to a minimum whilst revisions to the warehouse were being made. Five obsolete vertical carousel machines have been replaced with the multi-tier structure allowing operatives to access parts more easily during peak times. With the faster selling lines located on the ground floor, items are very readily accessible and higher levels of productivity and efficiency will result.For further information on SSI Schaefer’s multi-tier shelving and racking installations please visit www.ssi-schaefer.co.uk

New high bay warehouse for Müller Ltd. & Co. KG

Mon, 18 Apr 2011 16:19:00 +0200

On an area the size of 5 football fields, Müller Ltd. & Co. KG has opened a massive logistics centre not far from the company‘s headquarters in Ulm, Germany.With SSI Schaefer, Neunkirchen, as their partner for the steelwork construction of the pallet and container order picking system, Müller is again relying on the expertise of the specialists in high bay racking systems. The installation was scheduled for completion at the start of 2011.As an international company, Müller has over 600 sites across Europe. New sites opening every year are the reason for the continual ongoing development of the company in Germany and abroad. The actual product offering is reflected in the wide range of outlets where customers can find a wide range of products including beauty products and over-the-counter medicines, perfumes, stationery, games, household items as well as textiles and multimedia products.Supplying all outlets as needed and on time is the challenge presented for a perfect logistics system. For this system to cope with the company‘s significant expansion, Müller made the decision to expand its warehouse capacities and as a result, to build the new logistics centre. The new building with its imposing external dimensions of 259 m in length and 104 m in width as well as concrete supports of heights of up to 35 m, has been designed to provide a highly compact storage and order picking system.The company IWL AG in Ulm began planning the large-scale project in the Summer of 2008. After completing the hall complex, SSI Schaefer began installing the steel framework in May 2010; initially for the high-bay pallet racking system with around 39,000 storage spaces. The system was put into operation just 5 months later, followed by the start of the 5-month construction phase for the container warehouse with around 170,000 storage spaces. To maintain the tight schedule for both warehouses, work was carried out in a 2-shift operation, 7 days a week. The task was the precision-fitting of around 7,000 tonnes of steel. To achieve this, up to 60 fitters were on-site simultaneously. Over 540 HGVs were required to transport the profiles manufactured in Neunkirchen, with a total length of over 800 km, to the construction site.The project was completed at the start of this year, and since then the logistics complex has created around 550 new jobs. Based on the three-way extension options incorporated, there are no limits set on the expansion of the logistics at the Ulm site, leaving space open for any future expansion of Müller’s network of outlets.

SSI Schaefer Robo Pick is voted Best Product 2011

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 12:21:00 +0200

Viewed by the logistics industry as one of the most prestigious awards in the entire sector, the SRP system, which finished first in the Picking, Packing, Securing category, was evaluated by a team of business, science and media representatives prior to the show. Awards are given to systems that prove to significantly streamline logistics operations, reduce costs and increase productivity.The SRP is the world’s fastest picking system, able to pick goods of different size, shape and weight at a speed of 2,400 items per hour, operating error-free whilst maintaining gentle handling of each product using a vacuum gripper.The fully-automated picking cell can be smoothly integrated into existing storage systems and its double-stage 2D and 3D image processing system does not require any time-consuming training of product parameters or position. The degree of flexibility achieved is unique and makes the SRP suitable for a broad range of applications. The image processing cell takes less than one second to recognise the position of a product on the tray and then engages the universal picking robot accordingly - therefore removing the need to enter individual product characteristics and features or to arrange products in a particular position. The robot then places the requested products into order containers, based on input from the warehouse management system. Depending on the order structure, 10 to 20 orders can be handled simultaneously. In comparison to manual picking, this system reduces error rates by a factor of 10 to 100. The SRP can compile a shipment of two to 20 product types in the correct quantity according to customer order from a range of 5,000 to 50,000 products in stock several thousand times a day for individual customer orders. This results in more than 100,000 individual articles picked on a daily basis. SRP gains include:2,400 picks per hour100,000 items picked per dayCosts less than corresponding conventional workstations with the same throughputCan process orders outside usual shift timesHigh speed reduces order processing time Flexible and fast picture processing The application of the SRP is not limited to order picking – it is also highly suitable for returns handling, an area of logistics gaining more and more importance – especially in mail order trade.

SSI Schaefer supports local charity Enham

Mon, 28 Mar 2011 11:53:00 +0200

Essential funding provided by SSI Schaefer, one of the UK’s leading materials handling solution provider based in Andover, has equipped Enham* with its own, much-needed exhibition framework for the Enham Alamein Community Heritage (EACH) Project.Currently on show at the Hampshire Record Office in Winchester until 20 April 2011, the project looks at the heritage of the charity, which began as a rehabilitation centre for disabled ex-servicemen returning home from World War I, and the surrounding village of Enham Alamein.Jaap Vos, Director, SSI Schaefer, said: “We are proud to support Enham – it is crucial that local businesses get involved in local charities that benefit the wider community. The EACH Project is full of invaluable information about how the charity started, who it benefits and how others can get involved and I hope, as a result of the framework, more people will get the chance to view the display at other places across the region. We have an excellent relationship with Enham and will continue supporting the charity in different ways during the future.” Jill Livingstone, Major Partnerships Manager, Enham, said: “Thanks to SSI Schaefer’s kind donation, we will be able to use the framework, formerly on loan from the MOD Defence Support Group, at future exhibitions and display venues. “We’re working towards the development of a permanent, dedicated facility in Enham Alamein for the preservation and exhibition of our archives and artefacts aimed at attracting schools and local community groups as well as visitors to the area.”*Enham's vision is a society where disabled people are valued as individuals and are enabled to achieve their full potential through the choice of independence and the opportunity to work. From housing and employment to personal development and care, Enham delivers a wide range of essential services that provide choice and empower people to make their own decisions about their lives.

New central high bay warehouse for Fresenius Medical Care

Wed, 23 Mar 2011 08:35:00 +0100

At its site in St. Wendel, Fresenius Medical Care currently employs 1,700 people in developing and producing life-sustaining products for treating chronic kidney failure. St. Wendel is the main production facility for dialysers at Fresenius Medical Care.A distribution centre with around 4,900 m² of space, replacing several smaller storage sites inside and outside the factory premises, will be raised there before autumn 2012. At the core of the new facility will be a high bay warehouse with almost 30,000 pallet storage positions for storing both products for dialysis and their required raw materials. The warehouse will be constructed as a silo, measuring 115 m in length, 45 m in width and 35 m in height. In six aisles and on 13 levels, the storage space will be temperature-controlled between 16°C and 25°C. The loading bay, additional storage space, utility rooms and offices will be located in a three-storey logistics building designed as a solid construction.“Resulting from an increase in production capacity and raising demand for our dialysis products, we are in need of a modern, central high bay warehouse.” explains plant manager Ulrich Kramp. “This way, we will be concentrating the storage of finished goods and raw materials in close proximity to the production. This is going to improve coordination between production and sales, while also lowering costs for transportation. Modern facilities with their high degree of automation assure a rational and precisely timed internal flow of materials. Design and dimensions of the warehouse will facilitate further growth and allow for increases in the plant’s capacities.”With this assignment, SSI Schaefer is once more emphasising its leading position in complex system solutions.

The ECOtech foldable container in the spotlight

Wed, 16 Mar 2011 14:05:00 +0100

Our engineers did an outstanding job developing the ECOtech. We are therefore happy to see this container get the appreciation it deserves. It won the award in the category storage and transport systems because the jury recognised its design, innovation and functionality.The association had summoned 13 experts to judge all the contestants and they finally voted in favour of the ECOtech container. Ralf Olsen, director of pro-K, was pleased to come in person to present SSI Schaefer with the award certificate.SSI Schaefer offers this foldable container in two versions, either with closed side walls or with one or two display flaps on the front side. With these flaps, access to the content is possible even when the containers are stacked.Another notable characteristic of the ECOtech is the reduction in volume when folded down. It amounts to about 80% and the folding is done quickly, safely, and without sequential order.These obvious advantages make this new container a great choice for a number of applications in industry, trade and services. In addition, it is suitable for automation and can be used in an automated small parts storage system with conveyor technology. There was a general consensus that the ECOtech foldable container by SSI Schaefer represents a convincing and innovative improvement over existing storage and transport systems.

The Future Looks Bright for Budweiser

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 13:54:00 +0100

The new high-bay racking facility, complete with Schaefer’s pallet conveyor technology, is 26 metres high, three aisles wide and houses 3000 pallet storage locations, for pallets with a weight of up to 900 kilograms, directly connected to Budvar’s existing block warehouse production site. Combined with the latest plant technology, Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) integration and tailored Warehouse Management System (WMS), SSI Schaefer has significantly increased process reliability whilst making maximum use of available space.Pavel Panek, Head of Logistics and Purchasing at the Budvar brewery said: "We were looking for a solution that met our complex requirements using the latest technology. The key objectives included maximum utilisation of existing space, 100 percent process control, real-time tracking and the integration of our RFID-led block warehouse into the new Warehouse Management System, integrated again into our existing ERP system. SSI Schaefer offered the best solution to meet these needs with an attractive price/performance ratio."Assembly work on the warehouse was completed in less than 20 weeks, including technology and sheathing and the facility went into full operation with the first incoming pallets shortly after – up to 50 HGVs are loaded each day and sent to over 50 countries around the world. When selecting materials for the high bay racking system, special precautions against excessive heat build-up and the effects of frost were taken into consideration including fire protection criteria. Sandwich panels with high insulation properties and a high fire protection rating, as well as heat-dissipation flaps installed on the roof, ensure that the required thermal conditions are met.In order to achieve the required number of storage positions in the three-aisle warehouse, the first row of shelves and the storage and retrieval devices in the first aisle were designed for double-depth storage. Single-depth storage is provided in the two other racking aisles.Beer crates or cartons, stacked on 120 x 80 cm pallets in production using palletising robots, pass through the high bay warehouse via roller track and conveyor belt technology to the transfer station. The contours and weights of the goods are recorded and entered into the WMS. The pallets are then conveyed to a pallet lift which transfers the pallets either directly to an outgoing goods table in the direction of the block warehouse or onto a transfer table and into one of the high bay racking storage and retrieval devices. A transfer station has been set up for inside storage into the racking system and a rotary table ensures that pallets are aligned correctly. "At the start of the project, Budweiser decided to apply the same principles and strategies for controlling the existing block warehouse into the new, automatic high bay racking system", said SSI Schaefer Sales Executive Rindt. "A key feature included warehouse processes in the block warehouse processed via RFID. As a result, inventory management and process control functions had to be integrated into the new WMS both for the automated high bay racking system and for the manually operated block warehouse equipped with RFID."All warehouse channels in the block warehouse are identified using RFID tags; in addition, RFID tags are fitted to all transfer stations on the conveyor system. Display is used to assign jobs to forklifts from the WMS and equipped with RFID aerials. When a forklift drives into a storage channel, the information is automatically captured on the WMS which also defines whether the forklift carries out inward or outward movements, and in what volume. For order picking, the WMS initiates the outward storage processes in the high bay racking system and in the block warehouse. With its speed of 130 metres per minute and a lift of 54 metres per minute, the storage and retrieval devices achieve a throughput of up to 100 two-way movements per hour. The outgoing pallets pass via a conveyor to the acceptance station for the forklifts that are connected directly to the high bay racking. At the same time, the RFID aided order picking processes are carried out in the block warehouse. Panek continued: “SSI Schaefer has provided us with an automated storage and tracking solution that provides maximum warehouse capacity and throughput – the integrated process control has also resulted in the reduction of order picking errors.”The system is designed so that Budweiser Budvar can integrate future changes to business processes, for example, a rail connection is already being planned and the conveyor will be re-designed to transport larger industrial 120 x 100 cm pallets.

SSI Schäfer takes over Handler A/S

Wed, 02 Mar 2011 09:57:00 +0100

With more than 2,500 references, Handler A/S occupies a strong market position in the storage lift segment, particularly in the Scandinavian region. With the integration of the Danish company, SSI Schäfer completes its product chain as a full-service provider for intralogistics. Owing to the practically complete coverage of value creation at the SSI Schäfer Group, it is expected that significant synergy potentials in production, distribution, project management as well as in customer service & support will be achieved. The LogiMat® storage lift is considered future-oriented and extremely operator-friendly. Thanks to the ergonomically conceived components, the LogiMat® integrates seamlessly into the SSI Schäfer product range Ergonomics@Work®. Stepless, height-adjustable access openings and incline devices on the trays for the ergonomically correct removal of goods are just two examples from the fully-equipped equipment package. We can also take economic efficiency into account, thanks to the compact storage and modular design of the LogiMat®. Compared to a common static storage solution, the storage lift only requires 1/10 of the storage space. The clever SPS control can be supplemented by the in-house software package Wamas® and/or integrated seamlessly into the existing inventory management system. Various options for an increase of efficiency and maximum optimisation of the picking speed complete the package.SSI Schäfer will present the LogiMat® storage lift for the first time in May 2011 at the CeMat in Hannover.

Experience SSI Schaefer’s Complete Product Range at CeMAT

Thu, 24 Feb 2011 13:43:00 +0100

SSI Schaefer will be showcasing its entire product range at CeMAT 2011, displaying numerous innovations, practical applications and the latest advances in new technology to benefit the logistics industry throughout the globe.Within an area approximately 2100 m², SSI Schaefer will exhibit products ranging from a single plastic storage container through to racking and load carriers, conveyor and order-picking technologies plus control and warehouse management systems. SSI Schaefer will launch two brand new systems to the market – the highly flexible and cost-effective Auto Cruiser Conveyor, a fulfilment and order picking concept and the Order Verifier for automatic checking of order-picking jobs.The Auto Cruiser Conveyor is a new transport system that closes the gap between fork-lift transport and conveyor technology for internal deliveries - interconnected workstations will demonstrate the combined benefit of new technology with flexible pick at work assembly systems. The new, fully automated 100% job control system, the Order Verifier, is able to count and identify the articles of over 1000 items an hour completely automated. SSI Schaefer’s wide range of plastic containers and load carriers will be on display including the award-winning ECO-tech folding container – with integrated safety closure and ergonomically formed handles, this industrial container can be collapsed quickly and safely without sequential order and realises a reduction in volume by 80%.The folding Eco-fresh container, designed to keep food fresh over long distances, will also be on display alongside the affordable Euro-light container, which is 40% lighter than other standard sized euro containers but just as strong and the Intercept corrosion-proof container that utilises technology to protect goods against corrosion during transport, shipment and storage under extreme conditions thereby reducing process costs and overall carbon footprint impact for the end user.An integrated order-picking zone will allow visitors the opportunity to experience mobile picking and pick-by-light up close and personal in a real-time situation. The set-up will show the flow of material from ergonomic incoming goods workstations via fully automated container storage in addition to a multi-stage order-picking process, including automatic job control and returns handling. The fully automated order-picking system, the Schaefer Robo-Pick and the efficient storage and retrieval system, the Schaefer Mini-Load Crane (SMC), will both be in operation within the order-picking area. Special information points across the stand will demonstrate the efficiency improvements that can be achieved using SSI Schaefer’s IT concepts and solutions.

SSI Schaefer nominated for Oskar-Patzelt SME award 2011

Wed, 23 Feb 2011 08:10:00 +0100

As the benchmark study stated, this award is the most important one for SMEs in Germany. In 2011, the contest will be held for the 17th time and became the most prominent SME award in Germany since it was first awarded in 1995. Quoting Dr. Helfried Schmidt, head and founder of the Oskar-Patzelt-Foundation: Just getting nominated for this SME award puts a company among the crème de la crème of German SMEs.”At the first stage of the contest, SSI Schaefer prevailed against 3.5 Mio. enterprises from all 16 German states and now competes with 3,522 companies at the second stage..

Lean manufacturing in the spotlight - theory put into practice

Fri, 18 Feb 2011 13:29:00 +0100

The Lean Factory Group*, a consortium of seven suppliers to the manufacturing sector, provides manufacturers with hands-on advice and guidance on a range of innovative, yet practical lean manufacturing solutions to boost productivity.A demonstration manufacturing cell, set-up within SSI Schaefer’s headquarters, gave delegates the unique opportunity to see how an efficient working production line should look and run. The cell, created using the very latest developments in lean manufacturing technology, provides a highly effective, practical and visual way of educating manufacturers to the benefits of lean implementation.Mark Dash, Solutions Manager, Bosch Rexroth, said: “Lean manufacturing is ultimately about adding value to the end customer and removing waste from a production line. However, removing waste from a production line is easier said than done and to really understand what waste is, manufacturers need to understand what adds value – what the end customer will pay for.”He continued: “The workshops aim to dispel the myths surrounding lean manufacturing and the complications often associated with ‘change’ when introducing lean methods to an existing set-up.”Top and tailed with a number of presentations on the theory and benefits of lean manufacturing, including value stream mapping, KANBAN boards and workplace design, it was the practical session within the production cell that gave visitors the chance to compare their own production plant and really examine the operation behind a lean manufacturing cell. The cell clearly highlighted the actions that add value within a production line and gave food for thought to current actions across a host of production lines throughout the country that are clearly wasted and adding no value to the customer – actions including wasted travel across the shopfloor, long periods of waiting around by production staff, over-production and over-processing .Aaron Thornton, Business Development Manager, SSI Schaefer, said: “Every warehouse manager, production line manager is looking for ways to maximise efficiency and improve productivity levels whilst driving costs down. However, all too often there is a lack of time or resources to justify the changes needed to develop a streamlined, picture-perfect solution to achieving such gains. “The integrated approach of the Lean Manufacturing Group brings together a wealth of disciplines, experience and expertise needed to devise and implement tailored, practical and efficient lean manufacturing solutions to help manufacturers improve their efficiency, competitive position and profitability – primarily it’s about working with people, upskilling workforces and providing them with the knowledge to move forward with their own lean journey .”*The Lean Factory Group UK is made up of seven of the most innovative suppliers to the manufacturing sector - iCart, Bosch Power Tools, Bosch Rexroth, K.Hartwell, Sick UK, SSI Schaefer and Spitfire Consultancy.For further information about the Lean Factory Group and the next series of workshops please visit www.lean-factory.co.uk