Around 60 percent express orders
With over 70,000 different items in stock and a 24/7 service 365 days a year, the processes in the logistics center are designed for efficiency. Rarely required parts must be stocked and quickly accessible, just like frequently ordered parts.
ordered. In general, Kverneland guarantees to dispatch all orders by 6 p.m. on the same day. "Around 60 percent of orders are express orders. The logistics have to work perfectly for this. We have not only moved into larger premises here in Metz, but have also redesigned the warehouse system. To achieve this goal, we have found business partners in Smart-Flow as the supplier for the plastic pallets and our sister company Gamma-Wopla as the supplier for the plastic containers, who have developed and implemented a solution with us," explains Franck Claudon, General Manager of Kverneland Group Metz S.A.S.

The warehouse consists of a forklift-operated pallet warehouse and a three-storey shelving system. While the spare parts in the old warehouse were stored loose or in boxes on the shelves, all items are now stored in plastic containers. Each item has a fixed storage location. The allocation of these is determined by the size and weight of the items as well as the frequency of access. "Thanks to the different container variants, our articles are stored in a volume-optimized way. In the past, there was always unused space. In the old warehouse, we had 42,000 storage locations on 3,000 m². Today, thanks to the multi-storey racking system and the optimal selection of container sizes, we have over 65,000 storage locations on just 1,800 m²," emphasizes Claudon.

Six container sizes
Gamma-Wopla supplied a total of six container sizes, ranging from the small 400 x 150/300 x 120 mm to the largest 400/600 x 300 x 270 mm. All are nest stackable with closed walls and bottoms, have an open, ergonomically designed handle and can be fully recycled. To identify the three different heights of the container versions, Kverneland chose three colors. Gamma-Wopla also incorporated the Kverneland logo on the front of the bins. Claudon on the collaboration: "Smart-Flow was in close contact with us throughout the entire project and was able to implement changes quickly. We also work on a very close basis of trust and have spoken openly about the costs of raw materials and tools in order to achieve a win-win situation for both partners."

The first project with Smart-Flow and Gamma-Wopla dates back to 2012. At that time, Kverneland began to switch from shipping goods on pallets made of wood to lighter plastic pallets. This saves the shipper up to 20 kg in weight per pallet and, with a total of around 25,000 pallets per year, considerable freight costs. In addition, the plastic pallets are cheaper to purchase and meet all stability and quality requirements, even for export. "In addition to the financial aspects, the pallets have many advantages when handling empty pallets. They can be stacked inside each other and therefore take up to 70 percent less space. They can also be stored indoors, which is not possible with wooden pallets due to fire safety regulations," explains Michael Cibois, Sales Manager at Smart-Flow and Gamma-Wopla.