The international furnishing chain CASA International, with more than 500 subsidiaries in nine European countries, implemented its strategic master plan known as "CASA 2020" in 2017. An overall logistics concept was implemented at the same time. "Our logistics activities will be brought together in a new, largely automated European distribution center," says Bart Dauwen, Warehouse Manager at CASA International. The new building in Olen has a floor area of more than 50,000 m2 and can accommodate 65,000 pallets. The total investment for the project amounts to 35 million euros, according to the warehouse manager. "Economic growth and the increasing shortage of labor are making it more and more difficult for logistics companies to find qualified personnel. With this investment in automation, we can improve the continuity of the flow of goods and increase our productivity at the same time," continues Dauwen. "It also improves flexibility. Automation paves the way for a continuous process around the clock."

Mainly deep-sea containers
The solution from Still and Dematic ensures automatic storage and retrieval in the buffer warehouse as well as automatic supply to the picking area. The goods arriving at the distribution center are delivered by shipping container in cartons. The employees load the cartons onto pallets and feed them to the automatic film wrapper. A fully automatic control system then checks the size and dimensions of the goods loaded onto the pallets and assigns them a suitable storage location. The solution from Still and Dematic then automatically comes into play. Seven automated FM-X reach trucks transport the pallets to the buffer warehouse and store them there. Five automated MX-X narrow-aisle trucks (VNA) operate in the 32-aisle buffer warehouse to store and retrieve the pallets. When goods need to be transported to the manual picking area, one of the seven FM-X reach trucks picks up the pallet from an intermediate position at the end of the racking and places it on one of the two conveyor belts leading to the picking point.

Complete solution from a single source
"Our FM-X and MX-X trucks are fully automated - with technology from our partner Dematic, with whom we cooperate on AGV projects with standard industrial trucks in Europe," says Luc de Boes, Sales Manager for the Benelux countries at Still. "This enables us to offer CASA a complete solution from a single source." The trucks are provided by Dematic with an automation pack and the AGV management software. "They receive their instructions from the AGV management software, which is linked to the customer's warehouse management system so that they can drive and lift autonomously," says Yves Gazin, Strategic Solutions Manager at Dematic. Charging the batteries, including interim recharging, is also fully automated. The trucks are equipped with various sensors to prevent collisions and ensure the safety of people in the warehouse. The reach trucks are also equipped with Still SafetyLight safety lights, which project a bright blue light on the floor in the direction of travel, giving pedestrians an additional warning that a truck is approaching.

Flexibility through automation
According to De Boes, it is essential for the success of automation projects like this one that intralogistics providers know the customer's key business figures and know what the customer expects: "Based on a thorough analysis, we worked with the customer to design and implement a solution that met all of the customer's wishes and requirements." Gazin even describes it as a prime example: "Everyone knew exactly what needed to be done. Clear agreements, short lines of communication and the experience and expertise of everyone involved were the basis of this success." The Strategic Solutions Manager is aware that it is completely normal, especially in automation projects, for costs and return on investment to be taken into account. The fact that automated trucks last considerably longer than manually operated trucks plays an important role in this respect. "However, the real advantage of this solution," says Gazin, "lies in its flexibility. The logistics run smoothly, cleanly, quietly and quickly. You can see this as soon as you walk through the warehouse. And that brings calm to what is actually a very complex environment and creates a pleasant working environment." Warehouse manager Dauwen nods with satisfaction. "We are very pleased with the collaboration with Still and Dematic," he concludes. "They implemented the project within the required time frame, and ongoing operations were only minimally affected."