Clean expansion course

The issue of soiling, which is transported to the new logistics site by conversion work, industrial trucks or even transport vehicles from suppliers, plays a particularly important role in plant logistics. They are now tackled with the help of a large ride-on scrubber-drier with sweeping function, which is in operation for several hours every week.

Welding studs in demand worldwide

Köster & Co. GmbH in Ennepetal can look back on over 60 years of experience in stud welding technology. Founded in 1952 by Bruno Köster, the company initially produced welding studs for the power station industry and shipbuilding. In 1962, KÖCO also began manufacturing welding equipment in Unterpfaffenhofen near Munich, which was relocated to Ennepetal seven years later. From 1980 onwards, the company accelerated the development of export markets with representatives throughout Europe and in the USA.

In addition to welding studs, headed studs and cold-formed parts, the product portfolio also includes stud welding machines and welding guns produced in-house. Marketing and Sales Manager Markus Neuse from Köster & Co. GmbH puts it in a nutshell: "We have integrated ourselves well into the steel construction market. We consider ourselves strong in that we develop and produce our welding equipment ourselves. The competition does not yet have this in this form. In addition, we try to make ourselves strong with customized solutions."

Further logistics location in Ennepetal

There are currently 70 employees working at the headquarters in Ennepetal. The company's strategy is to further develop the Ennepetal site, where a large part of production and logistics are located in addition to design and development, in a growth-oriented manner. One obstacle to the growth strategy is that additional expansion is only possible to a limited extent due to building regulations. The alternative for the company was to build a separate logistics site. Fortunately, a suitable property was found in the immediate vicinity 1.5 years ago, with around 7,000 square meters on three floors. The three decentralized external warehouses were thus integrated into one central logistics location.

The logistics center has been in operation since January 2016. While the response time was previously 24 to 48 hours due to the decentralized warehousing, it has now been reduced to "just-in-time". The entire building was thoroughly cleaned by a building cleaner before it was put into operation. In particular, the 30-year-old concrete floor was thoroughly cleaned. Due to the demolition of the high-bay racking in summer 2016 and further conversion work, it was not possible to maintain this standard of cleanliness in the long term. The task was therefore to restore the necessary operational cleanliness by investing in a cleaning machine suitable for this area of application.

The selection criteria: All in one operation

Kai Schäfer (l.), Head of Warehouse and Shipping at Köster und Co. GmbH and an employee responsible for cleaning at Köster.

It was clear to the decision-makers that the purchase decision for the new cleaning machine had to be based on economic, ecological and ergonomic criteria. For this reason, they deliberately sought offers for a ride-on cleaning machine that would not only clean the dirt on the floor, but also the dirt adhering to or embedded in the porous concrete floor in a single operation.

Kai Schäfer recalls: "We contacted several suppliers, including IP Gansow, and had many machines demonstrated to us; always of the sweeping and scrubbing type. In the end, we opted for IP Gansow because the Titan 151 BF 75 Sweep ride-on scrubber-dryer on offer offered better all-round visibility. This means we can approach the shelves more precisely and clean close to the edges.

Suction base fits snugly

Virginia Straszok, Sales Manager for the Ruhr-Westphalia region, characterizes the machine profile for this application: "The existing old industrial concrete floor is characterized by partially open porous structural damage, cracks and an uneven surface. With this machine, we have the advantage that the roller unit adapts to the floor conditions, as these are suspended and therefore the cleaning mechanism works right into the recesses of the floor. In addition, the squeegee rests well on the uneven floor so that no water is left behind. This prevents slipping hazards for people or for industrial trucks such as forklift trucks."

Kai Schäfer adds: "For cost reasons, it was important to us that the replacement parts have a very long service life. For example, the suction lip can be replaced manually and used from all four sides."

Conclusion: Customers can now come at any time

The basis of the medium-sized company's success is also its active pursuit of customer proximity. Markus Neuse: "We always invite our customers to take a look at our operations and the new logistics center. That's why we not only have to keep all the goods clean, but all the areas in general, so that I can show our customers around at all times."

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