With the modernization, the print shop achieves even better throughput times, ensures greater security in the warehouse and minimizes the need for extensive maintenance or repair work. Reach Printing Services Ltd. is part of the largest newspaper, magazine and digital publishing company in the UK: Reach plc. For over 30 years, the print shop in Oldham has produced more than 240 newspapers and magazines every year. These include not only the publishing house's own productions, but also titles from other publishers. The company prints newspapers such as the Daily Mirror, Daily Express, Daily Record, OK! and leading regional dailies.

High demands on intralogistics
Around 8.2 million newspaper copies leave the printing plant in Oldham every week. For this, the company requires around 1,200 rolls of printing paper every week. The warehouse consists of a three-aisle high-bay warehouse designed for 1,728 storage locations for storing paper rolls of different sizes. Due to increasing quantities and higher intralogistics requirements, the warehouse automation system, which was around 30 years old, was to be modernized with three storage and retrieval machines. "The storage and retrieval machines in our three-aisle high-bay warehouse no longer met modern requirements and had to be repaired regularly. We therefore decided to invest in two new stacker cranes, as they are more powerful and work faster," explains Robert Frames, Project Manager at Reach. "This purchase is important for us to continue to operate at a world-class level given the competitive commercial landscape of today's publishing industry."

24/7 capacity utilization: installation during ongoing operations
Reach relied on material handling specialist Daifuku to install the new SRMs in the racking system. The main challenge was to guarantee that the installation and assembly work would not have a negative impact on the print shop's work processes. This is because the print shop is in full operation all year round, seven days a week. The project was therefore to be implemented during ongoing operations. The SRMs were therefore installed in stages. "Due to the age of the automated system, there were only handwritten storage plans, so we had to create a series of CAD drawings at the start of the project," explains Robert Wood, Business Development Manager at Daifuku Europe. "These digital drawings were thoroughly checked before we started planning." It was not only the confined space in which the equipment was installed that was a challenge for the material handling experts, but also the warehouse lighting and infrastructure.

Furthermore, the two new machines needed to be able to work with the remaining stacker crane. "Even though our tight deadlines were already one of the key requirements, it is truly remarkable that Daifuku was able to integrate the new stacker cranes into an existing infrastructure - and at the same time guarantee that the system would remain operational," reports Robert Frames. The two-mast stacker cranes were implemented in the warehouse within five months. They transport three sizes of paper rolls, which are delivered daily. The stacker cranes store the paper rolls and also ensure that the 19 printing machines are served. Fifteen automated guided vehicles (AGVs) are used for transportation between the warehouse and production. The finished newspapers and magazines are then transported via a ceiling-guided conveyor system to quality control and the packing stations.

Satisfactory results
With the new SRMs, Reach has achieved an optimized throughput: Within one hour, the print shop can now process 34 more paper rolls with the new SRMs. One of the reasons for this is that Daifuku was able to connect them to the existing Warehouse Management System (WMS). The WMS now controls the two new SRMs as well as the old one. For Robert Frames, teamwork and good communication between all project partners are the key factors for the success of the project. He adds: "Especially in the early planning phases of the project, we met regularly with the Daifuku team. This close collaboration and knowledge sharing was crucial to the success of this complex project. We are more than satisfied with Daifuku's performance and are now planning to replace the remaining SRM with a new one as well."