Fully automated high-bay warehouses (HBW) are a rarity among logistics service providers. This makes the investment that Dachser put into operation in summer 2022 at its largest operational site worldwide in Memmingen all the more impressive: On an area of just 7,320 square meters - 120 by 61 meters of floor space - the general contractor Kardex Mlog erected a building around 32 meters high with 52,640 pallet spaces for storing non-refrigerated food and food packaging.

Premiere for Dachser

For the global logistics service provider, this is the first construction project for a fully automated high-bay warehouse in the company's 90-year history. With the largest expansion of the Allgäu logistics center to date, Dachser has created capacity for new customers and the growth of its existing customers. The project, which was completed within 52 weeks, aims to maximize efficiency and sustainability. "We are very satisfied with the sound advice and high-quality construction work provided by Kardex Mlog. Throughout the entire project, we felt that we were in very good hands with the very experienced and helpful staff at Kardex Mlog," confirms Thomas Henkel, General Manager, Dachser Logistics Center Allgäu.

The high standard of sustainability is underlined by the photovoltaic system installed on the roof. This generates a large proportion of the energy required to operate the eight-aisle high-bay warehouse. Inside, the technology designed and installed by Kardex Mlog ensures that the 40 or so employees are largely relieved of manual storage and retrieval activities.

Ready for seven different load units

At the center are eight Kardex MSingle B-1000/33-ZT storage and retrieval machines. The designation stands for a load capacity of 1,000 kilograms at a height of 33 meters and the possibility of double-deep storage. A conveyor system with around 260 drives is located in front of the high-bay rack, as well as 2 transfer cars in the goods issue area and a vertical transfer unit. Seven different load units can be transported, stored and retrieved fully automatically here. Load units that do not meet the required criteria are under-palletized. This applies, for example, to pallets with damaged running boards or too little fork clearance, as well as to all transport units that do not comply with DIN EN 13698-1 / DIN EN 13698-2. Under-palletizing takes place at two stations equipped with an automatic pallet dispenser.

Incoming goods are supported by an automatic truck unloading system, which can handle two vehicles in parallel. A further 4 of the 22 loading and unloading gates are available for manual unloading. A camera-based system then automatically records the load units, which are then transported to the high-bay racking either directly or via the under-palletizing area.

400 pallet movements per hour

During subsequent retrieval, the lower pallets are removed at a central point, i.e. de-palletized, and stacked in two pallet collectors. From here, the goods are transported to one of two outgoing goods areas, where they are consolidated and buffered into complete loads for up to 10 trucks. Above the loading area, 2,300 square meters are available for manual picking and packing work. Overall, the automated high-bay warehouse from Kardex Mlog offers a maximum capacity of around 400 pallet movements per hour - 200 pallets each in the incoming and outgoing goods areas.

The modular Kardex Control Center software solution, including the Kardex WMS warehouse management system and Kardex MVisu system visualization, ensures an optimized material flow in the high-bay warehouse. Kardex MVisu can be used to graphically display the entire conveyor system and storage and retrieval machines as well as their operating statuses. Item information is managed in the WMS Mikado programmed by Dachser. Changes or additions are automatically transferred to the Kardex Control Center. Mikado is used by more than 5,400 Dachser employees at over 163 warehouse locations worldwide, who use it to manage more than 2.7 million pallet storage locations.

Comprehensive life cycle service

The project is rounded off by a comprehensive life cycle service from Kardex Mlog. The "all-round carefree package" including maintenance, spare parts supply, on-site service and hotline has an initial term of 5 years. The Kardex Life Cycle Service accompanies logistics systems throughout their entire service life, ensures maximum reliability and keeps the technology up to date. Customers can configure a customized maintenance concept from six service modules.

With its first fully automated high-bay warehouse, the logistics service provider Dachser draws on the full potential and ensures highly efficient processes with minimal manual intervention. The approximately 40 employees can therefore concentrate on providing sophisticated value-added services.

This article appeared in issue 6/23