Market study: material flow user statistics high-bay warehouse under the microscope

1,100 data records evaluated

Fig. 2: Average number of parking spaces.

The source data consists of the commissioning data in the user statistics for high-bay warehouses. The data was provided to the magazine by manufacturers and general contractors. Around 1,100 data records of commissioning in Germany from the years 2000 to 2016 were obtained from the previous issues and the data was then assigned to 19 sectors. Finally, eleven top sectors were selected, which contain the majority of commissioning projects. Data records with insufficient content for the analysis were deleted.

Fig. 3: Distribution of commissioning between the individual sectors.

40 percent of the warehouses were used to store KLT and 60 percent for GLT. It was also found that containers and pallets are clearly used more frequently than trays and pallet cages. Of all warehouses operated with storage and retrieval machines (SRMs) or as shuttle warehouses (shuttles), 42 percent are automated small parts warehouses (AS/RS) and 58 percent are automated pallet warehouses (APL). The distribution between warehouses equipped with storage and retrieval machines and those equipped with shuttle systems within the load carriers is shown in Figure 1.

It turns out that storage and retrieval machines are clearly used more frequently than shuttles. Shuttles are currently used more frequently for large load carriers than for small load carriers. However, the shuttle data for large load carriers also includes channel storage. Figure 2 shows the average number of storage locations per warehouse over the years, as well as linear trend lines.

Intra says:

Once a year,the collector in me awakens. Whenever the editorial team sends out the enquiries to the general contractors and asks them to fill in the user statistics. Every data record that comes in makes me happy. But there could be more. In this respect: Take courage, you big intralogistics companies, you've done good things, so you can talk about it. And the competition already knows that too!

The average number of storage spaces per warehouse has remained constant in the GLT sector in recent years, while an upward trend can be seen in the KLT sector.

Distribution of start-ups by sector

Trademark of materialfluss: the annual user statistics. Illustration: materialfluss

The eleven top sectors and their percentage shares of start-ups are shown in Figure 3.

Wholesale and retail lead this distribution. It is clear which sectors have put the most warehouses into operation. Around two thirds of start-ups are attributable to the five leading sectors.

Conclusion: Indications, but no general validity

A condensed, standardized database was created from the available data and used to show some correlations. Due to the data situation, it is not possible to say conclusively to what extent these are generally valid. Although many companies do not publish information about who has built or modernized their warehouse, the data collected is of some significance.

About the authors: Andreas Rücker, M.Sc. is a research assistant at the Chair of Materials Handling Material Flow Logistics (fml) at the Technical University of Munich (TUM).

Philipp Gauß, B.Sc. is a Master's student at TUM and research assistant at the fml chair. Prof. Dr.-Ing. Johannes Fottner has been head of the fml chair at TUM since 2016.