Top premise: Flexibility

The parallel coordination and processing of many different products for different types of customers is an enormous challenge. Beverage wholesaler A. Kempf faced this challenge together with SSI Schaefer, looked for solutions and found them: the interplay of manual and fully automated picking strategies should ensure an increase in productivity and efficiency. As a full-service provider, SSI Schaefer was responsible for the entire building construction including outdoor facilities, plant construction and staff training. The business unit manager and authorized representative of A. Kempf Getränkegroßhandel GmbH was enthusiastic about the partnership: "In terms of results, planning, progress and system efficiency, this was an absolutely successful project."

After an integrated contour and weight measurement, the pallets are automatically recorded, collected and transferred to the high-bay warehouse for storage. Photo: SSI Schäfer

2,200 different drinks are stored in Heddesheim. In the beverage warehouse, the wholesale company now handles up to 160,000 beverage crates of various shapes and sizes - containing 2,200 different beverages - with full and empty containers every day. Around 550 Edeka Südwest stores are supplied from the logistics center. After an extensive ABC analysis, the most economical solution was chosen: a combination of goods-to-person and person-to-goods picking. "As much automation as necessary, as little as possible," emphasizes the Head of Logistics. "The top priority: Flexibility - especially in the event of changes to the product range; for example, in the classification and corresponding allocation of processes."

17-aisle HRL, 6-aisle AKL ... and that's by no means all

Of around 80,000 m² of usable space, 24,500 m² have now been built - the high-bay warehouse (HBW) alone has a floor space of more than 7,000 m² with a height of 22 m. To ensure efficient storage and handling processes, SSI Schaefer has installed a 17-aisle high-bay warehouse of the Exyz type, equipped with an orbiter load handling device, as well as a 6-aisle automated small parts warehouse (AKL) with tray storage locations. An electric monorail system (EMS) has also been installed for internal transportation. The depalletizing and store-specific compilation of order pallets with fast-moving pallets is handled by gantry robots, which are operated directly from the high-bay warehouse with full pallets. Based on and controlled by the Wamas logistics software from SSI Schaefer, it was possible to implement goods flows with different picking strategies. This also includes the pick-by-voice system.

Internal transportation is provided by an electric monorail system, which ensures fully automated supply and disposal of the warehouse on a 400 m long circuit. Photo: SSI Schäfer

Deliveries from suppliers are traditionally unloaded using forklifts. The beverages delivered by various producers on unmixed pallets are transferred directly at the goods-in gates to the installed conveyor system in the direction of the high-bay warehouse. After an integrated contour and weight measurement, the pallets are automatically recorded, collected and transferred to the EMS for storage. The HBW acts as a replenishment system for the individual storage and picking areas as well as for the provision of full order pallets. The 400 m long EMS circuit ensures fully automated supply and disposal of all functional areas of the warehouse. "The installation of the circuit at platform level enabled the consistent separation of replenishment and picking processes," explains SSI Schaefer project manager Frank Boberg.

Highest degree of automation for the 60 high-speed machines

Wamas triggers the necessary picking processes using the order data transmitted by the stores and retailers. "The replenishment stations directly from the HBW and behind the staging units reduce replenishment times," says Boberg, describing one of the benefits of the solution. Wamas generates the picking orders in a route- and order-optimized manner - and transmits them to the picking vehicle displays via WLAN. The pallets are automatically wrapped and labeled on their subsequent journey via the conveyor system to the outgoing goods area.

The highest degree of automation is used for the 60 high-speed crates, all of which are returnable beverage crates. Recurring processes and minor deviations in the formats of the beverage crates enable fully automated assembly into store-specific order pallets using gantry robots. In order to be able to react as flexibly as possible to changes, the processing of displays, KEGs and special pallets was deliberately not automated. Only the supply and disposal was automated here.

Positive conclusion after commissioning

Thanks to the Wamas logistics software, complex goods flows with different picking strategies could be realized. Photo: SSI Schäfer

In the outgoing goods area, combined transfer car systems with more than 1,800 storage locations on several floors in a row ensure that the order pallets are buffered and that the pallets are sequenced into dispatch tours in two stages, in line with planning and store requirements. Wamas also takes specific loading and unloading schemes into account in the process control. Order loading is carried out by forklift trucks.

"Competent planning and partnership-based project support and implementation," states the Head of Logistics with satisfaction. "With the range of services offered by the new logistics center and the flexibility provided by the SSI Schaefer solution, we can now also supply the north of Edeka Südwest with beverages from one location. We are extremely satisfied with the results."

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