The Best of Industry Award honors top industrial innovators. In the ‘Digital Infrastructure’ category, the Computerized Maintenance Management System, WAMAS Maintenance Center (SSI CMMS) from SSI SCHAEFER is convincing. It offers planning and digital control for all required maintenance activities. The winners were announced in the course of the online award ceremony.

Over the past five months, in the voting phase almost 20,000 trade media readers of MM MaschinenMarkt, MM Logistik, INDUSTRY OF THINGS, PROCESS, LABORPRAXIS and DeviceMed voted for their favourite innovations and projects to receive this coveted industry award. More than 190 nomination applications were submitted for the online voting in 24 different categories.

The winners in the seven total categories were announced on December 12, 2022 in an online award ceremony. “We are very pleased to receive the Best of Industry Award 2022 in the ‘Digital Infrastructure’ category and would like to thank the readers for their votes and their trust,” says Stefan Godina, VP and Global Head of Field Services at SSI SCHAEFER. “Our WAMAS Maintenance Center (SSI CMMS) provides the perfect basis for predictive maintenance planning and continuous optimization of the maintenance processes and strategy.”

Those who receive the coveted industry award have, according to the jury, successfully demonstrated that they belong to the best of the best. SSI SCHAEFER’s proprietary computerized maintenance management system offers digital planning and control of all required servicing and provides a visualization of pending maintenance at the push of a button. “Thus the WAMAS Maintenance Center (SSI CMMS) optimizes maintenance, documents activities, significantly increases efficiency and ensures high system availability,” explains Stefan Godina.

SSI SCHAEFER’s WAMAS Maintenance Center (SSI CMMS), winner of the Best of Industry Award 2022, is an intelligent solution from for Maintenance 4.0 offering comprehensive system protection and optimum availability.

In an effort to expand its logistics capacity and deploy efficient logistics management and technological innovations throughout the company, Desigual, an international fashion company based in Barcelona, has once again trusted SSI SCHAEFER.

To centralize operations at its distribution center in Viladecans, Spain, Desigual is replacing a traditional pallet rack for overstock with a new area equipped with 24 RackBots from SSI SCHAEFER’s range of SSI Mobile Robots. In the first phase, the initial orders (push) are prepared there; these supply the company’s branch stores with the collections for the next season. The goal is to pick 30,000 units per day in two shifts in this new area.

When orders are assembled, a key requirement of this project is to organize them by collection and include all the sizes of a model combined together in the end. SSI SCHAEFER proposed a solution that could meet this sequencing requirement and ensure consistent store-ready order preparation – a key element in Desigual’s plan to improve the shopping experience. The solution SSI SCHAEFER proposed is also flexible enough to pick other types of orders, such as repeat orders of the same items (in-season re-orders) in department stores or Desigual branch stores, as well as picking online orders.

Jorge Soriano, Logistics & Distribution Manager at Desigual, explains: «Comparing RackBots to other types of solutions, they are obviously a flexible solution that is easy to scale, and they allow us to both expand storage capacity with new racks and increase dynamic capacity by purchasing new RackBots. In Desigual we are committed to efficient logistics management and technological innovation to improve product availability at its points of sale and through all our distribution channels.»

An extension of the conveyor belts connects the new area where the RackBots work to the existing SSI SCHAEFER system. This conveying system transports the cartons to the new area directly from the incoming goods area or the existing high-bay warehouse, which SSI SCHAEFER designed for Desigual in previous projects and which is made up of 10 SSI Miniloads and 200,000 storage locations for cartons. The customer order cartons that are prepared in the new RackBot area are either delivered to customers via shipping lanes or temporarily stored in the high-bay rack for later shipping.

Centralizing operations at the Viladecans distribution center is part of the company’s «Open Desigual» philosophy, based on the principle of cross-collaboration. Collaboration with the best partners in each area of the business allows the company to be ever closer to consumers and offer them the best experience in physical stores and digital retailing. For this project, Desigual teamed up with SSI SCHAEFER, a partner specializing in optimization of logistics processes. Commissioning of the new area is scheduled for November 2023.

Project details:

• Number of RackBots: 24

• Number of storage locations: 7,980 storage locations for 600×400×400 mm cartons

• Rack height: 5.3 meters (last carton level at 4.9 meters)

• 4 picking stations equipped with Put to Light racks with 16 positions per workstation

• Incoming via RackBot Port

Performance:

• 486 cartons/hour for the picking stations with 300 incoming cartons/hour at the same time  

• 648 cartons/hour for the picking stations (without simultaneous incoming cartons)

Desigual relies on SSI Mobile Robots at Viladecans distribution center.

In the future, 24 RackBots will be used to pick 30,000 units per day in two-shift operation.

• Robot-based system SSI Piece Picking

• Flexible Intralogistics for small and medium-sized companies

• Modular and scalable software WAMAS and SAP

• Daily live expert talks at the SSI SCHAEFER booth

How can warehouses and material flows be optimized to work more efficiently? What role do new technologies play? And how can the systems used be flexibly adapted to changing requirements? SSI SCHAEFER will provide answers to these questions with its trade fair appearance at LogiMAT 2024 in Stuttgart (March 19 - 21, 2024). Under the motto «Shaping the Future of Intralogistics», SSI SCHAEFER will present itself as a partner for future-proof intralogistics for both small companies and large corporations.

Peter Edelmann, CEO of the SSI SCHAEFER Group, comments: «Automation and digitalization are changing the structures of intralogistics for industry and trade. With the SSI SCHAEFER Group's very broad product and service portfolio, we have the expertise and innovative strength within the company to develop individual logistics strategies in partnership with our customers and implement them with flexible and sustainable systems. In addition, our customers benefit from our standardized WAMAS software and the strong brands DS AUTOMOTION, RO-BER and SWAN, which fit well with other future technologies.»

SSI Piece Picking is an innovative robotic solution for single piece picking. The system automates and accelerates the repetitive process of manual picking and can be used across all industries for different product ranges. The AI-supported object recognition, in combination with the patented gripping point determination, enables the safe and fast seizing of goods. This is achieved by using compact suction cups instead of finger-shaped grippers on the gantry robot. Premiere: the established SSI Piece Picking System will be shown for the first time as a live exhibit at the trade fair stand of the company subsidiary RO-BER at LogiMAT.

Intralogistics for SMEs is another focus of the SSI SCHAEFER stand. With a scalable investment, processes can be automated step by step, spaces can be condensed, and ergonomic workflows can be integrated. The building blocks of these solutions include automated guided vehicles, autonomous mobile robots, mobile racking, channel storage solutions with the SSI ORBITER®, scalable software and the SSI LOGIMAT® vertical lift module, which visitors can test live at the stand.

Efficient intralogistics systems are inextricably linked to state-of-the-art software. SSI SCHAEFER will be presenting two strong software brands at its stand: WAMAS and SAP. SSI SCHAEFER's WAMAS software is designed as a modular system. WAMAS WMS (Warehouse Management Software) is the brain of the warehouse and provides management, control and optimization. WAMAS modules range from robotics applications and overhead conveyor technology to vertical lift modules and enable performance potential to be fully exploited. At the SSI SCHAEFER booth, visitors can experience the perfect interaction of hardware and software in an augmented reality app.

The SAP logistics solutions from SSI SCHAEFER are also modular and scalable - presented at the SSI SCHAEFER and SWAN stands. Whether small warehouse or large logistics center, new construction or existing facility, the subsidiary SWAN implements the individual solution for its customers - modular, flexible and performance-oriented, and with little configuration effort.

SSI SCHAEFER's wide range of services is completed by the Customer Service & Support portfolio for maximum availability of all systems. Experts will be available at the trade fair stand to provide advice on everything from augmented support to preventive maintenance.

In 2024, SSI SCHAEFER will also be holding daily expert talks on intralogistics trends, live at its stand. Trade journalist Anja Seemann will moderate the discussions with customers, representatives from science and SSI SCHAEFER experts.

SSI SCHAEFER at LogiMAT 2024 in Hall 1, Stand D21.
Please also visit other members of the SSI SCHAEFER Group who are exhibiting at the fair:
DS AUTOMOTION in Hall 6, Stand D05
RO-BER in Hall 5, Stand A61
SWAN in Hall 8, Stand F52

• Get your ticket for LogiMAT here.

SSI Piece Picking is an innovative robotic solution for single piece picking.

Visitors can test the SSI LOGIMAT® vertical lift module live at the SSI SCHAEFER stand.

SSI SCHAEFER will be presenting two strong software brands at its stand: WAMAS and SAP.

Lean Processes and Integrated Software Expertise for Greater Efficiency in the Flow of Goods

Fluctuating demand and a shortage of skilled workers pose mounting challenges for many companies. In order to translate multi-layered requirements into efficient logistics structures, companies need flexible logistics systems that work together perfectly. SSI SCHAEFER offers a solution in the form of an intelligent combination of space-saving pallet channel storage with an SSI Orbiter channel shuttle and automated guided vehicles (AGV) – a solution that also provides a gradual entry into automation. In parallel, the system guarantees 24/7 availability of goods, helping compensate for the ongoing labor shortage. Operators can start with a manually operated SSI Orbiter environment and then introduce a control system with manually operated ground conveyors, gradually integrating AGVs as needed.

Improved Performance, Even With Space Restrictions

Increasing time and cost pressures are another reason companies are considering process automation for their warehouse logistics and production supply. This is where volume-optimized channel storage systems for pallets come in. Thanks to high storage density, they require less logistics space than static racks or conventional floor block storage. Johan Kagerö, Global Product Line Manager at SSI SCHAEFER, is familiar with other benefits of this combination: “The solution doesn’t require a large initial investment – it can grow as the company develops, making it especially attractive for small and medium-sized enterprises. Thanks to the high volume utilization rate, customers get more storage capacity in the warehouse, can systematically adjust their resources to the daily order volume and can significantly increase their throughput.”

A Powerful Combination Keeping Costs and Processes Under Control

The turnkey combination of SSI Orbiters and AGVs is especially practical where SKU variance is low, particularly in the food and beverage industry. In addition to a space-saving design, which allows easy integration with the stock system, the channel shuttles can potentially save significant energy. Manually operated bin stackers can be integrated flexibly to cover temporary peaks. The combination with AGVs offers additional advantages providing basic transport capacity, reducing the error rate and ensuring material flow consistency thanks to continuous availability, even in a three-shift operation. “This is especially important in countries experiencing critical shortages of skilled workers and high labour costs,” emphasizes Johan Kagerö. “Staff can instead be deployed more efficiently in regular operations and assigned to plan further process optimization.”

A Smooth, Software-Supported Interplay

SSI SCHAEFER offers the system solution together with a warehouse control system (WCS), which handles the coordination of transport orders. In addition to the channel shuttles, a fleet controller is coupled to this system to control the AGV network, with optional fleet management for manually operated ground conveyors. For example, in the storage process, transport orders are first generated via the host, which sends the orders to the WCS. When the transport order is transferred to the fleet control system, resources are automatically aligned with priorities. The transport order is then assigned to a vehicle according to the retrieval strategy, prioritization, sequencing or bundling rules and the AGV availability. The AGV picks up the loading unit and transports it to the storage cube. The specially tailored WCS ensures that the assigned destination rack is already equipped with a channel shuttle to eliminate waiting time. Once the transport order is completed, feedback is simultaneously sent to the host, and the vehicle is now available for its next deployment.

WCS for Even Greater Flexibility and Performance

“Using the WCS we offer gives operators even greater flexibility,” adds Johan Kagerö. “The software offers options such as applying FIFO/FILO (‘first in, first out’ / ‘first in, last out’) handling principles, performing sequencing and using KPIs for further performance optimization.” Interface compatibility with all common customer systems and their interface technologies also guarantees flexibility. With this foundation, integrating a WCS-supported combination of SSI Orbiters and AGVs is possible not only in greenfield environments with a high degree of design freedom – integration even into existing (brownfield) structures poses no difficulty. This allows companies to gradually switch from manual processes to partially automated processes at reasonable cost. Other warehouse areas, such as static racks, mobile rack systems, vertical lift modules or conveying systems, can also be integrated flexibly to create a tailored logistics solution.

One Partner for Planning, Implementation and Support

SSI SCHAEFER supplies the entire system as a turnkey solution from a single source. This eliminates the need for complex coordination of different systems and risks. “The intelligence the software includes is what makes our solution so special,” adds Johan Kagerö. “The solution lets our customers adapt their intralogistics to up-to-date requirements at any time. That makes it ideal for a kanban approach to production supply, for equipping and supplying production lines and for use at the interface between outgoing goods and truck loading, for example.”

SSI SCHAEFER offers operators a comprehensive portfolio of services from a single source, through implementation and beyond, and its Customer Service & Support (CSS) helps ensure continuous system availability. This allows companies to upgrade their intralogistics step by step with transparent costs. This can be achieved with additional channel shuttles and automated guided vehicles. A WCS takes most control tasks off their plate and handles them automatically. Thanks to the Schaefer Maintenance Philosophy (SMC), customers can fully rely on SSI SCHAEFER’s skilled experts for maintenance, too.

Nahdi Medical Company, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's largest pharmaceutical retail chain, in cooperation with SSI SCHAEFER, the world’s leading provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions, announced the implementation of the country’s first world-class pharmaceutical system in March 2022. In the heart of Jeddah’s industrial zone, the new facility significantly increases the country's logistics capacity and preparedness for safe and reliable pharmaceutical distribution.

The Nahdi Distribution Center in Jeddah (IMDAD) is the Kingdom’s first-ever automated pharmaceutical facility and falls in line with Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 initiative, which aims to turn the Kingdom into a global logistics hub and create a long-term investment environment in the industrial and logistics sector.

Covering an area of 250,000 m2, the facility features temperature-controlled logistics, and automated order fulfillment using cutting-edge technology and systems to support Nahdi to guarantee medical security in accordance with the latest international standards and the Saudi Food & Drug Authority (SFDA) best practice regulations. Powered by SSI SCHAEFER technology, the facility was developed in cooperation with the Saudi Authority for Industrial Cities and Technology Zones “MODON” as the first smart distribution center in the retail sector for Middle East and North Africa (MENA).

 IMDAD is designed to handle an annual 200 million units of medical products alone. This is an unprecedented feat and is made possible by SSI SCHAEFER’s state-of-the-art SSI Cuby shuttle technology in combination with conventional Pick by Light picking consolidated by an intelligent system infrastructure. With automation, IMDAD can move up to 600 shipping bins containing more than 10,000 order lines per hour of operation. The SSI SCHAEFER scope of supply comprises an impressive range of subsystems from receiving and product decanting, SSI Cuby supported goods-to-person picking, Pick by Light picking, conveyor technology, automatic bin closing, labelling, and strapping to sortation and presentation for shipping. The whole solution is controlled and managed by SSI SCHAEFER's logistics software WAMAS®.

In addition to the storage capacity of the SSI Cuby goods-to-person and Pick by Light areas of 37,260 and 26,500 bin locations to support the picking of slow and fast moving products respectively, the SSI SCHAEFER scope also included extensive pallet storage to support the storage and picking of medical appliances, returns handling and other related processes. These storage areas incorporate a special channel storage system using an automatic SSI Orbiter® with specific picking tunnels to enhance the performance, selective racking system, pallet flow racking system, shelving, multi-tier shelving system with high standard steel structure and carton live storage system.

“In a climate which has a lot of uncertainty, modern automated material handling solutions are becoming the trend and way to move forward for many businesses. In the pharmaceutical and healthcare industry, we see the benefits being amplified throughout the supply chain. Through the understanding of operations and processes, complete data, performance analysis and design consultancy, the technology and innovation provided by SSI SCHAEFER allows Nahdi to assure higher efficiency standards, accurate reporting, and high quality customer service,” said Ayman ALA‘mar, GM at SSI SCHAEFER Saudi Arabia.

In addition to the hardware, the SSI SCHAEFER supplied WAMAS® Warehouse Management System provides tracking of the goods. It not only fulfills Nahdi’s vision of providing world-class services, but also enables the company to efficiently track, trace and move its goods, both by batch and FEFO (First Expiry, First Out). This assures integrity, productivity, and performance effectiveness and accurate records that ensure all goods are accounted for and deter pilferage.

Nahdi Medical Company CEO Eng. Yasser Joharji sums up the successful cooperation: “The vision of IMDAD stems from Nahdi’s unyielding commitment towards achieving Vision 2030 and the National Industrial Development Program’s targets of creating and improving the performance of logistics hubs across the Kingdom. SSI SCHAEFER has played an integral role in bringing this vision to life through equipping IMDAD with the latest technologies that would not only support us in providing world-class services but would also assure higher efficiency standards, accurate reporting, and quality customer service. We convey our heartfelt gratitude to the SSI Schafer team, who have tirelessly supported us throughout all phases of this project. The launch of IMDAD will mark a significant milestone in our journey towards becoming the most loved and trusted partner to our guests - a milestone reaffirming our commitment towards serving millions of guests across the Kingdom in the most efficient way possible.”

Nahdi Medical Company CSCO Eng. Raed Monagel also added: “IMDAD is the largest logistics Distribution Center in the Middle East in the pharmaceutical industry designed to guarantee medical security in accordance with the latest international systems and to reflect Nahdi's role as an effective partner in supporting Vision 2030. With SSI SCHAEFER’s vast experience in the region, on-the-ground engineering and after sales capabilities to provide complete solutions, adding value to its customer’s specific needs and benefits, Nahdi Medical Company can make this grand vision a reality.”

• The dynamics of the e-commerce market and the small nature of the shipments can only be handled with high-performance omnichannel logistics concepts.

• SSI SCHAEFER recommends complete intralogistics solutions consisting of flexible modules to serve all sales channels from one system.

• Smart service concepts ensure trouble-free operation even during peak times

Every year, Black Friday heralds the global peak season in retailing. However, the days of this sales campaign, with lots of discounts, being limited to only the Friday after Thanksgiving, and even to selected products or product groups, are very much over. More and more frequently, vendors are expanding their sales tactics and discount battles over an entire Black Week and seamlessly transitioning into the hot final phase of Christmas trade with Cyber Monday and other offers.

How will buying behavior fare in challenging times?

This year, many retailers are relying on more inventory. They have ordered early to have enough stock, unlike last year. In the USA and Asia in particular, the industry traditionally expects increased consumer demand at Christmas time. In Europe, consumer sentiment has been dampened to some extent due to the rise in energy and living costs, high inflation and general uncertainty surrounding the war in Ukraine. With the discount battle of Black Friday, the industry nevertheless expects increased demand, which needs to be managed as quickly and efficiently as possible.

Efficient intralogistics for standard and peak times

In order picking and shipping, seasonal peaks could previously be realized by reorganizing the warehouse to set up fast-moving pick zones and by increasing staff. The latter in particular is becoming increasingly difficult. However, the extension of discount campaigns to large parts of the existing range or additional seasonally purchased goods also increases the complexity and dynamics in the warehouse. Added to this are problems in replenishment due to delivery difficulties or transport bottlenecks, price increases and increased sick leave in the warehouse.

Successful e-commerce and omnichannel retailers have positioned their warehouse logistics accordingly for the future. In order to be able to achieve higher throughputs, warehouse, transport and picking processes are automated as precisely as possible, but also flexibly and sustainably. SSI SCHAEFER supports companies all over the world as an intralogistics partner with decades of experience and an enormous product range – from the SSI LOGIMAT® vertical lift module to AGVs (Automated Guided Vehicles) and robotics applications, from SSI Carrier overhead conveyor technology to the high-performance 3D-MATRIX Solution® automated warehouse and the modern software solutions with WAMAS® and SAP.

E-Grocery - omnichannel logistics solution for grocer Lotus's in Thailand

A best practice example from the growing global e-commerce grocery segment is Lotus's, a hypermarket operating in Thailand with over 2,000 stores, 15 million customers, and an online platform. In order to respond to growing demand and omnichannel consumer behavior, the grocer implemented an innovative material flow concept with partial automation at its largest unit load distribution center, in WangNoi, together with SSI SCHAEFER. The main objective of the project was to develop a more cost-efficient solution for unit load storage and single item picking on the existing floor space, in order to increase labor productivity and handle orders more efficiently. The solution included a multi-level manual picking system with carton flow racks for storing fast-moving items and carton and bin conveyor technology connecting all picking zones and workstations. In addition to retrofitting the warehouse's hardware, all processes within the existing Oracle WMS environment were integrated into WAMAS via an IT interface, without re-engineering for a completely new WMS. The result is a flexible logistics solution from order start to picking and shipping sortation.

Electrical engineering supplier Fust invests in omnichannel solution

To prepare for its growing e-commerce business, Swiss Coop subsidiary Dipl.-Ing. Fust AG, the largest supplier of household electrical appliances, consumer electronics and computers in Switzerland, has invested in modernizing and expanding its logistics site in Oberbüren, Switzerland. The goal was to centralize the warehouse capacities as well as to align the logistics concept, which was previously focused on store deliveries, with the changed requirements in both the B2B and B2C business. Together with SSI SCHAEFER, the company has implemented a highly efficient and extremely flexible multi-channel solution, which has already proven itself in the Corona pandemic with the rapid increase in online orders, with high process and fail-safe reliability.

Over a construction period of only two years, the logistics floor space was doubled to 50,000 m²; at the same time, the required storage capacities have been tripled. The scalable solution mix consists of a bin warehouse with the SSI Cuby single-level shuttle system, a high-bay warehouse, solutions for manual areas, and the WAMAS logistics software including a Warehouse Control System to control all automated warehouse resources in a sequenced and synchronized manner. Through optimized processes, productivity in small parts picking could be increased by a remarkable 40%. The SSI Cuby makes an important contribution here by providing the picking bins to the workstations in an efficient manner. Whereas previously about 1,800 shipping packages could be produced per day for store deliveries and the online business combined, Fust is now able to send a total of 4,000 shipments per day for both sales channels.

Department store retailer Stockmann successfully handles sales campaigns online and offline thanks to high-availability logistics.

Since 2016, Finnish retailer Stockmann has been handling all deliveries to stores and e-commerce customers from a highly automated logistics center in the greater Helsinki area. The assortment includes hanging goods, lay-flat goods, and other items, all of which are stored in the automated, multifunctional distribution center. The system developed by SSI SCHAEFER is designed for a throughput of 55,000 order items with 180,000 individual parts per day. While all the hanging goods are transported and sorted via the energy-efficient overhead conveyor system, SSI SCHAEFER implemented the 3D-MATRIX Solution for the flexible handling of the flat goods. This is an 8-level shuttle warehouse with 130,500 storage locations for double-deep storage and 45 lifts for parallel storage and retrieval of bins. The connected order picking zone for hanging garments accommodates 9 picking workstations. The hanging garment picking area is arranged on 3 levels and accommodates over 350,000 garments.

The entire solution was designed with potential expansion in mind. This means that the layout of the warehouse is capable of integrating additional parts to the system for both hanging garments and flat garments, if required, to accommodate the company's growth and possible future changes. Furthermore, Stockmann relies on SSI SCHAEFER's comprehensive maintenance service "SCHAEFER Maintenance Philosophy (SMP)", which supports both seasonal sales peaks and the handling of daily standard quantities. SSI SCHAEFER's Residence Maintenance (RM) team is on site every day, monitoring the performance of the systems and ready to immediately resolve any challenge that arises to prevent disruption to the facility. During peak and off-peak seasons, 5 to 6 RM employees are on duty for Stockmann; during peak times of year, the team is expanded to 6 to 8 technicians.

Conclusion

A total intralogistics solution to serve all distribution channels from one system offers many advantages for omnichannel providers. For example, they have access to their entire inventory at all times and can service every order, regardless of whether it originates from the store or from an e-com customer. With the help of powerful and flexible automation solutions, warehousing, transport and picking processes can be handled efficiently and changing requirements and seasonal peaks can also be managed reliably. An important benefit for employees is also ergonomic workstations with IT-supported and intuitively designed processes and automatic support for particularly stressful activities. To ensure the highest availability of the systems, SSI SCHAEFER offers a broad portfolio of services using smart technologies that are individually tailored to the customer's needs.

Looking to the future, efficiency in the processing of online orders is becoming increasingly important in order to meet the increased demands of online retailing, as higher energy and purchasing prices, together with transport costs, are increasingly squeezing retailers' profits.

Space-Saving Small Parts warehouse with SSI LOGIMAT® Storage Lifts and Smart Robotics Solution, SSI Piece Picking, Awarded

• The SSI SCHAEFER reference project WFL Millturn Technologies, utilizing the efficient SSI LOGIMAT storage lifts, achieves 2^nd place in the materialfluss Product of the Year Award in the "Storage Technology" category.

• SSI SCHAEFER secures 3^rd place with the SSI Piece Picking solution in the Industrial Production Product of the Year Award in the "Robotics" category.

Giebelstadt / Neunkirchen, March 14, 2024 – Over a period of three months, readers of the magazines materialfluss and Industrial Production had the opportunity to vote for the Products of the Year of the respective magazines. A total of 31 applicants competed in five categories for the Industrial Production Award and 24 applicants in four categories for the materialfluss Product of the Year Award.

The products that made it to the top three positions in the categories of the respective awards were honored on March 13, 2024, at a joint award ceremony in Munich. Michael Wegner, Head of Sales Central Europe in the Business Unit Products & Equipment at SSI SCHAEFER, expressed his delight at the success: "We are very proud to be honored with two awards. The 2^nd place in the materialfluss Award in the "Storage Technology" category for the reference project WFL Millturn emphasizes how the clever integration of SSI LOGIMAT can significantly increase picking performance. Similarly, the 3^rd place in the "Robotics" category at the Industrial Production Award for the SSI Piece Picking solution highlights the importance of robotics solutions in times of skilled labor shortages, zero-error tolerance, and continuous flow of goods."

WFL Millturn Technologies, the world's only manufacturer of multifunctional turning-boring-milling centers, has opted for the implementation of six SSI LOGIMAT storage lifts with direct SAP integration to improve picking performance and create additional space in the warehouse. By switching to an automated small parts warehouse, ergonomics were improved, 110 m² of storage space was saved, and picking performance was increased by up to 50%. The solution from SSI SCHAEFER meets WFL's requirements for efficient and SAP-integrated warehouse management.

The highly innovative, fully automated robotics application SSI Piece Picking, is used in single-piece picking. This versatile system solution, including intelligent software, impresses with features such as Pick & Place, object recognition through Artificial Intelligence (AI), patented grip point determination, and extremely gentle product handling. Thanks to its versatility, the smart solution is suitable for various types of goods and can be used across industries.

SSI SCHAEFER has been awarded the materialfluss Product of the Year Award 2024 in the "Storage Technology" category for the reference project WFL Millturn Technologies and the integrated SSI LOGIMAT storage lifts. Representatives from SSI SCHAEFER and WFL Millturn Technologies during the acceptance of the award and certificate.
Individuals from left to right:
Alexander Hofmann, Head of Logistics Operations WFL Millturn Technologies
Franz Reichhart, CPO, Head of Purchasing/Materials Management, Vice President WFL Millturn Technologies
Michael Wegner, Head of Sales, Central Europe Products & Equipment SSI SCHAEFER
Alfred Spicker, Head of Dynamic Systems Business Unit Products & Equipment SSI SCHAEFER
© SSI SCHAEFER

The SSI Piece Picking solution receives recognition at the Industrial Production Product of the Year Award 2024 in the "Robotics" category. Markus Jammernegg, Head of Modules at SSI SCHAEFER, and Claus Middelhoff, Management at Ro-ber, accept the certificate and prize.
© SSI SCHAEFER

Representatives from SSI SCHAEFER and WFL Millturn Technologies are delighted about the materialfluss and Industrial Production Product of the Year 2024 awards.
Individuals from left to right:
Alexander Hofmann, Head of Logistics Operations WFL Millturn Technologies
Franz Reichhart, CPO, Head of Purchasing/Materials Management, Vice President WFL Millturn Technologies
Claus Middelhoff, Management Ro-ber
Michael Wegner, Head of Sales, Central Europe Products & Equipment SSI SCHAEFER
Alfred Spicker, Head of Dynamic Systems Business Unit Products & Equipment SSI SCHAEFER
Markus Jammernegg, Head of Modules SSI SCHAEFER
©SSI SCHAEFER

For the first time, the readers of the German trade magazine INDUSTRIAL Production selected the Products of the Year 2023. In the category 'Handling, Assembly and Production', the semi-automated workstation Advanced Pick Station one-level from SSI SCHAEFER convinced and took the 2nd place. With this system, heavy and fragile items can be picked ergonomically. During the award ceremony on March 30, 2023 at Weka Business Medien in Haar, the winners were announced.

From December 2022 to February 2023, the readers of the magazine INDUSTRIAL Production voted for their favorites and decided which innovations would receive the prestigious industry award. A total of 40 products and solutions were selected in six categories. The award-winning products are characterized either by technical features, market success in 2022, or the fact that the solution has influenced the industry to a significant degree.

The winners were announced on March 30, 2023, during the award ceremony at Weka Business Medien in Haar. "We are very pleased to receive the award 'Product of the Year 2023' in the category 'Handling, Assembly and Production' and would like to thank the readers of INDUSTRIAL Production for their votes and trust," said Peter Lambrecht, Global Head of Sales Logistics Solutions at SSI SCHAEFER. "With our semi-automatic workstation Advanced Pick Station one-level, we offer the ideal solution for ergonomic handling of non-throwable, heavy or fragile items in containers or cartons according to the goods-to-person principle. With parallel picking in four order totes, this can achieve a picking performance of 800 picks per hour."

With the Advanced Pick Station, SSI SCHAEFER pursues the goal of creating 'feel-good workplaces' so that employees can pick extremely efficiently and with high quality. "To meet this goal, we are implementing a special picking station as part of the ergonomics@work!^® program that enables employees to perform at their best and significantly improves ergonomics at the workplace. Motion processes such as lifting and carrying are supported by ergonomic pulling and pushing, and workflows and heights are optimized," explains Michael Steingruber, Global Head of Product Line Automation at SSI SCHAEFER. "The Institute for Ergonomics & Work Science at the Technical University of Darmstadt (IAD) has examined the ergonomic design of the workstation and confirmed its health-friendly mode of operation."

High-Performance Fashion Logistics for Efficient Omnichannel Management

SSI SCHAEFER served as the general contractor to equip a new logistics facility in Weil am Rhein with a state-of-the-art systems technology for Work in Progress Textilhandels GmbH (Carhartt WIP). SSI SCHAEFER’s powerful intralogistics solution seamlessly connects the existing system with the new one. It ensures process efficiency and optimizes order processing in the respective distribution channels – wholesale, e-commerce and retail. The warehouse capacity has also been expanded to accommodate the steady growth in the e-commerce business. The fully scalable installed intralogistics solution includes an SSI Cuby shuttle system, a compact carton and bin conveyor system, various handling systems and sequence towers.

The “Carhartt WIP” premium streetwear brand is known for casual, timeless styles and durable quality. The company behind the label is Work in Progress Textilhandels GmbH, which manufactures and distributes Carhartt products outside the USA. The new reality of e-commerce-driven shopping presents even a successful fashion supplier like Carhartt WIP with the challenge of ensuring efficient processing of online orders and maximum availability of merchandise as the product range grows. The process needs to manage daily and seasonal peaks flexibly and quickly process returns. With “Shop-Friendly-Delivery”, merchandise must be supplied reliably and quickly to the brick-and-mortar retailers. They receive the goods from Carhartt WIP pre-sorted and optimized for the specific store.

Linking New and Existing Structures Intelligently

Carhartt WIP supplies its own stores and outlets worldwide (B2B); at the same time, orders are also increasing from end customers (B2C) through its own online store and other digital platforms. As a result, Carhartt WIP experienced a shortage of warehouse capacity. Carhartt WIP needed a solution to minimize the rising complexity of omnichannel management. In addition, integrating the dynamically growing e-commerce part of the B2C segment into processes without fundamentally modifying tried-and-tested B2B business procedures was a major challenge. This challenge had to be met on the software side; however, from a technical point of view, it also meant seamlessly connecting the existing system to a new, expanded intralogistics system in such a way as to allow continued use of existing systems. Furthermore, given Carhartt WIP’s expected growth figures, it was essential, even at this stage, for SSI SCHAEFER to plan for optional expansion scenarios in order to allow their seamless implementation in the future during ongoing operations.

Reliable, Proven Collaboration

A logistics project in Weil am Rhein first brought Carhartt WIP and SSI SCHAEFER together many years ago. In that project, the intralogistics specialist optimized and automated the processes in the first logistics facility, with a focus on the automated small parts warehouse (ASPW). “We commit to SSI SCHAEFER based on a long-standing collaboration with trust and a high degree of reliability,” says Wolfgang Heldt, Head of Logistics at Carhartt WIP. Given the increasing success of e-commerce, the expansion of the logistics center was the next logical step: “Customers expect a certain level of service, and online vendors need to maintain that level 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Furthermore, for Carhartt WIP, this performance must reflect our premium brand’s reputation,” emphasizes Wolfgang Heldt. In particular, the expansion project focused on maximum flexibility and efficiency, modularity, and built-in buffers for future growth. These features are essential for an adequate response to current and future challenges – from a business perspective as well.

Perfectly Coupled Service Modules for Greater Efficiency

In the extension building with around 4,000 m² of floor space, SSI SCHAEFER installed a fully automated, space-optimized shuttle storage system in which 110 SSI Cuby single-level shuttles handle storage and retrieval. Around 35,000 container and carton storage locations with double-deep storage, distributed over five aisles, were created. “The SSI Cuby shuttle system is very powerful – the performance we get, 22 shuttles per aisle, is remarkable and has led to a reduction in order throughput times,” says Wolfgang Heldt, adding: “The shuttle storage system allows us to efficiently meet the needs of the B2C business, where low order quantities are the norm.” Depending on the order structure, Carhartt WIP can now handle up to 100,000 picks in one day. Lifts, which ensure high throughput, as well as the infeed and take-away conveyor systems, including a high-speed loop, are connected to the shuttle storage system. The ten sequence towers, each with 2 × 22 transfer locations, serve to sequence the source cartons and continuously supply the ten picking stations, which are equipped with put-to-light displays. “These towers efficiently buffer and sequence cartons retrieved from the shuttle storage system to ensure that they’re always fed to the picking stations in the correct sequence,” explains Johannes Zach, Vice President Market Sector Fashion at SSI SCHAEFER. “This increases process reliability while boosting performance.”

The workstations in the different areas, such as incoming goods, order picking, new incoming returns and packaging, are connected through the conveyor system. In addition, the eight new B2C packaging workstations and the six special handling workstations for value-added services, such as prepricing and customer-specific carton or pallet loading, are also integrated. These processes are supported by various handling systems, e.g., automatic carton openers and erectors, scanners, automatic sealing machines and label applicators. The conveyor system also connects the eight-aisle ASPW, to which SSI SCHAEFER has added two further aisles. This made it possible to create completely new material flow structures and link them to the processes in the B2B area, which were mostly retained, in order to efficiently handle the seven defined order scenarios. These result from the different composition of the items, which can come from up to three warehouse areas: the existing ASPW, the block storage for non-conveyable items and the new shuttle storage system. “Due to the complexity of the system elements and processes, we divided the commissioning in two phases,” adds Udo Peintner, project manager at SSI SCHAEFER. “Phase one, which was completed in January 2020, involved the ASPW expansion and retrofitting the existing system, incoming goods and switching the existing software to WAMAS®. This was followed in September 2020 by the go-live of the SSI Cuby system, the sequence tower and the connection of the existing system to the new shuttle storage system through the conveyor system.” As a result, the overall system was able to deliver the required performance in time for “Black Friday” and “Cyber Monday” – promotional discount events popular with consumers.

During project implementation, SSI SCHAEFER delivered the individual pieces, such as steel construction, the conveyor system, the shuttle system, and software as a complete package. This was an advantage since the reduction in the interfaces involved benefited Carhartt WIP through time-optimized project execution.

WAMAS® – the Pulse Generator for the Overall System

The intelligent WAMAS® Warehouse Control System (WCS) connects people and service modules and harmonizes processes in warehouses – a crucial contribution to making order processing efficient. The WAMAS WCS controls automated processes within the warehouse in real time and ensures a constant material flow. Should conditions change, the system reprioritizes operations so that fulfillment performance meets current needs and is accelerated. It also uses the SCADA system visualization of WAMAS Lighthouse, which provides a realistic representation of the entire system and lets you derive precise insights into the smallest details on different levels. This ensures countermeasures are initiated quickly if critical operating states are imminent, ensuring maximum availability.

Maximum Throughput for Constant Availability of Goods

“We’ve been bowled over by our success in the past two to three years,” reports Wolfgang Heldt. “As a result of the pandemic, the proportion of online orders has increased by leaps and bounds. The shuttle storage system puts us in a good position, and we plan to work with SSI SCHAEFER to expand it in the near future with three additional aisles, which will give us around 125,000 available item storage locations at the Weil am Rhein site.” Thanks to the WAMAS® logistics software, the dynamic, fully scalable warehouse logistics solution from SSI SCHAEFER provides the perfect interplay among the new and existing storage systems, the sequence towers, and the new and existing picking workstations. This ensures that Carhartt WIP can process a wide variety of order scenarios in the best way possible.

In just six months, SSI SCHAEFER was able to automate the existing mobile racking system at Ostendorf in Emstek using automated guided vehicles (AGV) and its WAMAS® intralogistics software. Right after the go-live in the middle of 2021, the positive impact of this partially automated logistics solution was clear and quantifiable: it ensures transparent, error-free processes and makes the material flow resource-independent – and thus more efficient – in three-shift operations. Achieving these objectives was an important step for this plastics specialist in order to meet its customers’ increasingly specific demands and strengthen its position on a highly competitive market.    

Gebr. Ostendorf Kunststoffe GmbH is one of the leading manufacturers of wastewater pipe systems in Germany and has sold these plastic pipes and polypropylene fittings since 1973. Its customers come from the construction industry, which generally orders large quantities of a wide range of variants and operates in a cost-intensive environment. Given its ongoing growth and the demand for shorter and shorter delivery times, Ostendorf had already commissioned a new distribution center at its headquarters in Vechta in 2017 for packaging-optimized overnight goods staging. SSI SCHAEFER equipped the center with an automatic channel storage system including SSI Orbiter® load handling devices, WAMAS® intralogistics software and a conveyor system.

The Path to Semi-Automation

At its Emstek site, Ostendorf also faced the challenge of adapting processes to increasingly demanding market conditions. It needed to optimize intralogistics, increase productivity and cut costs. At the same time, Ostendorf entered into an agreement with a major construction industry customer for pre-picking goods onto mixed pallets. That meant that suddenly, there were more packaging materials and pallets that had to be kept on hand and moved around the warehouse. However, it is not easy to recruit qualified staff for the additional work involved, as well as for three-shift operations – especially in the Oldenburg Münsterland region, which enjoys nearly full employment. Therefore, Ostendorf chose a partially automated plug-and-play solution from SSI SCHAEFER that could be installed quickly and is ideal specifically for smaller warehouses with moderate throughput rates. The new solution, combining automated guided vehicles (AGV) with the existing mobile racking system (MRS), handles the storage and retrieval processes and internal transport reliably, offering Ostendorf the advantage of high process reliability around the clock.

Ostendorf chose SSI SCHAEFER because it wanted a single partner that could serve as the general contractor for the whole solution, including all the interfaces. This made communication much easier and ensured a time-optimized project schedule. Furthermore, the two companies already had good experience collaborating on other projects, such as the high bay warehouse in Vechta and the mobile pallet racking system in Rain am Lech, in which SSI SCHAEFER proved a reliable expert partner. Last but not least, Ostendorf was already familiar with the WAMAS® intralogistics software from the Vechta site and had had good experiences with it.

“For Emstek, relying on full automation, as was done at Vechta, would have been wishful thinking and excessive,” reports Ludger Stroot, operations manager for Emstek at Ostendorf. “But we still wanted to introduce a certain degree of automation to get the benefits that come with it. In this context, the automated guided vehicles were the appropriate technology and were just right for our comparatively low throughput.” “In addition, time was tight,” adds Lukas Varelmann, head of in-house logistics at Ostendorf. “While the planning and implementation of a fully automated high bay warehouse, including the building permit, takes at least three years, we were able to achieve our objectives in less than six months thanks to partial automation.”

A Practical Combination of an MRS, AGVs and Software

This extremely manageable timeframe highlights the particular advantages of the scalable logistics solution that was introduced here: “The combination of a mobile racking system with automated guided vehicles is a mature standard and can be directly integrated into the customer’s warehouse structures,” explains Stefan Reichwald, sales manager at SSI SCHAEFER. “The automated pallet handling solution immediately has positive effects on delivery reliability and quality, as well as ongoing operating costs.”

SSI SCHAEFER successfully completed this partial automation project together with AGV specialist DS Automotion, an SSI SCHAEFER Group company, in the middle of 2021. In the process, the partners set up an interface to the existing mobile racking system. At the same time, they were responsible for the integration of the AGVs and conveyor system and for the overall integration into Ostendorf’s WAMAS® software environment. “This was a comprehensive solution package, including software, so the decision to implement it in this form was an easy one,” emphasizes Lukas Varelmann.

Improved Workflow and Continuous Material Flow in 24/7 Operation

“The AGVs ensure a constant material flow in three-shift operation at Ostendorf; the processes are clearly structured, and this approach virtually eliminates defects,” explains Roland Hieslmair, sales engineer at DS Automotion. This reduces the workload of employees, whose current responsibilities include cross-process activities in the control center. All the processes are also clearly traceable via WAMAS®. Furthermore, the secure, reliable communication between the MRS and AGVs eliminates waiting times; as a vehicle approaches its destination aisle, the system opens the aisle already. The software communicates with the mobile racking system via ProfiNet with barcode support. “WAMAS® sends the orders to DS Automotion’s fleet controller, which you can think of as a kind of ‘dispatcher’”, explains Roland Hieslmair. The system simultaneously checks which vehicle is free and issues the transport command. For a retrieval order, WAMAS® makes sure the aisle opens promptly so the AGV can drive right in, pick up the requested pallet and move it to the transfer point on the conveyor system. The fleet controller notifies WAMAS® that the order is complete, and the AGV is now ready for its next task.

Linking DS Automotion’s solutions with SSI SCHAEFER’s portfolio offers customers the opportunity to reap the benefits of integrated solutions without interface problems; a central contact person is always available, and laborious coordination among different systems is eliminated.

Additional Benefits for Ostendorf

 When companies grow and seek to increase the efficiency and quality of their order processing, they – like Ostendorf at its Emstek site – often consider introducing software in conjunction with automated processes. The combined system solution, consisting initially of an MRS and two AGVs, increases efficiency for this plastics specialist by having the AGVs operate continuously, with no breaks. With the vehicles used, SSI SCHAEFER not only met Ostendorf’s time target for double cycle use, but actually exceeded expectations; the AGVs complete the double cycles about 30% faster than even required. If even higher performance is required in the future, additional vehicles can be added without difficulty. Modern sensor technology makes the vehicles safer for employees than conventional forklifts. In addition, the AGVs pay for themselves quickly. The same is true of the extremely space-efficient mobile racking systems, which SSI SCHAEFER offers in combination with AGVs as a solution package from a single source exclusively.

Continuing a Successful Project Partnership

Together with SSI SCHAEFER, its partner of many years, Ostendorf hopes to repeat the success achieved in Emstek at another location. There as well, the aim is to establish a solid operational foundation to perfectly meet the growing demands of the construction industry – for example, through order-specific pre-picking. Initial scenarios are also being considered for construction of an automated small parts warehouse in Vechta. Ludger Stroot and Lukas Varelmann agree: “The professional project management and fast implementation impressed us once again.” “The two sides worked in harmony, the approach was always solution-oriented, and the cooperation was always positive. The results we achieved were thoroughly positive and speak for themselves.”

In partnership with SSI SCHAEFER, Ostendorf has implemented an impressive partially automated warehouse solution. They automated the existing mobile pallet racking by combining it with the new AGVs and connected both components to the new WAMAS® software. This solution gives Ostendorf an efficient, optimized storage, transport and picking process and strengthens its competitive edge.

• Peter Edelmann takes over from Steffen Bersch as CEO of SSI SCHAEFER

• Olaf Hedden takes over from Bruno Krauss as CFO

Neunkirchen, Germany, October 13, 2023 – Effective October 15, 2023, Peter Edelmann has been appointed as the new CEO of leading intralogistics company SSI SCHAEFER. In this role, Peter Edelmann takes over from Steffen Bersch, who has led the company for the past three and a half years.

Peter Edelmann has many years of management experience, including over twenty years with the Voith Group, most recently as a member of the Group's Management Board. Furthermore, Peter Edelmann has managed the companies Kaefer Isoliertechnik in Bremen and B&C Industrieholding in Vienna as CEO. In addition, he holds various supervisory and advisory board mandates.

As a further member of the two-member Group Executive Board, Olaf Hedden has been appointed CFO. He will also take over on October 15, 2023, succeeding Bruno Krauss.

Olaf Hedden has many years of management experience. He began his career at Metallgesellschaft and later worked for several years at Rheinmetall, his most recent role was as CFO of Rheinmetall Automotive AG. In addition, he is also familiar with medium-sized structures through his work as a Spokesman of the Executive Board of Läpple AG.

Dr. Kay Mayland, Chairman of the Advisory Board of the SSI SCHAEFER Group, comments: "The Advisory Board and shareholders of SSI SCHAEFER Group are convinced that in Peter Edelmann and Olaf Hedden, they have found a very experienced team for the overall management of the SSI SCHAEFER Group. With their many years of expertise with industrial companies of different sizes and sectors, they will give the company new impetus. At the same time, we would like to thank Steffen Bersch and Bruno Krauss for the work they have done and wish them all the best for the future, both professionally and privately."

Effective October 15, 2023, Peter Edelmann has been appointed as the new CEO and Olaf Hedden as CFO of the leading intralogistics company SSI SCHAEFER. (from left to right)

• SSI SCHAEFER is honored as a finalist in the "Conveyor Technology" category with the Boohoo Sheffield reference project and the SSI Carrier pouch sorter integrated into it

Giebelstadt, December 11, 2023 – From the 160 applications received for the Best of Industry Award 2023, 72 innovations and projects were nominated as finalists in the online vote. During the voting phase, which lasted several months, around 20,000 readers of the trade media MM MaschinenMarkt, PROCESS, LABORPRAXIS and DeviceMed voted for their favorites from the 24 different categories.

The innovations and projects that made it to the top three places in each category were honored at a major awards ceremony in Würzburg, Germany, on December 7, 2023. The first place winners received an award and the second and third place winners were honored as finalists with a certificate. "We are proud that our Boohoo Sheffield reference project is one of the best in the "Conveyor Technology" category and has been honored as a finalist," says Peter Lambrecht, Global Head of Sales Logistics Solutions at SSI SCHAEFER. "The exciting project shows how the logistics center was retrofitted with state-of-the-art automation for incoming goods, order processing and shipping parallel to ongoing operations."

The overall solution at online fashion retailer Boohoo includes more than 550,000 bin locations in the SSI Cuby shuttle warehouse. The dynamic buffer in the SSI Carrier pouch sorter stores up to 150,000 returns and fast-moving items, for a planned throughput of 40,000 items per hour. In this highly dynamic material flow, the WAMAS logistics software ensures efficient processes and the 24/7 SSI Resident Maintenance^® service package guarantees maximum system availability.

According to the jury, anyone who makes it into the TOP 3 in the respective category and thus receives the prestigious industry award has successfully proven that they are among the best of the best. "The award confirms us as an intralogistics specialist and spurs us on to continue offering our customers innovative products and solutions in the future," summarizes Peter Lambrecht.

SSI SCHAEFER was honored as a finalist in the "Conveyor Technology" category of the Best of Industry Award 2023 for the Boohoo Sheffield reference project and the integrated pouch sorter SSI Carrier. Peter Lambrecht, Global Head of Sales Logistics Solutions at SSI SCHAEFER, receives the award certificate.

• Total Group revenues slightly above previous year at EUR 1.87 billion

• Largest business unit, Logistics Solutions, with significant year-on-year revenue growth and improved order intake

• Challenging macroeconomic environment had a negative impact on the Group's incoming orders, which were down 4.9% on the previous year at around EUR 1.65 billion

• Catch-up effects on revenues and total operating performance in the second half of 2023

• Numerous awards for products and automation solutions underline the Group's innovative strength

Neunkirchen/Siegerland (Germany), March 1, 2024 – The SSI SCHAEFER Group, a German family-owned company established more than 85 years ago and a leading international solution provider for all segments of the intralogistics industry, reported an increase in revenues to EUR 1.87 billion (+3.2%) for the financial year 2023, according to preliminary figures. The Group benefited from major project acceptances in the Logistics Solutions and Customer Services business units, which offset the decline in Products & Equipment revenue.

After a subdued first half, the catch-up effects in the fourth quarter of 2023 were particularly noticeable in the largest business unit, Logistics Solutions, although Group order intake remained below the previous year's level at around EUR 1.65 billion or 4.9%. The main reasons for the gloomy investment climate were the difficult macroeconomic conditions caused by political conflicts and the economic weakness in Europe. On the cost side, the extensive measures taken during the year to improve profitability had a positive impact. On the basis of the preliminary annual financial statements, SSI SCHAEFER was able to achieve a significantly improved annual result at Group level compared to the previous year as well as an almost balanced result before taxes.

Peter Edelmann, CEO of the SSI SCHAEFER Group: “The continuing difficult market conditions and the gloomy investment environment pose major challenges for the entire intralogistics industry. Nevertheless, the SSI SCHAEFER Group was able to win significant orders in the financial year 2023, which gives us an optimistic start into 2024. We will continue to work hard with the entire team to set the organizational and strategic course for profitable growth. The key to our success is quality and customer focus – and we are paying special attention to these areas.”

Transformation process is moving forward: focus on innovation and sustainability

A key focus continues to be the strengthening of the SSI SCHAEFER Group's innovation capability with the aim of playing a key role in shaping the digital and sustainable transformation of the industry and expanding its position as a technology leader in intralogistics. The full acquisition of DS Automotion, a leading provider of mobile robotics, which became effective in the first quarter of 2023, was an important milestone on this path. Moreover, the SSI SCHAEFER Group received numerous awards for its intralogistics solutions last year, most recently the prestigious Best of Industry Award in the “Conveyor Technology” category.

In addition, SSI SCHAEFER continued to consistently implement its sustainability strategy in 2023 and documented its responsibility to the environment and society in its second sustainability report. Key actions included the adoption of the Group's climate strategy, which aims to reduce the Group's own carbon footprint and make a social contribution to achieving global climate targets and the United Nations' sustainability goals.

Further Information:

• An expandable system that can supply 250 stores a day and support the increase in the number of e-commerce orders

• Pick by Light picking stations for efficient order processing and precise warehouse management

• Optimized processes using ergonomic work stations and connected conveying systems

In 1972, Rossmann made history with the first drugstore in Germany. Today, Dirk Rossmann AG operates all over Europe, enjoying a large presence in Hungary, with over 250 stores. Not only is it represented by its stores, but also by being a successful e-commerce brand. Thanks to their vast array of products and fast delivery, Rossmann has already been honored with the “Superbrand Award” several times. The company continues to grow rapidly and in order to cope with increasing demand and ensure the satisfaction of all customers in the future, the logistics must grow with them.

To rise to this challenge, Rossmann has chosen a partner who places just as much importance on customer proximity as the drugstore giant itself. Due to the priority it places on providing a local presence all over the world, SSI SCHAEFER is in easy reach, through its Hungarian subsidiary. SSI SCHAEFER also already knows Rossmann inside-out, thanks to a previous collaboration with Rossmann in Poland. However, every location has its own unique requirements, to which SSI SCHAEFER, as an expert in the Healthcare and Cosmetics sector, caters personally and individually.

To manage the enormous quantity of SKUs and to be able to service both the stores and e-commerce, a 27,000m² semi-automated warehouse is being built in Üllő, Hungary. The core elements of efficient Pick by Light picking, ergonomic work stations and comprehensive conveying systems connect all sections from goods-in to goods-out. “The new omnichannel warehouse optimizes our processes and enables even higher throughputs, especially at peak times. This way, we can supply 250 stores a day, and efficiently process the increasing amount of e-commerce orders. What is of particular importance to us? If required, the solution can be further automated and flexibly adapted to future requirements”, says Csaba Szuchy, Director of Operations Logistics at Rossmann Hungary.

The go-live for the entire project is planned for the beginning of 2026. Additionally, the way has already been paved for future growth: The new logistics solution offers a full range of options for expansion.

© Rossmann Magyarország Kft.

SSI SCHAEFER implements a scalable omnichannel solution for Rossmann in Üllő, Hungary. With the new warehouse, Rossmann can supply 250 stores a day, and efficiently process the increasing amount of e-commerce orders. The go-live for the entire project is planned for the beginning of 2026.

• Macroeconomic developments have a noticeable impact on the intralogistics industry and the Group’s business performance

• Order intake 12.2% below prior year at approx. EUR 1.74 billion

• Sales revenues at EUR 1.81 billion (-5.1%)

• Major projects in largest business unit, Logistics Solutions, postponed until 2023/24

• Total output and revenues in all other business units above previous year

• Research partnerships and recent acquisition of DS Automotion strengthen the Group’s innovative power

Neunkirchen/Siegerland (Germany), February 27, 2023 – The SSI SCHAEFER Group, a German family-owned company established more than 85 years ago and a leading international solution provider for all segments of the intralogistics industry, reported an order intake of EUR 1.74 billion (-12.2%) for the fiscal year 2022, according to preliminary figures. The decline is mainly due to the fact that major projects in the Group’s largest business unit, Logistics Solutions, were postponed to 2023 and 2024, as several customers recorded low order intake due to the economic impact of the war in Ukraine and increased material prices.

Sales revenues dropped by 5.1% to EUR 1.81 billion, partly due to delayed project acceptance caused by materials shortages. All other business units – Products & Equipment, Customer Services, Waste & Packaging – reported higher revenues than in the previous year.

Creation of an innovation eco-system and progress in expanding the technology leadership

A key focus in the fiscal year 2022 was placed on strengthening the SSI SCHAEFER Group’s innovation capability. The aim was to play a leading role in shaping the digital and sustainable transformation in order to achieve the goal of technology leadership in the intralogistics sector, as set out in the Group’s strategy. To this end, the Group is building an innovation eco-system of cooperations with research partners such as Fraunhofer IML and various universities as well as with enterprises and start-ups as development partners. The employees play a key role in shaping the future of the SSI SCHAEFER Group by promoting a culture of innovation and stronger networking within the Group. In this context, the new international and interdisciplinary Data Science Team is an important element, which aims to bundle the Group-wide expertise in artificial intelligence and machine learning. 

An important milestone in the expansion of technology leadership is the recently signed agreement for the complete acquisition of DS Automotion GmbH by the SSI SCHAEFER Group. The full acquisition of DS Automotion, a leading provider of mobile robotics (AGV – Automated Guided Vehicles and AMR – Autonomous Mobile Robots), will take effect on March 1, 2023. It will strengthen the competitiveness and innovative power of the SSI SCHAEFER Group in robotics and automation, two segments that are pointing the way forward for the intralogistics industry. 

• Unified sustainability management and strategic environmental, health and safety (EHS) management rolled out for the globally operating Group

• Carbon footprint calculated that covers the 18 largest entities of the SSI SCHAEFER Group (Scope 1 & 2 and partly Scope 3)

• Climate strategy with reduction goals developed

Neunkirchen/Siegerland, Germany, September 25, 2023 - SSI SCHAEFER Group, a leading global solution provider for all areas of intralogistics, today published its second sustainability report. The report documents the company's progress in 2022 towards a more sustainable future. Activities focused on implementing measures that were defined in the sustainability strategy developed back in 2021. The sustainability strategy takes equal account of ecological, social and economic aspects.

Despite major challenges such as the effects of the Ukraine war, the SSI SCHAEFER Group was able to achieve important sustainability goals last year. In addition to the development of a group-wide strategy for sustainability management, a strategic environmental, health and safety management (EHS) was introduced, among other things. Furthermore, the calculation of the carbon footprint for the 18 largest entities of the SSI SCHAEFER Group was carried out for Scopes 1, 2 and partly 3. Based on this analysis, a climate strategy with measurable reduction goals for the coming years was derived.

“In 2022, we continued to focus on how we, as a globally active company, can make a positive contribution in terms of sustainability,” says Steffen Bersch, CEO of the SSI SCHAEFER Group. “The second sustainability report underlines our ongoing commitment to a more sustainable future. It is another milestone in our efforts to live up to our responsibility towards the environment and society - and we are proud to have made such progress despite the challenges of the past year.” In 2023, the company plans to continue its efforts and take further innovative measures to achieve its sustainability goals along the entire value chain.

Acquisition of Shares Successfully Completed

• Shares in DS AUTOMOTION fully acquired by SSI SCHAEFER following approval by the Federal Competition Authority in Austria

Neunkirchen, Germany / Linz, Austria March 2, 2023 – At the end of January 2023, it was announced that the SSI SCHAEFER Group, a leading international provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions employing approximately 10,000 people, and DS AUTOMOTION GmbH, a leading provider of mobile robotics (AGV - Automated Guided Vehicles and AMR - Autonomous Mobile Robots) headquartered in Linz, signed an agreement under which SSI SCHAEFER will acquire all shares in DS AUTOMOTION GmbH. The acquisition of the remaining shares was successfully completed and came into effect yesterday, March 1, 2023, following completion of the review by the Austrian Federal Competition Authority.

SSI SCHAEFER is thus expanding the minority interest it has held in DS AUTOMOTION since 2018 to reflect the growing importance of autonomous and mobile robotics and the AGV business in intralogistics. The management team, led by Managing Directors Manfred Hummenberger and Wolfgang Hillinger, will remain. DS AUTOMOTION will continue to operate independently with its well-established brand.

“The partnership with DS AUTOMOTION is an important milestone in the expansion of the technology leadership of the SSI SCHAEFER Group, and strengthens our competitiveness and innovation power in robotics and automation, which are leading the future for intralogistics,” says Steffen Bersch, CEO of the SSI SCHAEFER Group. “We are pleased to announce that the full share acquisition became effective yesterday, March 1, 2023.”

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• Shares in DS AUTOMOTION to be fully acquired by SSI SCHAEFER

• Long-standing AGV/AMR partnership to be intensified as robotics operations are realigned

• Important milestone on the way to technology leadership

Neunkirchen, Germany / Linz, Austria January 27, 2023 – The SSI SCHAEFER Group, a leading international provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions employing some 10,000 people, and DS AUTOMOTION GmbH, a leading provider of mobile robotics (AGV - Automated Guided Vehicles and AMR - Autonomous Mobile Robots) headquartered in Linz, signed an agreement under which SSI SCHAEFER will acquire all shares in DS AUTOMOTION GmbH.

SSI SCHAEFER will expand the minority interest it has held since 2018 to reflect the growing importance of autonomous and mobile robotics and the AGV business in intralogistics. The acquisition of the remaining shares will take effect on March 1st, 2023 and is subject to approval by the Austria Federal Competition Authority.

The parties agreed not to disclose the purchase price of the shares. The management team led by Managing Directors Manfred Hummenberger and Wolfgang Hillinger will stay on board. DS AUTOMOTION will continue to operate independently with its well-established brand.

The further development of autonomous mobile robots (AMR) is one of the key joint initiatives within the context of the general realignment of the robotics business. Characterized by simple commissioning and flexible applications, this product segment is becoming increasingly important and offers excellent growth opportunities. DS AUTOMOTION has developed standards such as plannable autonomy and cooperative navigation in this product segment, which help combine the benefits of flexibility with the reliability and availability of industrial systems. This transformation is based on the DS AUTOMOTION in-house technology expertise, which builds on 40 years of navigation and control know-how.

“DS AUTOMOTION has grown strongly and continuously over the past, and by placing a stronger focus on technology and product standardization, we have greatly increased the quality and performance of the company,” says Manfred Hummenberger, CEO of DS AUTOMOTION. “To continue to keep pace with the rapid developments within the industry, now is the right time to take the cooperation with SSI SCHAEFER to a new level and to participate in the global growth opportunities of the robotics sector and join forces.”

The acquisition of the remaining shares in DS AUTOMOTION represents an important milestone in expanding the SSI SCHAEFER Group's technology leadership. It will strengthen its competitiveness and innovation power in robotics and automation, which are pioneering for intralogistics.

At the same time, DS AUTOMOTION will continue to operate in manufacturing production, healthcare logistics, and assembly systems. These segments will continue to expand with a focus on innovation, and existing customer relationships will be strengthened.

SSI SCHAEFER is presenting new software especially for stand-alone operation of the SSI LOGIMAT Vertical Lift Module. LOGIONE is a simple and intuitive storage location and article management system. The self-explanatory user interfaces support the operators and eliminate the need for time-consuming training. LOGIONE is now available for users to download free of charge from the intralogistics expert's website.

Digital warehouse management brings great benefits in terms of transparency and access times. But what if the Vertical Lift Module is not connected to a higher-level ERP system? Especially customers who do not have and do not need complex warehouse management benefit from very simple and fast storage and picking processes with LOGIONE. This makes the software a powerful solution.

The SSI LOGIMAT Vertical Lift Module has been a proven solution from SSI SCHAEFER for the storage and picking of small parts for many years. In addition to extensive basic functionalities, it offers a wide range of additional options and customization options to adapt it to special tasks, users or conditions. With LOGIONE, an option has now been added that has been tailored to the special requirements of a stand-alone solution.

All the basic functions of the Vertical Lift Module are supported by LOGIONE. This includes a simple search as well as fast storage and picking processes. The management of articles and storage locations is simplified by a visualization of the corresponding storage compartments. Important functions such as user management and the transaction log ensure transparency and help to optimize processes. The optional additional components for increasing ergonomics and efficiency - LOGIPOINTER, LOGITILT and LOGIWORK - are supported, as is the use of barcode scanners.

LOGIONE is an innovative solution and the first step towards digital transformation in the warehouse. Designed as a simple and clear system, it is easy to download and can be installed independently without additional hardware. Thanks to user-friendly dialogs and an intuitive interface, it is easy to learn to use - no extensive training is required.

The software supports the latest generation of Vertical Lift Module (SSI LOGIMAT type SLL) with a maximum of two access openings. Furthermore, the standardized LOGIDRIVER PLC interface must be installed and at least one 12" display must be available.

The SSI LOGIMAT is scalable and can be adapted to changing requirements. The Vertical Lift Module can be connected to a higher-level ERP system or even controlled directly from SAP - provided the corresponding software is available. It is also possible to integrate additional Vertical Lift Modules and manage them via the WAMAS Lift & Store intralogistics software.

With LOGIONE, SSI SCHAEFER has created a powerful and user-friendly software solution that enables entry into digital warehousing.

LOGIONE impresses with its modern and intuitive interface and user-friendly dialogs.

Specially designed for stand-alone operation of the SSI LOGIMAT Vertical Lift Module, LOGIONE offers easy-to-use storage location and item management.

The Lesage Prestige family business, specializing in exceptional meats and delicatessen products, entrusts SSI SCHAEFER, a leading provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions, with the reorganization and optimization of its order preparation. Their current facility in Chemy, France, enables them to deliver meat parcels within 24 to 48 hours. Following strong business growth Lesage chose SSI SCHAEFER to rethink their order picking activity by integrating a fleet of RackBot from the spectrum of SSI Mobile Robots in combination with PR 600 racking systems.

For over 70 years, Lesage has specialized in the import and distribution of luxury meats and gourmet products. Their catalog includes a wide range to supply France's finest tables.

François Lesage, General Manager (Purchasing and Production) at Lesage Prestige, explains: “To match the strong growth of our business, we’re currently facing some challenges. We need to save space, but we also have to improve ergonomics and increase our productivity. Thanks to the preliminary analysis, SSI SCHAEFER offered us a solution that fits best to our needs.”

Together they designed a new automated storage and picking area. This involved analyzing the entire organization to reduce manual and less efficient picking in favor of an agile, ergonomic and innovative automated solution. This new cold chain facility, directly connected to production via a conveyor system, will be equipped with SSI Mobile Robot technology and will increase productivity in an environment between 0°C and 2°C.

Before the RackBot AMRs are installed, the current storage area will be dismantled and replaced by PR 600 racking systems from SSI SCHAEFER. The new storage area will comprise five aisles of racking almost five meters high. It will enable Lesage Prestige's products to be stored more densely and reduce the energy consumption associated with the area's refrigeration.

The integrated RackBots will eliminate the distances covered each day by operators in order picking and improve goods flow performance. Once installed, they will pick the bins from one of the 3,600 locations provided and deliver them directly to the Pick by Light order picking stations. With five RackBots in operation during peak periods, the solution will be able to achieve a performance of 340 bins delivered and stored per hour. To absorb supplier delivery peaks in the morning, a RackBot Port buffer system will be installed. This latest-generation buffer storage system can deliver or re-inject up to eight bins simultaneously.

The new solution will be integrated into Lesage’s IT Structure and be connected to the existing ERP system. The team from SSI SCHAEFER will supervise the whole process. This interface will enable fleet management, inventory management, batch numbers, traceability and real-time flow visualization.

With a lead time of less than 12 months, the realization of this holistic robotized solution is scheduled for the first quarter of 2024.

SSI SCHAEFER is launching a fully automated piece picking system with numerous innovative features – the SSI Piece Picking application. This versatile solution, which includes a dedicated smart software, boasts advanced functions such as pick-and-place, object recognition using artificial intelligence (AI), a patented gripping point determination, and extremely gentle product handling. The intelligent robotic cell, which can combine with other SSI SCHAEFER components, was debuted in Stuttgart from April 25 to 27 at LogiMAT, Europe’s leading material handling trade show.

Smart picking robots are becoming a permanent fixture in intralogistics. In addition to performance issues, other key reasons include rising labor costs, as well as a shortage of skilled workers. Furthermore, companies want to improve working conditions and reduce employees’ workload. This approach has humans and machines work side by side with robots handling more and more of the repetitive, monotonous tasks. This achieves significantly greater picking performance alongside maximum picking accuracy and availability. “In these scenarios, it is our job to take advantage of our bundled know-how for continuous further optimization of our automation solutions according to market demand,” says Peter Lambrecht, SVP Global Head of Sales, BU Logistics Solutions at SSI SCHAEFER. “From our customers’ point of view, simple processes and ergonomics are crucial, while wanting to increase efficiency at the same time.”

Tailored Piece by Piece to the Next Process Steps

SSI SCHAEFER already offers a fully automated, robotics-supported solution for single-piece picking that has been proven in practice and also meets requirements for zero-defect tolerance and end-to-end traceability of goods. But after a further development process, the SSI Piece Picking cell now does much more. SSI Piece Picking started through a collaboration with RO-BER, an SSI SCHAEFER Group company, and draws on bundled know-how from numerous customer projects. In addition to pick-and-drop, pick-and-place will also be implemented. This function guarantees gentle handling since each item is placed as close as possible to the bottom of the bin or carton. This feature prevents product damage, while precise placement allows optimal utilization of the filling level. A connection to an overhead conveying system is also in the works for the near future. The plug-and-play solution, which takes the form of a pre-assembled unit, can combine with manual workstations. In addition, the robot cell is ideal for use in connection with the SSI SCHAEFER energy-efficient conveying systems and flexible shuttle technology.   

Use Across Industries

AI-based object detection plus state-of-the-art gripper technology ensure that goods are gripped securely and placed gently in target bins or cartons. Instead of finger-shaped grippers, SSI Piece Picking uses smaller, compact suction cups that can reach every corner of a bin/carton, securely gripping even the smallest parts quickly. This function speeds up the overall picking process, and the speed can adapt to the specific product at the same time. Machine learning methods also enable the robots to gain experience with each pick and learn from it, creating a knowledge database available to all other robots. Thus, SSI Piece Picking is suitable for a wide-range of goods in manufacturing, e-commerce, retail and within the pharmaceutical and cosmetics industries, as well as for third-party logistics providers (3PL). 100% product verification is achieved through integrated scanning and weighing functions. During the picking process, the integrated AI is already able to detect, on the basis of single weighing, whether the correct items and requested quantity are picked. If unexpected events occur, such as a barcode that cannot be scanned, an automatic error correction resolves the issue without human intervention.

Highest Quality Standards Through Patented Technology

In addition, the read rate optimization implemented within the SSI Piece Picking solution via barcode detection increases process reliability. The patent-pending pick point optimization automatically shifts the gripping point and makes sure that barcodes are not obscured during picking, so they are scanned immediately. Thus, analogous to the GS1 specifications for code placement, the system is able to read at least 99.5% of the products directly on the first attempt. This increases pick rates while also following the read rate guidelines of the highly regulated pharmaceutical sector. Beyond advanced functions such as pick-and-place and pick point optimization, SSI Piece Picking boasts additional features. In the pharmaceutical sector, the system solution can handle 80% of the product spectrum, including goods in cubic, cylindrical, tubular and blister packaging, and the product range is constantly expanding to include additional formats.

AI Robotics as a Driver of the Digital Transformation

“Depending on the size, weight and storage method, we can pick up to 1,200 individual pieces per hour with our solution,” says Peter Lambrecht. “SSI Piece Picking combines state-of-the-art robotics technology with clever machine learning in an intelligent overall system tailored not only to today’s challenges, but to tomorrow’s as well. This makes the highly innovative robotic cell one of the most powerful and versatile applications for automated single-piece picking.” WAMAS Piece Picking from the WAMAS portfolio provides optimized control for material flows, as well as vision integration, and is responsible for the strong performance. No teach-in process is required, since only the typical host master data is accessed. In addition, the application can also connect to existing WMS systems.

SSI SCHAEFER is launching a fully automated piece picking system with numerous innovative features – the SSI Piece Picking application.

In the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

Neunkirchen (Germany) / Friesach (Austria) – 11^th July 2023. For the third consecutive year, analysts at Gartner have positioned SSI SCHAEFER as a Challenger in the 2023 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems^[1] (May 2023).

"We are very pleased to be included again in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for WMS. The reliable and standardized WAMAS WMS forms the backbone of our digitization strategy and plays a central role within our intelligent software portfolio," said Florian Schneebauer, Global Head of Product Line Software at SSI SCHAEFER. "By using smart optimization algorithms, WAMAS WMS controls the complex processes of the wide variety of warehouses of our customers, in an optimal and transparent way. The software seamlessly integrates into the companies' process and system infrastructure and, with the increasing automation of business and logistics processes, connects upstream and downstream systems into an overall system."

Gartner delivers actionable insights, guidance, and tools that enable faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization's mission critical capabilities. The Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems serves as a source of information for supply chain managers on the current state of development of the WMS market and the various vendors and software products.  

More than 1,100 employees are engaged in the Software Solutions division of the SSI SCHAEFER Group.  Their work on software solutions that interact with the hardware, and enhance connectivity to the extended IT landscape, delivers both ecologically and economically sustainable advantages. Florian Schneebauer comments: "Our ambition is to further develop cognitive approaches and advance innovative, digital products and solutions that can be successfully integrated into our portfolio and established on the market."

SSI SCHAEFER is again listed as a Challenger in the Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems.

¹ Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems, Simon Tunstall, Dwight Klappich, Rishabh Narang, Federica Stufano, 8 May 2023.

Gartner Disclaimer:

GARTNER and MAGIC QUADRANT are registered trademarks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and is used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

SSI SCHAEFER brings a much-needed automated picking solution to the furniture industry. Given that the pandemic also brought a surge of online furniture sales, suppliers have been faced with how to handle a growing demand of order fulfillment. Aligning a fulfillment approach with the new reality of how people shop hasn’t been easy for the furniture industry. Flat Pack Picking offers a truly unique and automated turnkey system solution from one of the world’s leading material handling suppliers. SSI Schaefer supports solutions that provide efficient palletizing for furniture retail replenishment and e-commerce direct-to-consumer orders. The picking module consists of gantry robots and provides an efficient handling of items found typically for furniture e-commerce, which is especially diverse. It also frees employees from having to perform tasks with poor ergonomics and ensures a constant flow of goods. And given the high cost of real estate today, the space savings for this solution is welcomed, given that it requires up to 50% less space when compared to conventional tunnel picking.

Changes within the Furniture Industry Spurred the Development for a New Fulfillment Approach

The pandemic changed everything, including furniture e-commerce. Customers have realized that even large pieces of furniture can be ordered conveniently online. A survey by Technavio Research forecasts worldwide growth of $84.26 billion in furniture e-commerce between 2020 and 2024. Traditional suppliers must respond and implement suitable multi-channel picking strategies that meet the demand for on-time delivery associated with e-commerce business for same- or next-day delivery. At the same time, the furniture industry is facing extremely fierce price competition and suppliers are looking for solutions to permanently reduce order processing costs. Another challenge is the range of products. Stocking a diverse group of products involves heavy, bulky goods that need to have dense storage solutions and are usually difficult to handle manually. It’s manual handling that increased the demand for an ergonomic solution to prevent musculoskeletal disorders of warehouse professionals and to make work inside the warehouse more attractive for potential employees.

Flat Pack Picking – Picking Heavy and Bulky Items Efficiently and Automatically

To help the furniture industry meet these challenges, SSI Schaefer developed the Flat Pack Picking solution – a turnkey system for safe, fully automated handling of a wide range of SKUs within the furniture industry. The solution is the result of an initiative of SSI Schaefer engineers that specialize in retail fulfillment, which was brought to market in cooperation with a multinational furniture corporation.

Gantry robots take over the picking of heavy and bulky items, allowing employees to focus on handling lighter and smaller items. SSI Schaefer supplies the Flat Pack Picking module, including both the hardware and software, from a single source. It is designed for high performance, can scale when needed, and allows compact installation in both new and existing warehouses with limited floor space. Another characteristic feature is efficient palletizing. By using intelligent algorithms, the system automatically generates packing patterns based on the various SKU specifics to optimize the stability of the load for order pallets and it reduces the volume.

Flexible and Efficient Handling for a Diverse Product Spectrum

The solution combines a high-bay warehouse, which serves as an automatic pallet buffer for picking, with gantry robots to create an efficient overall solution. After they pass through a contour/weight check, the conveying system moves pallets to the feed-in process of the high-bay warehouse. There, energy-efficient SSI Exyz storage-retrieval machines (SRM) store them temporarily. Pallets are retrieved for picking on an as-needed basis. For pallets with fast movers, the storage-retrieval machine transfers them to a shuttle car, which then places them on static picking stations. Slow movers, by contrast, are transported directly from the storage-retrieval machine to connecting conveyors, which make them available for picking. When no longer required, opened source pallets of slow movers are returned to storage in the same fashion. Along the buffer aisle, four RO-BER FP150 series gantry robots pick orders, accessing both static A-items and dynamically provided B- and C-items within the picking area. The gantry robots are equipped with multifunctional grippers that automatically adapt to the dimensions of the items and the type of packaging by means of a servo motor with adjustable suction cups. RO-BER Industrieroboter GmbH, a subsidiary of SSI Schaefer, developed the gantry robots and grippers. Vision technology, in combination with WAMAS^® logistics software, supports this process, allowing each picking robot to quickly identify the proper position of the requested item. Goods up to 8 feet in length and weighing more than 132 pounds are safely picked up from the source pallet and transferred to the ready-to-use order pallet. The removal of intermediate layers is also fully automated. The stored packing pattern generator, the SSI Pack Pattern Generator, ensures a safe, optimized arrangement of all items on the order pallet, which is prepared for further processing via a buffer as part of the outbound process.

Consistent Performance and Attractive Working Conditions

“With Flat Pack Picking, we now offer the first integrated solution to handle specific requirements within the furniture business with one system,” says Tim Langenbach, Director of Business Development – Retail & Wholesale and Food Retail at SSI Schaefer. “We were able to use a simulation to demonstrate that, with four gantry robots, it is possible to achieve up to 290 picks per hour given an appropriate order structure.” Since replenishment and picking are fully automated, this method achieves a consistent high level of performance. Flat Pack Picking frees staff from monotonous work and reduces the chance of workplace injuries.

Cost Optimization and a Quick Return on Investment (ROI)

The highly innovative Flat Pack Picking solution makes it possible to handle both orders for delivery to brick-and-mortar furniture retailers and online orders placed by the end customer in parallel – quickly, reliably, and efficiently. Compared to tunnel picking, which requires walkways and separate replenishment areas, the automated solution requires approximately 50% less space. “Operators benefit from reduced logistics costs per order and also save on fixed costs, so the investment pays for itself quickly,” says Tim Langenbach in summary. SSI Schaefer supplies the complete system solution, which is specific to each application for both retail and manufacturing clients. Being a single source provider ensures the highest level of quality, sustainability, and investment security. The Flat Pack Picking solution has a modular design, is flexible, and can scale at any time for greater business volume as expected within e-commerce furniture forecast. In addition, the design can work within other industries that deal with large-volume and bulky goods, such as radiators, windows, wood or plywood sheathing, sheet metal, or fence elements.

About Schaefer Systems International, Inc.:

Schaefer Systems International, Inc. provides storage, materials handling, robotic, warehouse management software, and autonomous driverless solutions to businesses throughout North America. Schaefer Systems International, Inc. consults, designs, and manufactures innovative intralogistics storage and picking solutions for all types of industries. Schaefer Systems International, Inc. is part of the SSI SCHAEFER Group, a global leader in logistics and materials handling, which was founded in 1937 with offices in over 70 countries, 7 manufacturing facilities, and employees over 9,000. For more information, visit www.ssi-schaefer.com.   

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A-Frame – Fully Automated Accelerated Error-Free Picking for Fast-Moving Pharmaceuticals

Supply quality and first-class on-site services are crucial if retail pharmacies are to survive in the face of online competition. Therefore, the role of pharmaceutical wholesalers is also significant – they need to ensure not only high product availability but also the fastest possible delivery. The company in this example has tailored its fulfillment concept precisely to these demands and implemented it with state-of-the-art technology from its long-term intralogistics partner SSI Schaefer. The latest highlight is the installed A-Frame with integrated product verification. This highly efficient, fully automated picking system provides up to 40,000 drug packages per hour during peak times on an order-by-order basis while meeting the high standards of the pharmaceutical industry.

With a collaboration dating back over 20 years, this full-service pharmaceutical supplier has equipped all its distribution warehouses with high-performance technology from SSI Schaefer. This was implemented, in part, through retrofit, conversion, and expansion projects without impacting ongoing operations. The spectrum of installations ranges from manual to fully automated warehouse and picking solutions, including tailored logistics software from the WAMAS portfolio. The SSI Schaefer Customer Service & Support includes on-site technical support as needed, alongside training and remote support.

Directly integrated and suitable for various packaging

Through the implementation of the A-Frame, the partners have once again strengthened a shared commitment by implementing automation. The picking system was integrated directly into the existing structures and has proven to be ideal for picking small, fast-moving packing units since it was commissioned in the second half of 2022. Example contents include headache pills, nasal sprays, and adhesive bandages. A key feature of the A-Frame is the product channels, which allow flexible configuration and are the conduit for software-controlled, error-free output for various packaging sizes, whether cylindrical or rectangular, in just seconds. The items are ejected from the A-Frame onto the conveyor belt, where special sections are each assigned to one order, and then move directly through the filling point into the order bins. The entire process takes just 60 seconds.

High-performance automatic picking system for order fulfillment

The technical performance that can be achieved – up to 40,000 products per hour – is also based on the solution approach of decoupling the picking and refilling processes. Employees refill the A-Frames during lower-load periods. The system then performs fully automated picking, accelerating processing and accommodating the zero-defect strategy. This reduces the staff’s workload so they can be assigned other productive work within the distribution center, which optimizes resources. Thus, the A-Frame ensures fast processing – even for complex jobs and during load peaks. If sustained growth continues, the modular design of the system allows for an optional expansion and adaptation for new requirements.

Safety, speed, and efficiency as success factors

In addition, the A-Frame boasts a compact design that saves space, achieving especially high storage density on a small amount of floor space. The A-Frame can accommodate the majority of product assortment, comprising well over 120,000 pharmaceutical products. Automation also makes an important contribution to meeting the drug safety requirements associated with zero-defect tolerance and full traceability. But speed is also crucial. Pharmacies often lack sufficient storage space to stock a complete assortment of products, so they rely on on-time delivery of the quantity of drugs ordered. This pharmaceutical wholesaler closes this gap, enables a successful customer experience in the local environment, and strengthens the pharmacies’ competitive position, while permanently reducing its own process costs.

The A-Frame from SSI SCHAEFER is a compact picking system that can also be integrated into existing systems and achieves optimal space utilization through its high product density.

The A-Frame performs fully automatic picking for up to 40,000 products per hour and ejects them onto a collecting belt within seconds on an order-by-order basis.

Employees refill the A-Frame during lower-load periods to keep it stocked for high throughput demands at peak times.

After being ejected onto the collecting belt for each order, the packing units are automatically transferred through a filling point directly to the corresponding order bins.

Swedish Agro Machinery AB, distributor and importer of farming machinery has decided to centralize its spare parts storage system and equip the new warehouse of 3,700 square meters with SSI SCHAEFER’s logistics solutions. Pallet and cantilever racks, shelves and SSI LOGIMAT® Vertical Lift Modules are parts of the solution. The result: a compact warehouse with up to 23,000 different parts and an overnight delivery.

In 2016, Swedish Agro Machinery took over the import of Claas products, a manufacturer of agricultural machinery, to Sweden and Norway. The new updated organizational structure needed a new facility to store spare parts efficiently. They chose to put it in Skåne Skurup, in the middle of one of Sweden's most fertile agricultural areas, also near Denmark and the center of the European continent. The challenge was, that they need to store parts in very different ways due to the various dimensions in the new warehouse. Swedish Agro already had realized some projects with SSI SCHAEFER in the past, so that is why they have been involved as a partner in the project since the very beginning.

“We were looking for one supplier for the overall system. We wanted to partner with the manufacturer to ensure the best quality of the equipment and total control over its production. That is why SSI SCHAEFER was selected as a general contractor for the project.”

Martin Gerdtsson

Spare Parts Manager at Swedish Agro Machinery in Skurup

Martin Gerdtsson

Profession here

Local presence is crucial for Swedish Agro. When an agricultural machine is on service, there should be no disruption, especially during the high season. That is why the company holds 25 workshops in the network with the extra focus on agricultural areas in Skåne, Västra Götaland, Östergötland and Uppland. Swedish Agro's commitment is to deliver the ordered spare parts for the next day if they are not in place locally.

Material flow supported by the new solution

The goods are delivered by trucks, unpacked at the work stations manually, sorted according to type and size and brought to different storage systems. Spare parts for agricultural machinery vary greatly in size, share and weight. It's everything from single bolts to input screws in the ten-meter class.

In fact, Swedish Agro needed ten different ways of storing. This includes long-span and cantilever racks for lying goods and compartments for storing standing moldings. This is very effective as some of the spare parts can be quite large. To utilize also the vertical space optimally, a narrow aisle has been set up with shelves. Smaller spare parts are stored in two SSI LOGIMAT Vertical Lift Modules, which accommodate around 16,000 items.

When goods are needed for an order, they are picked by a forklift or manually by an employee to be packed at the workstations for shipping. All orders received before 3.30 pm are delivered to the service workshops the following morning. This is possible thanks to dense logistics arrangements with overnight deliveries.

“Swedish Agro is loyal to its customers in maintaining quality and promised delivery terms. Our installation has been able to grow and develop with new opportunities, in line with the spare part's expansion. We are very happy to lead this project and support Swedish Agro with a system to perfect their material flow,” concludes Anders Jonasson, Sales Manager at SSI SCHAEFER.

With the new warehouse, Swedish Agro has strengthened their position by securing spare parts availability in the region and optimizing their capacities. Martin Gerdtsson summarizes: “The main reasons why we chose SSI SCHAEFER were that we really felt from the beginning that they already knew our needs through past cooperation and, of course, they had a solution for storing spare parts with a wide range of dimensions.”

Swedish Agro Machinery AB's new central warehouse in Skåne Skurup ensures overnight delivery capability.

The two SSI LOGIMAT® Vertical Lift Modules ensures the ergonomic storage and picking of around 16,000 mostly smaller items.

The narrow-aisle, which is set up with shelves, utilizes the vertical space optimally.

Cantilever racks provide space for storing long and bulky goods.

As general contractor for intralogistics, SSI SCHAEFER provides a new logistics building for Work in Progress Textilhandels GmbH (Carhartt WIP), including a Cuby shuttle system, a compact bin and carton conveying system as well as picking locations with sequencing tower. Furthermore, the existing automated shipping buffer will be extended and connected to the new system technology.

Carhartt WIP supplies 70 of its own retail stores and eleven outlet stores worldwide through an omni-channel strategy from their central logistics center at the company headquarters in Weil am Rhein, Germany. The rapidly growing B2C demand is met by an online shop. In the course of this project, SSI SCHAEFER extends the storage capacity of the Carhartt WIP logistics center and increases the process efficiency of made-to-order production for various distribution channels, thanks to optimized material flows and modern system technology.

SSI SCHAEFER will implement a fully automated 5-aisle Cuby shuttle system with about 35,000 carton storage locations, a pre-zone and a high-speed loop in the add-on building, which exceeds 4,000 m². The dynamic and completely scalable storage system is operated by ten lifts to ensure high performance with a compact design. A potential expansion by three aisles is already considered in the installation layout. To guarantee successful sequencing of source cartons and consistent material supply of the eight connected picking locations, SSI SCHAEFER will install eight sequencing towers with 2 x 23 transfer locations each. An optional expansion by up to four towers for this automation area is already included in the installation layout. The picking locations are equipped with Put to Light technology and integrated into the system concept and material flows.

The new 1.6 km conveying system is set to supply 20 new packing work stations, a semi-automated returns work station and eleven special handling work stations for value-added services (VAS). Additionally, it is connected to the material flows of the already existing system. The existing system will be modified as well: SSI SCHAEFER will extend the 8-aisle miniload by two aisles with 9,800 storage locations. For further process support, SSI SCHAEFER also integrates a wide range of handling systems into the new conveying system, such as automatic carton openers and erectors, tape carton sealers, scanners and label applicators. SSI SCHAEFER implements the warehouse management system WAMAS^® in the WIP logistics center for warehouse management and process control. Material flow structures for B2B shipping remain intact, while SSI SCHAEFER will restructure the material flow for B2C shipping, returns handling and the special handling area (VAS). In doing so, the system technology of B2B shipping is considered and incorporated to a large extent. The go-live date for the entire system is planned for the first quarter of 2020.

SSI SCHAEFER Software has been named as a Challenger in this report for its WAMAS WMS

Neunkirchen (Germany) / Friesach (Austria) - 05 July 2022. SSI SCHAEFER's logistics software has been recognized once again as a Challenger in the 2022 Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems^[1] for its WAMAS WMS.

"We believe that the quality and functional performance of our logistics software WAMAS WMS has been confirmed with our recognition in this ‘Gartner Magic Quadrant’ report," says Steffen Bersch, CEO of the SSI SCHAEFER Group. "With our claim to technology leadership, we are constantly working to offer our customers innovative products and solutions of high quality. This can be seen, for example, in the Enterprise Lab founded on 1 June 2022 in cooperation with Fraunhofer IML as well as in our Software Summit established in May, which will take place annually in the future."

Gartner delivers actionable insights, guidance, and tools that enable faster, smarter decisions and stronger performance on an organization's mission critical capabilities. The Gartner Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems serves as a source of information for supply chain managers on the current state of development of the WMS market and the various vendors and software products.  

With over 1,100 employees in the Software Solutions division, the SSI SCHAEFER Group, with a total of 10,000 employees, is a market partner that is very familiar with the requirements of modern intralogistics, from hardware to software, and translates them into future-proof solutions for its customers. Martin Frischenschlager, Vice President of the Product Line Software at SSI SCHAEFER, explains: "In today's digitalization projects, it is imperative to connect a wide variety of systems with each other and to aggregate data in order to make the abundance of processes manageable and analyzable. We build on innovative software technologies that unleash the full potential through the combination of standardization and flexibility in the respective customer infrastructures."

¹ Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems, Simon Tunstall, Dwight Klappich, Rishabh Narang, 1 June 2022.

Gartner Disclaimer:
GARTNER and MAGIC QUADRANT are registered trademarks and service marks of Gartner, Inc. and/or its affiliates in the U.S. and internationally and are used herein with permission. All rights reserved. Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s Research & Advisory organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

The Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics (IML) has successfully validated SSI SCHAEFER software in the validation of Warehouse Management System (WMS) solutions. With the help of the manufacturer-independent "WMS Online Selection", Fraunhofer IML supports companies in selecting the optimal suitable WMS and provider. The validation signet once again confirms the quality of SSI SCHAEFER software solutions.

The platform warehouse-logistics.com, operated by Fraunhofer IML, has been one of the best-known portals for Warehouse Management Systems worldwide for more than 20 years. Since 2020, the original "WMS Database" has become a cross-system "Logistics IT Database" by adding further logistics IT systems. The functional comparison of more than 90 logistics IT systems, free market studies and publications as well as the full range of consulting services in the field of logistics IT make warehouse-logistics.com a holistic information platform about software for logistics.

WAMAS WMS in the top field

In the run-up to the validation, the experts of "Warehouse Logistics" checked more than 3,700 requirement criteria. The success certifies that the standardized logistics software WAMAS, developed in-house by SSI SCHAEFER, has the highest breadth and depth of functionality as well as proven stability and performance as the cornerstone for seamlessly interlocking processes and highest throughputs in modern, efficiently organized warehouses. The results of the qualification round published in August 2021 can be found online at https://www.warehouse-logistics.com/57/3/11917/news.html.

"The provision of the validation signet and the presence in the logistics IT database of the portal is the confirmation of a renowned and globally recognized authority that our WMS solutions for modern warehouse management demonstrably meet the highest requirements," says Notker Steigerwald, Head of Business Unit Logistics Solutions at SSI SCHAEFER.

SSI SCHAEFER believes, after being recognized in the Gartner® Magic Quadrant™ for Warehouse Management Systems[1] by Gartner, Inc., in July 2021, the validation of WAMAS by the experts of "Warehouse Logistics" is once again an official seal of approval for SSI SCHAEFER's high-performance logistics software.

With more than 1,100 employees in the Software Solutions division, the SSI SCHAEFER Group with a total of 10,500 employees is a market partner that knows the requirements of modern material handling from hardware to software and translates them into sustainable solutions for its cross-industry customers.

[1] Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems, Simon Tunstall, Dwight Klappich, 30 June 2021.

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Koenig & Bauer (AT) GmbH takes a step further towards automation with SSI SCHAEFER and modernizes the Maria Enzersdorf location. The printing press manufacturer commissioned SSI SCHAEFER to supply and install a semi-automated solution with 13 SSI LOGIMAT Vertical Lift Modules for small parts vertical and efficient item picking.

For the last decades, the oldest printing press manufacturer in Austria and part of the Koenig & Bauer group has produced high-quality printing presses for banknotes and securities. Equipped with two small parts warehouses and three Vertical Lift Modules, the previous vertical and picking solution was no longer state-of-the-art. The printing press manufacturer opted for a future-oriented partnership with SSI SCHAEFER to modernize in the long run, even though they had to dismantle the existing system. Together, they developed a new, semi-automated solution. The order includes the supply and installation of 13 new Vertical Lift Modules, type SSI LOGIMAT. With a height of 9.5 m, these lifts provide vertical locations for 27,000 different items. Right from the beginning, the focus was on simplified operation and operator support using the WAMAS® LOGIMAT software and later on also a direct SAP integration with SPS EasyConnect from Status C. Furthermore it was possible to score with understanding of the current processes as well as optimization suggestions and improvement of the current work processes at Koenig & Bauer.

Inefficient work processes that made operators search for items in the old lifts called for a whole new concept. The responsibles at Koenig & Bauer visited an SSI SCHAEFER reference system and were convinced. 

“We gained detailed insight into the technology and the in-house software with corresponding order handling and supporting tools. We were especially impressed by the parallel software-controlled operation of three SSI LOGIMAT machines by one person. The simplified, guided way of picking using the LogiPointer was another aspect in favor of the SSI SCHAEFER solution,” explains Rudolf Vogl, General Manager at Koenig & Bauer.

The 13 new Vertical Lift Modules were erected where the two old small parts warehouses used to be. One of the old warehouses was dismantled in December 2019 to provide space for the installation of the first Vertical Lift Modules. 

“Decisive for the order placement was also the capacity of SSI SCHAEFER to act immediately. Already in the first construction stage, back in 2019, four Vertical Lift Modules were installed. This was particularly important because the process of filling the lifts had to go hand in hand with dismantling the existing system,” explains Ernst Gram, Head of Order Center/Logistics at Koenig & Bauer.

Afterwards, the material stored in the second small parts warehouse will be moved to the new SSI LOGIMAT machines so that the warehouse can be dismantled to make room for the remaining nine Vertical Lift Modules.

“In personal consulting and one-to-one talks as well as with optimization suggestions for the existing vertical solution, we were able offer Koenig & Bauer a customized solution,” resumes Benjamin Mayr, Sales Dynamic Systems at SSI SCHAEFER.

Successful cooperation: (from left to right) Peter Wukitsevits, Area Sales Manager at SSI Schaefer and Ing. Rudolf Vogl, General Manager at Koenig & Bauer.

In order to break logistics paradigms and modify their current supply chain, La Costeña, one of the biggest manufacturers of canned food in Mexico, worked together with SSI SCHAEFER to develop a major logistics solution that aims at increasing storage capacity, picking efficiency and dispatch production.

With about 80% of the company's production currently being carried out in Ecatepec de Morelos, an efficient material flow was called for. In order to achieve this goal, SSI SCHAEFER and La Costeña collaborated to build a unique 6,820 m² logistics center with state-of-the-art technology that Mexico has never seen before. The special feature of the project is the integration of the existing warehouses into the new logistics center, which was perfectly tailored to the customer's needs. An integrated, central picking system will also play an important role in future processes. With the new distribution center, La Costeña will have the desired flexibility and scalability in terms of performance and storage space.

To meet the customer's demands, SSI SCHAEFER creates a 6-aisle channel storage system with a total of 28,332 pallet storage locations. The storage system is made up of two modules which are connected by a pallet conveying system. In each of the modules, three storage-retrieval machines (SRM) type SSI Exyz are used, each of them equipped with a load handling device (LHD) type SSI Orbiter LHD. The SSI Orbiter LHD moves the pallets on the lower levels of the rack system into the multiple-deep channels. In the upper area of the rack aisles, six SSI Lift&Run systems per module, also equipped with SSI Orbiters LHD, are applied. Order pallets ready for dispatch are buffered there.

For optimal material flows, SSI SCHAEFER installs a pallet conveying system with a total length of 1.4 km, 13 vertical lifts to supply two picking levels as well as numerous handling systems, such as automated label applicators, film wrappers and displays indicating loading status. To ensure stable and safe operation, SSI SCHAEFER carried out a very detailed soil analysis, in which the size of the warehouse, the number of employees, the weight of the loads and the fact that the plant is located in a seismic zone were taken into consideration. The results of the analysis were incorporated into the planning of the rack system and thus made a decisive contribution to the plant optimization. The completion of the logistics center is scheduled for 2021.

SSI SCHAEFER has always understood the development and subsequent needs of La Costeña and, for this reason, has offered them the best solution, with the latest technology and a thoroughly innovative project.

As general contractor, SSI SCHAEFER builds a new logistics center for the Mexican food canning manufacturer La Costeña in Ecatepec de Morelos.

From left to right: José Luis Hernández (logistics manager at La Costena), Alfredo del Bosque (logistics director at La Costena), Liliana García (head of automated warehouses at La Costena) and Alberto Romo (project manager at La Costena) in November 2019 in Ecatepec de Morelos/Mexico.

The EDEKA Group Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thüringen expands and automates their regional warehouse in Gochsheim, Germany with SSI SCHAEFER.

From the central warehouse in Gochsheim, EDEKA supplies part of their stores in Northern Bavaria. To guarantee the future of the location, EDEKA decided to complement the existing logistics center with another warehouse complex and thereby opted for automation. The order for implementing the warehouse extension was placed with the intralogistics expert SSI SCHAEFER with a location in Giebelstadt, Germany, close to the EDEKA warehouse in Gochsheim, Lower Franconia, Germany. Next to the existing building, a 4-aisle high-bay warehouse in silo design for double-deep storage of pallets is built. Four energy-efficient storage-retrieval machines, type SSI Exyz, are responsible for storage and retrieval. In addition, SSI SCHAEFER installs a roll container conveying system and a pallet conveying system.

The future high-bay warehouse will primarily accommodate dry goods. EDEKA opted for an automatic high-bay warehouse to create additional storage capacities and achieve the desired performance at peak times as well.

The regional warehouse in Gochsheim receives goods from EDEKA suppliers as well as goods directly from the EDEKA central warehouse. After goods-in, the pallets are transported on a pallet conveying system to the high-bay warehouse (HBW) where the goods are temporarily stored. Each aisle in the HBW is equipped with two picking levels each working according to the tunnel picking concept. The pallets stored temporarily in the high-bay warehouse are supplied to ergonomically optimized picking work stations using gravity roller conveyors. There, the cases are picked manually onto the corresponding roll containers or pallets and transported to goods-out on a special roll container conveying system. If a store requests single-item pallets, these pallets are directly retrieved from the high-bay warehouse and automatically transported to goods-out on a pallet conveying system.

The SSI SCHAEFER logistics software WAMAS® is in charge of warehouse management. The software has been in use at the majority of the EDEKA companies throughout Germany since 2003. The order is complemented by a service and maintenance contract for the location.

Completion and commissioning of the new logistics complex is planned for 2021.

Edeka Gochsheim - The EDEKA Group Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thüringen commissioned SSI SCHAEFER to expand and automate their regional warehouse in Gochsheim, Germany.

SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE, one of Continental Europe’s leading online pharmacies, commissioned SSI SCHAEFER to equip their new logistics center in Sevenum, the Netherlands. The highly automated solution will increase the possible shipping volume to more than 35 million parcels per year and has been designed for zero-error tolerance and 24/7 operations. The investment is in the medium double-digit million range.

SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE currently supplies more than 5 million active customers in Germany, Austria, France, Belgium, Italy, the Netherlands and Switzerland from its existing warehouse in Venlo. The product range includes more than 100,000 over-the-counter and prescription drugs, nutritional supplements as well as beauty and personal care products. The new logistics center will provide the basis for meeting constantly growing demand. “Our customers will have an even wider product range to choose from and will receive the orders even faster,” says Theresa Holler, head pharmacist and COO of SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE.

Challenges mastered through collaboration

In the course of the intralogistics project engineering, SSI SCHAEFER closely cooperated with the online pharmacy and Miebach Consulting. Miebach Consulting’s experts have been working with SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE since 2018; they were responsible for the initial conception/detailed planning as well as the call for tenders and now monitor the implementation. 

“For SSI SCHAEFER, this project is a further important step to extend our business in the healthcare e-commerce sector,” says Klaus Murko, Vice President Healthcare & Cosmetics at SSI SCHAEFER. “SHOP APOTHEKE EUROPE is a top partner to build a successful future together.” 

A maximum of flexibility, sufficient options for future extension and a technical performance matching the demand were the requirements for the new logistics system. “Patient safety comes first, so maximum process security is crucial,” adds Theresa Holler. Ergonomics also played an important role, particularly in the design of the work stations in the incoming goods area where supplied goods are repacked to special bins.

High performance density nailed

The automated small parts warehouse (ASPW) includes the SSI Miniload 1-Mast designed for double-deep storage and the SSI Miniload 2-Mast designed for single-deep storage. Furthermore, an SSI Cuby shuttle system is used as order buffer. Shuttle vehicles supply the storage locations with up to 800 double cycles per aisle per hour. The high-performance shuttle system needs comparatively little space and can be flexibly extended if needed. Modularity combined with efficient use of space and a high picking quantity are the characteristics of the A-Frame. The picking automats enable fast processing of complex orders even at peak times.

In addition, Put to Light work stations and work stations for single order sorting and compiling bulk orders will be installed. The SSI SCHAEFER scope of supply and services also includes a 10 km carton and bin conveying system including a cross belt sorter, a platform extending over 11,000 m², static and pallet racks as well as various handling systems to support shipping preparation. The required bins are also provided by SSI SCHAEFER from a single source. The logistics software WAMAS® coordinates the material flow.

The installation of the intralogistics components was started in spring 2020. The go-live for the entire system is planned for the beginning of 2021.

The leading wholesaler and service provider Galexis AG ensures timely and consistent drug supply of all partners in the Swiss health sector. High-quality, modern intralogistics guarantees high customer satisfaction and successful market presence. In order to be prepared for future requirements, the distribution center in Lausanne-Ecublens is comprehensively expanded. The distribution center in Niederbipp has already been expanded.

Galexis, a company of the Galenica group, is market leader in Switzerland and renders health logistics services throughout the country. The leading wholesaler and service provider in the Swiss health market ensures timely and nationwide drug supply. Galexis operates high-performance distribution centers in Niederbipp and Lausanne-Ecublens to efficiently supply pharmacies, medical practices, drugstores, homes and hospitals.

Successful partnership with SSI SCHAEFER

Back in 2007, SSI SCHAEFER laid the foundation for one of the most modern distribution centers in the Swiss health sector for Galexis in Niederbipp. Instead of costly renovating the warehouses in Bern-Schönbühl and Zürich-Schlieren, Galexis decided to implement a new, state-of-the-art solution together with the intralogistics expert SSI SCHAEFER. In 2016, the storage system was extended by a 3-aisle miniload with 81,500 bin storage locations as well as 65,000 bins to increase the system performance to up to 4,000 bins per hour.

Expanding shipping area in Niederbipp

Recently, the latest expansion at Niederbipp was successfully completed. The existing sprinter shipping area was expanded to a total of four shipping areas. Thanks to this expansion, a capacity of 4,000 bins/hour can be processed in the sprinter shipping area alone. For this purpose, a conveying section was removed and replaced by a high-speed roller switch diverter (RSW). The entire allocation and distribution is controlled automatically and intelligently by the warehouse management software WAMAS®.

New building and capacity expansion in Lausanne

The existing distribution center in Lausanne is currently comprehensively expanded and modernized. The project consists of two phases to be completed between the middle of 2020 and 2022. The distribution center has 4,000 m² of storage surface and enables the processing of 37,000 lines per day.

In the basement, eight picking work stations with new flow, pallet and overstock racks will be installed in addition to the existing system parts. The system will be extended by a second shipping section including a shipping preparation line with Document Drop, Lidding and Inserting and a strapping machine. The increased redundant system design means higher reliability and performance.

To raise storage capacity, three zones with four SSI Carousels each will be implemented on the ground floor. This SSI SCHAEFER technology has also been applied in the distribution center in Niederbipp, where it increases the capacity by 18,000 bins and sustainably supports the supply of Western Switzerland. The SSI Carousels are supplied by ten Goods-in Stations and are connected by several hundred meters of bin conveying system. Also, the basement is supplied from these Goods-in Stations. The used cartons are taken away from the work stations using the integrated used carton belt. Orders are picked at three ergonomic two-level Get and Pick Stations that achieve a picking performance of up to 2,250 lines/hour.

Pallet and cantilever racks round off the modern concept and serve as overstock buffer and pallet picking area for large containers. The new roller container conveying system with lift will transport cross-docking deliveries automatically to the shipping area. For items with increased requirements for storage temperature, a refrigerated area with racks and picking station will be installed. In the overall project, a new version of the warehouse management software WAMAS connected to the SAP EWM of Galexis, is applied.

With the help of the planned expansion, Galexis AG meets the market requirements and commits to the long-term and successful partnership with the intralogistics expert SSI SCHAEFER.

Trend-setting system design for Galexis: In the new distribution center in Lausanne about 37,000 lines per day are processed.

To increase storage capacity, three zones with four SSI Carousels each will be implemented on the ground floor.

SSI SCHAEFER completes rack construction of automated miniload system for bilstein group on time

The steelwork of the new automated miniload system for the spare parts specialist bilstein group in the new logistics center in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, is a crucial milestone for the entire project. In order to ensure that further installations can start as scheduled, SSI SCHAEFER paved the way for a reliable just-in-time installation during the sales and planning phase. The first commissioning took place at the beginning of December 2020 in parallel to the installation, the last parts of the rack structure for the miniload system were approved in the middle of February 2021. At the same time, the general contractor pushed the installation and commissioning of other sub-systems.

The 15-aisle automated miniload system has a capacity to store more than 227,000 containers. The system is the core component of bilstein group’s new logistics center. The leading expert in spare parts for cars and utility vehicles is thus able to guarantee customers the highest degree of availability and delivery capacity in this dynamic sector.

Handover milestone always on the agenda

As a responsible partner in the area of in-house steel rack constructions, SSI SCHAEFER is supporting this project, which due to the tight schedule, is an extremely demanding one. The aim was to install the steel construction of the miniload system successively and make it available to other sub-systems by the middle of February 2021 to be able to start commissioning of storage-retrieval machines, among others:

“We were able to meet this requirement for an implementation on schedule and on budget, as agreed, despite a few Corona-related adversities, “ summarizes Vanessa Henrich, Head of Product Management, Product Line Steelwork High Bay Warehouse, at SSI SCHAEFER.

Clear time and project management

The installation of the steelwork started in August 2020. The rapid construction progress was also the result of intensive preparation at a very early stage. As early as the sales phase, SSI SCHAEFER planned the installation work in close cooperation with the general contractor. The resulting, realistically realizable milestones could therefore be contractually guaranteed to the bilstein group. IPMA certified project managers coordinated further services on site that were rendered by an in-house installation team. As a result, the first important baton could be timely handed over to the installation partner.

In-house grouping of supply chain components

There were slight disruptions at the end of 2020 due to pandemic restrictions. “However, we made up for this delay very quickly in the following weeks, so that we were able to keep our promise to the customer despite new challenges,” explains Vanessa Henrich. “The decisive factor was that SSI SCHAEFER is able to influence almost the entire supply chain, because as a manufacturer we not only bundle our own production, but also all in-house services, from engineering to implementation and quality assurance.” Thanks to this positioning, SSI SCHAEFER is able to keep promises to customers and partners, and ensure a timely implementation. In further steps, SSI SCHAEFER will implement a new mobile rack system, a wide-aisle warehouse and a pallet flow rack in bilstein group’s new logistics center.

The aisle in the automated miniload system has been equipped with a track rail for the storage-retrieval machine and the corresponding fire protection system.

SSI SCHAEFER is providing a reliable foundation for an efficient logistics operation for the spare parts specialist bilstein group, with a steel structure from its own production line to create an automated miniload system and racking installations.

The bilstein group, based in Ennepetal, Germany, is investing in an additional logistics center at its Gelsenkirchen site in order to ensure the global availability of its products and services, both now and in the future. The leading specialist in the independent aftermarket for passenger cars and commercial vehicles is once again counting on the manufacturing expertise of the reliable partner and intralogistics expert, SSI SCHAEFER, for the construction of this in-house steel structure for manual and fully automatic systems.

Equipped for the Future in Dynamic Markets

The bilstein group, now in the seventh generation of family ownership, is headquartered in the town of Ennepetal in the German state of North Rhine-Westphalia and brings together the brands of febi, SWAG, and Blue Print under one roof. The company supplies wholesalers and repair shops with more than 60,000 different spare parts and repair kits, helping to keep drivers of cars and commercial vehicles around the world moving. “Our industry is constantly changing,” says Felix Wortmann, Project Manager at the bilstein group.

“The new structure in Gelsenkirchen will help us to significantly increase our logistics capacities, something which is particularly important as we develop our company to be fit for the future. This second, fully automatic German logistics center will help make us even more customer friendly and enable us to continue to reliably supply our quality products to wholesalers.”

Alongside the high availability of their range of products, another objective of this project was to achieve reliable and rapid order processing using sophisticated technologies. When it came to awarding the contract for the in-house steel structure for the various manually operated racking installations and the fully automated miniload system, the bilstein group once again opted in favor of SSI SCHAEFER, the world’s leading provider of warehouse and logistics systems.

Intralogistics Steel Construction as the Foundation for Efficient Logistics Organization

It has been full steam ahead with the installation work at Gelsenkirchen since August 2020. As intralogistics specialists, SSI SCHAEFER were directly contracted by the bilstein group and are responsible for manufacturing and installing the steel structure for the automated miniload system, a mobile rack system, a wide-aisle warehouse, a pallet flow rack, and a bin conveying system platform. “Manufacturing expertise is extremely important when it comes to steel structures, as these form the basic framework for an efficient intralogistics system,” emphasizes Vanessa Henrich, Head of Product Management, Product Line Steelwork High Bay Warehouse, at SSI SCHAEFER.

“Helping to ensure a project runs smoothly is not just about complying with the relevant standards and legal requirements. When paving the way for future expansions, it’s also important to take additional aspects into account at an early stage, such as optimal usage of the hall space and a high degree of scalability.”

Reliable Partnership

Given the ambitious schedule leading up to commissioning, there was also a need for fast communication. In this situation, SSI SCHAEFER acts a central contact for the large part of the steel structure, supplying all the components required from a single source; having fewer points of contact saves time and costs. “We have worked on projects with SSI SCHAEFER before and have found them to be a strong and reliable partner who think in the long term and work with us as equals,” adds Felix Wortmann. These factors are important, as the ultimate aim is to remain competitive in a dynamic sector.

Keeping One Eye on the Finishing Line: Completion of Steel Construction by mid-2021/Commissioning by mid-2022

So far, the project has not suffered any interruptions to the implementation of the tightly scheduled level plan due to the coronavirus pandemic. Together with the planner and SAP EWM general contractor responsible for the planning, development, and implementation of the overall intralogistics, all the partners are working hand in hand to achieve the goal of starting operations at the new logistics center by mid-2022. As Vanessa Henrich puts it, the steel structure will then act as the foundation or a type of “racetrack” on which the other intralogistics components will later safely and quickly carry out the warehousing and transportation tasks assigned to them, and will help to ensure the bilstein group’s delivery capabilities

Felix Wortmann, overall Project Manager for the new structure for the bilstein group in Gelsenkirchen.

The bilstein group is once again counting on SSI SCHAEFER for the intralogistics steel structure for the new logistics center: “We have worked on projects with SSI SCHAEFER before and have found them to be a strong and reliable partner who think in the long term and work with us as equals,” explains Felix Wortmann, Project Manager for the new structure for the bilstein group.

Steel construction competence for timely finish in Gochsheim, Germany

On target: safely, quickly and efficiently. With these objectives, SSI SCHAEFER, as general contractor, is building the regional warehouse for the EDEKA Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thüringen group in Gochsheim, Germany. Taking this expansive step, the German wholesaler is responding to the continuously growing sales volume and is ensuring a future-proof supply for relevant markets. As early as May 2021, the new, semi-automated logistics complex, with a sophisticated picking area directly integrated into the steel construction, will commence operation. Future-focused planning and a streamlined project management contributed to the successful implementation of the project.

The preparatory civil engineering work started in February 2020. Since then, the 4-aisle high bay warehouse (approx. 100 x 32 x 28 m LxWxH) with more than 10,000 pallet storage locations for single-deep and double-deep storage, has visibly taking shape. The warehouse was built in a cost-optimized silo design and will be primarily used to store dry goods. The 2-level picking area, which SSI SCHAEFER has integrated into the rack lines of the steel structure, is particularly tailored to the requirements of the location. The required pallets are transported directly to the ergonomic work stations, on the respective level, on gravity roller conveyors. This saves time and reduces process costs. The requested goods are taken from the staging areas and handed over to the characteristic EDEKA blue roller charts or pallets intended for store deliveries. There is also the possibility to transport single-item pallets directly to the goods-out area.

Steel construction to support warehouse organization

"The advantages of semi-automation from goods-in to replenishment are the optimization of process efficiency and the elimination of forklift transports for replenishment," explains Dr. Stefan Winter, Project Manager for logistics at EDEKA Handelsgesellschaft Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thüringen mbH. "Furthermore, we increase the number of picking stations on a given footprint with two picking levels and ensure maximize capacity with the high bay warehouse." This is also the result of dedicated, prudent and long-term planning – SSI SCHAEFER has already proven its effectiveness to EDEKA several times. "Every company has their own specific requirements, which means that every intralogistics system is always an individual solution," says Bastian Affholderbach, Sales Engineer at SSI SCHAEFER. "We are therefore guided by the maxim of always being close to our customers from the first contact in order to respond exactly to their wishes and requirements." This is the only way to develop a tailor-made system solution and implement it within an agreed budget and time frame. This basic premise also meets the wholesaler's expectations:

"SSI SCHAEFER supported us with excellent concept planning and cost optimization already in the sales phase," says Dr. Stefan Winter.

“In the construction phase, everything comes from a single source. Here, SSI SCHAEFER stands out with consistently thorough planning and work preparation as well as individual solutions tailored to the local conditions and requirements of the customer,” adds Dietmar Zier, Head of Construction and Technology at EDEKA Handelsgesellschaft Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thüringen mbH.

Professional project planning and implementation

The assembly of the high bay warehouse silos was completed by the end of 2020. Four SSI Exyz storage-retrieval machines were installed in November. Roofs and walls were completed in February 2021. Roller conveyors and the entire steel construction were also completed to schedule, in February 2021. Picking level one was installed at a level of +/- 0 m, level two at a height of 7.5 m. “Thanks to our many years of experience as a full-service provider in the field of intralogistics, we can guarantee adherence to deadlines, even with solutions that are not quite commonplace,” says Marcel Huck, Overall Project Manager at SSI SCHAEFER. “At the same time, our customers benefit from a high level of in-house production, which excludes dependencies on external suppliers.” In addition, an in-house assembly company is responsible for the work at the construction site. Having only one contact person for all sub-systems also convinced Dr. Stefan Winter: “Above all, the interface reduction thanks to the logistics GC and the associated lower coordination effort is advantageous. As a result, the project organization is much more streamlined.”

The project will have been completed within a period of only twelve months: Starting from May 2021, the new EDEKA pallet high bay warehouse in Gochsheim, Germany, which is controlled by the SSI SCHAEFER logistics software WAMAS®, will be successively filled with dry goods. The handover of the turn-key system is scheduled for June 2021. In order to maintain constant system availability for future productive operation, the successful grocery wholesaler also relies on the know-how of SSI SCHAEFER, the intralogistics experts, for service and maintenance.

The renowned US research and advisory company Gartner, Inc., lists SSI SCHAEFER with its software WAMAS® in the "Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems".

Neunkirchen (Germany) / Friesach (Austria) - July 15, 2021. SSI SCHAEFER, the world’s leading provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions, announces that its standardized logistics software WAMAS was included in the Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems [1] by the renowned US research and advisory company Gartner, Inc.

Gartner is the world's leading research and advisory company with 16,000 associates in 100 countries and with revenue of $4.1 billion (2020). Companies in both the public and private sectors rely on Gartner expertise, including 76% of the "Global 500" companies [2]. "A Gartner Magic Quadrant is a culmination of research in a specific market, giving a wide-angle view of the relative positions of the market’s competitors. By applying a graphical treatment and a uniform set of evaluation criteria, a Magic Quadrant helps technology buyers to quickly ascertain how well technology providers are executing their stated visions and how well they are performing against Gartner’s market view". Technology buyers can use a Gartner Magic Quadrant as a first step to understanding the technology providers they might consider for a specific investment opportunity [3].

Gartner recognized SSI SCHAEFER and its WMS WAMAS as a challenger within the Magic Quadrant. For SSI SCHAEFER, once again this distinction underlines the quality and central role of the software within the company's broad material handling product and solutions portfolio.

Steffen Bersch, CEO of SSI SCHAEFER Group, comments: "Software is a key driver of material handling. This recognition supports that our long-term corporate strategy and focus on technology leadership is the correct approach, especially in the area of software. Our actions are consistently led by our goal to optimally supply our customers with high-performance software and efficient and sustainable logistics and material handling solutions."

With more than 1,100 people working in software solutions among a total of 10,500 employees, the SSI SCHAEFER Group is a business partner that is very familiar with the requirements of state-of-the-art material handling from hardware to software. SSI SCHAEFER is also a partner who knows how to translate these requirements into sustainable solutions for its customers. According to the SSI SCHAEFER software experts, a future-proof warehouse management system should be highly standardized, and at the same time be modular and have an open architecture. This allows the software to be seamlessly integrated within various IT landscapes and technologies. WAMAS was developed based on these requirements. It provides a wide range of WMS processes and configurable process variants, with an extended range of functions as well as modularity and standardization. It can be used in manual as well as highly complex, fully automated logistics systems, for customers with either one or more sites. Furthermore, the WAMAS service range includes labor management, flexible presentation of essential KPIs in dashboards and real-time visualization of all material flows and possible errors. This information forms the basis for decisions to achieve the full potential of all material handling systems.

"We are delighted to be recognized in the Magic Quadrant. It shows that we are on the right track with our software strategy and that we can help our customers manage their processes even more efficiently. I would like to sincerely thank my team for making it possible for us to take this step," explains Notker Steigerwald, SVP, Head of Business Unit Logistics Solutions at SSI SCHAEFER,

¹ Gartner, Magic Quadrant for Warehouse Management Systems, Simon Tunstall, Dwight Klappich, 30 June 2021

² The annual report on the strongest and most valuable brands / brandirectory.com

³ Gartner, Magic Quadrant Research Methodology, https://www.gartner.com/en/research/methodologies/magic-quadrants-research

Gartner disclaimer:

Gartner does not endorse any vendor, product or service depicted in its research publications, and does not advise technology users to select only those vendors with the highest ratings or other designation. Gartner research publications consist of the opinions of Gartner’s research organization and should not be construed as statements of fact. Gartner disclaims all warranties, expressed or implied, with respect to this research, including any warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose.

Coop, one of the leading food retailers in Sweden, chose SSI SCHAEFER as their general contractor for intralogistics to provide a cutting-edge, energy-efficient and highly automated logistics solution for their new 77,000 m² distribution center in Eskilstuna, Sweden.

Coop's new distribution center, strategically positioned in the heart of Sweden, will handle the distribution of goods to Coop’s 800+ stores around the country. The majority of the material flow will be processed by two highly automated robotic case picking systems for chilled and ambient products. The result will be a sustainable warehouse that will handle more than 600,000 units per day.

SSI SCHAEFER approached this challenge with the 3D-MATRIX Solution®, a unique system design that will enable Coop to live up to its goals of flexibility and efficiency and at the same time produce store-friendly pallets. This is possible thanks to the award-winning shuttle system by SSI SCHAEFER that supplies both case picking robots and piece picking workstations with goods in a programmable sequence. Together with the integration of robots, Coop will improve its whole supply chain, from the distribution center to transportation and all the way to the stores and their customers' dinner tables.

As Sweden's foremost food retailer and as the winner of “Sweden’s Most Sustainable Retailer”, the new distribution center of Coop will be directly integrated into the nationwide train network, as trains form a major part of Coop’s transportation. This approach leads to fewer road transports and a smaller carbon footprint for Coop. SSI SCHAEFER, as one of the leading global providers of material handling solutions, is an ideal partner for companies that pursue economically viable and future-oriented sustainable goals. Its sustainable approaches, which the company is presenting within the “50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders“ initiative, had been another important criteria for Coop to choose SSI SCHAEFER as long-term partner for this innovative project.

In order to ensure the maintenance of one of the biggest automation solutions in the world, SSI SCHAEFER, together with another partner and the Swedish education system is supporting the creation of a two year degree for automation and robotics technicians, so SSI SCHAEFER playing an active role in encouraging students and learning.

The terminal is being built in Eskilstuna logistics park and is expected to be in full operation during the second half of 2024.

Back in 2017 NorgesGruppen ASA, one of the leading retail groups in Scandinavia, commissioned SSI SCHAEFER to build a new logistics center for its subsidiary company ASKO OSLOFJORD AS (ASKO). 

Knut-Andreas Kran, CEO of ASKO OSLOFJORD AS, comments on the challenges the company experienced at the time: “ASKO anticipated a future capacity problem with only two possible solutions: either to extend the existing building or to relocate. We simply would not be able to keep up with the expected growth in the current location. We also did not want to just build a larger manual warehouse as we see that automation is an investment in the future.”

The new logistics center is designed to handle the highly dynamic storage and picking of groceries from the dry and frozen food’s segments. To achieve this, SSI SCHAEFER is building two high-bay warehouses, and two highly dynamic shuttle warehouses based on the 3D-MATRIX Solution®. Robot technology is also deployed to support automated material flow.

Both, ASKO and SSI SCHAEFER realize the responsibility tied to every large project not only in terms of well-build operations and product quality but also sustainability. Sustainability is building into an absolute must-have for all companies, across all industries. 62% of top management across different sectors believe that one needs a solid sustainability-oriented strategy to survive the competition. Briefly, a sustainable business approach means minding ecological, social, and economic environments and influence on them while organizing your company’s operational activities. (Source: IMD, 2016)

Just like with overall strategy there is no correct answer to sustainability. The best solution depends on the ambitions and stakes of each company. 

Scandinavian way of business: Best practice of ASKO

ASKO has been on the market for more than 150 years promoting and supporting their core values and delivering high-quality and functional products to its customers. The retail company believes that quality should always walk hand in hand with a focus on sustainability. 

Knut-Andreas Kran shares their 3 main sustainability goals: “First of all, we want to be climate neutral and sustainable as a company. We also aim at using 100% renewable energy and fuels for our trucks within 2026. The last but not the least, we want to reduce our energy use by 20%, mainly in the warehouses.”

ASKO is known to be the leading company in the green revolution with a wide range of sustainable initiatives they follow and apply. The ambitious goals come with patience and a plan of actions. ASKO heavily invests in solar panels and land-based windmills, testing multiple options and learning from the experience. Realizing the opportunities and responsibility they have as a large organization, a few years back ASKO launched an environmental engagement initiative for the employee’s private life. They arranged a Climate fund, where an employee can apply for financial support for sustainable activities in their homes or support for travelling to and from work in a climate positive way. The employees can apply for partly sponsoring of an electrical bike, electric car, installing isolation at home or solar panels in their homes. In the last years, this has been an initiative that a lot of the Employees apply for and has led to great results of the engagement.

On the right track: SSI SCHAEFER

The SSI SCHAEFER Group is the world’s leading material handling company. Operating across six continents, SSI SCHAEFER designs, develops and manufactures innovative solutions tailor-made for customers’ needs and challenges. As intralogistics serves as a foundation for companies operating in various sectors, for those companies being green starts right there.

Intralogistics works with a wide spectrum of areas and therefore can introduce sustainability in many different ways. Therefore, SSI SCHAEFER is offering and providing an extensive range of economical and resource-friendly solutions, based on innovative technology. For example, containers made from recyclable materials, energy-saving equipment like SSI Exyz storage-retrieval machine and even software build to control and monitor operations with optimal energy use. The storage-retrieval machines are extremely compact in design. In combination with an optimized control system, this significantly reduces the space required: compared to conventional high-bay warehouses, an installation space saving of up to 5% can be achieved. That is many cubic meters that do not need to be built, heated, or air-conditioned. In addition to the space savings, the control pendants are also characterized by high energy efficiency, as the counterweights integrated into the mast significantly reduce the energy requirement in the hoist compared to any energy recovery gains. SSI SCHAEFER realizes how crucial it is to consider every possible option to save, preserve and optimize – in terms of automation, costs, and sustainability.

“We want to be responsible in the way we interact with the environment. Our goal for the future is not to consume more natural resources than supplied in the natural cycle.” – comments Johannes Zimmermann, Director Construction Management at SSI SCHAEFER.

Being responsible also means to never lose focus and keep working for better and greener solutions. To do more, in 2020 SSI SCHAEFER was the first material handling company to join 50 Sustainability and Climate Leaders initiative. The initiative is targeted to form the international businesses willing and aiming at fighting against climate change and to meeting the United Nations 17 Sustainable Development Goals (UNSDG).

It is a match! How did the partnership start?

“It is important for us that a supplier complies with all the regulations. We need to know that they follow the same sustainability goals as we do. First, we ask whether they have a sustainability-oriented program. If the answer is yes, then we can have a further discussion,” comments Knut-Andreas Kran.

This position is not unusual for the Nordic region and is getting more attention across different sectors opening various possibilities for companies to contribute to long-term, future-proof, and sustainable values. It was SSI SCHAEFER’s determination for conducting greener business to strongly play in favor of choosing them as a general contractor. For ASKO with their ambitious sustainability goals and a heavy focus on climate neutrality, SSI SCHAEFER was a match.

A foundation for any business model: A new regional logistics distribution center for ASKO

As a general contractor, SSI SCHAEFER is responsible for developing the logistics concept, the design planning, and the construction of the turn-key installation for the retail company ASKO. The overall project includes a comprehensive infrastructure with material flow management, visualization, and a warehouse management system.

The highly automated distribution center is located at Sande, approximately 60 km south of Oslo, Norway, and is split into two different temperature zones: ambient and frozen with 28,700 overall pallet storage locations, highly efficient cross-dock and consolidation areas.

The frozen area incorporates a two-aisle high-bay warehouse (HBW) with SSI Exyz type storage-retrieval machines. The HBW in the frozen area is dedicated for double-deep storage at -28 °C at 3,696 storage locations. With the focus on sustainability, new technology development and client’s increased requirements SSI SCHAEFER decided to change initially picked SSI Miniload Cranes with 84 SSI Flexi shuttles in the frozen area as they were a better fit for the role. After manual depalletizing SSI Flexi shuttles are responsible for storage and retrieval of containers from shelves.

The ambient area incorporates a high-bay warehouse with eight SSI Exyz type storage-retrieval machines as well as a 90,000 locations SSI Navette system with 64 multi-level shuttles for small load carriers and 80 lifts ensures processes are as efficient as possible. The depalletizing required to store the goods in the highly dynamic shuttle warehouse will be fully automated and carried out by two robots. The design of both shuttle warehouses - in the frozen as well as in the ambient area - are based on the 3D-MATRIX Solution®, that enables storage, buffering, and sequencing in one system. This allows cases that were previously put into temporary storage to be handed over to the palletizing robots in an exact sequence.

With the number of different functional areas on the premises, a wide range of pallet and bin conveying systems link them to each other and to the 6-level shipping buffer. The material flow between the areas as well and stock and order management is coordinated by WAMAS®, logistics software from SSI SCHAEFER. Thanks to WAMAS capacity utilization can be tracked and optimized at any time.

Every successful cooperation requires active listening, compromises, and flexibility, especially with the uncertainty businesses faced in 2020. When a company has solid values, like ASKO with its ambitious sustainability goals, a partner should always strive to deliver the most efficient solution. A great example here is the change from SSI Miniload cranes to SSI Flexi shuttles. During the ongoing project, new technology was introduced to the market – SSI Flexi shuttle. The innovative energy supply for the shuttle uses supercapacitors to ensure the highest energy efficiency. It was anticipated to serve better for ASKO’s needs and provide a highly sustainable solution for the frozen products zone. Therefore, in no time it was offered to the client and accepted in the project scope. 

The project is expected to be fully completed in 2021.

Recent events taught business community that agility is one of the most demanded skills of any survival kit. Being flexible in your offering, terms and conditions, and almost every single aspect of your operations is simply a new normal and not an extra effort anymore. Realizing this, SSI SCHAEFER strives to keep a high level of flexibility in their work. Therefore, future system extensions are already included in the initial layout so that the system can adapt to market requirements immediately and easily. It served well for the current project with ASKO.

Sustainability is the hottest topic in any boardroom. It is not the question of whether to join or stall but the way that will work for the company better in terms of ROI and future-proof products and solutions. It is about forming long-term partnerships without compromises where it matters the most. Like ASKO choosing SSI SCHAEFER as a general contractor for their focus on recyclable materials, green technology, and ergonomic approach in layout design. 
 

SSI SCHAEFER is proud to have partnered with Coca-Cola Amatil to deliver their automated state-of-the-art facility featured in a series of recent corporate videos, released by Coca-Cola Amatil, one of the largest bottlers and distributors of beverages in the Asia Pacific region.

Video: „Innovation and Automation.“ A world-class brand and world-class automation.

Following an open request for tenders by Coca-Cola Amatil, SSI SCHAEFER‘s recommended solution was selected for the state-of-the-art 30,000m² distribution center in Brisbane, Australia.  Working closely with Coca-Cola Amatil and backed by SSI SCHAEFER’s extensive experience in mixed case robotic palletizing, a concept was created which matched Coca-Cola Amatil‘s priorities for the site of having a flexible, agile and accurate system that supported the delivery profile of their business as well as the storage capacity and necessary throughput.  Providing a system that met the proud safety culture of Coca-Cola Amatil was also a priority.  The concept integrated both case picking with bulk storage and delivers a very flexible system, with both high utilization and availability, picking more than 2.5 million cases annually. 

Anthony Lee Project Manager Major Works for Coca-Cola Amatil

“I think SSI SCHAEFER were very collaborative as we moved through the design.  They brought a lot of their expertise that they gained from around the world in helping us develop this facility. “

Storage density with high throughput

The SSI SCHAEFER design features their unique SSI Lift&Run technology which provides high storage density at the same time as high throughput.  The SSI Lift&Run High Bay Warehouse (HBW) receives full pallets via an airbridge directly from the adjacent bottling plant. The system provides for the automatic storage and retrieval of more than 30,000 pallets over 7 levels and includes 12 SSI Lift&Run cranes in 4 aisles and an extensive pallet conveyor system with multiple pallet lifts.

Agile and accurate system

Adjacent to the SSI Lift&Run High Bay Warehouse, SSI SCHAEFER installed an Automatic Case Picking (ACP) system.  The proximity and direct link to the HBW enables automatic pallet replenishment direct from the HBW.   Full pallets are conveyed to the ACP from the Automated Storage and Retrieval System (ASRS) where they are automatically delayered by a depalletizing robot, case wheeler and Intralox case singulation.  The individual cases are then stored directly in a 3-aisle SSI Cuby trayless shuttle case buffer system.   

Increased safety

Required cases are sequenced out of the SSI Cuby case buffer to one of three robots for automatic palletizing.  The robot palletizes the fastest moving top 30 SKUs for Coca-Cola Amatil’s route trade, picking over 2.5 million cases annually. 

Tom Scheibling, Supply Chain for Coca-Cola Amatil

“50% of our manual handling tasks have been automated in this site which ultimately means less manual handling injuries and less risk to manual handling, driven by the automation.“ 

Emily Smeed, Inventory Manager for Coca-Cola Amatil

“It removes the need for a lot of forklift interaction; it removes the need for any manual handling.  The more we are putting into the automation the less we are having to expose to our employees on the floor.“

Flexible system supporting their business model

All components are controlled by SSI SCHAEFER’s WAMAS® Warehouse Control System which interfaces directly to Coca-Cola Amatil’s SAP host EWM system.  This includes SSI SCHAEFER’s world leading SCHAEFER Pack Pattern Generator (SPPG) module, which is responsible for building stable and dense pallets. 

Ensuring best system performance

A key aspect to ensuring the best performance of the system is the SSI Resident Maintenance® team who not only maintain the equipment in direct consultation with their Coca-Cola Amatil partners, but also continue to optimize and improve reliability and throughput.  Through SSI SCHAEFER’s Computerized Maintenance Management System (CMMS), all actions by the maintenance team are captured and logged using handheld terminals, building up a database of root causes for all stoppages which feeds into collaborative continuous improvement actions for the maintenance and operations teams. 

The design provided Coca-Cola Amatil with a compact yet resilient automated storage solution which allowed it to meet its goal of implementing a new warehouse on the production site, with an airbridge conveyor link directly from production.  The solution met all of Coca-Cola Amatil’s requirements in terms of storage, throughput, expandability and redundancy.

Anthony Lee, Project Manager Major Works for Coca-Cola Amatil said

“SSI SCHAEFER were really committed to making sure the facility worked, and ultimately we have produced a facility that has some of the highest utilization and availability that I have seen anywhere.“