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Innnes has been on the market for 35 years and grew from a three-man company to the largest food wholesaler for retail and catering. The land for the logistics center was selected mainly for its location – near the harbor. The location helps the incoming goods to reach the warehouse faster and easier as well as shortens the shipping time to the customers. However, the space of the site was limited and needed to be used with maximum optimization. For example, to be able to store and handle its current volumes manually, Innnes would need three times larger warehouse area and more employees.

SSI SCHAEFER delivered an automated storage and handling solution to Innnes, Iceland’s leading wholesaler and importer of high-quality food products. The system has been in operation since the end of 2020 at the wholesaler’s new distribution center in Reykjavik. The new warehouse has three different temperature zones, in which the company’s dry goods, deep-freeze and fresh products are stored. An innovative combination of automated and manual systems ensures transparent flow of goods, high performance, and efficient processes. “We could keep the organization as it was 35 years ago – preserving completely manual operations. We knew that if we did that, we would not be competing. The only way to stay in the competition is to use technologies,” continues Magnús Óli Ólafsson.

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AUTOMATION AS A COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGE

SSI SCHAEFER designed the overall concept for Innnes’ logistics center based on the thorough data analysis and prioritizing the goals the wholesaler had in mind. In addition to an automated high-bay warehouse (HBW) and a miniload system (ASPW), the project also included the SSI Cuby shuttle system, a fully automated storage solution for optimizing space usage for cartons and trays. Pallet and bin conveying systems transport the goods, while the SSI Schaefer’s logistics software, WAMAS® is responsible for warehouse management. The site in Reykjavik has a total area of 15,000 m² for three temperature zones and other core functional stations. Approximately 2,800 m² of this space is used for the picking area of fresh products, and a further 5,600 m² for the picking area for the dry goods line and deep-freeze section. The innovative design has the perfect balance of automated and manual processes. The majority of the automation is implemented for the deep-freeze and ambient zones. The fresh food warehouse is based on the person-to-goods principle and primarily uses manual handling.

“We selected SSI SCHAEFER based on their reputation on the market and received a personalized service from the very beginning. They have been advising us on the layout and technology to select based on our process design. SSI SCHAEFER’s experts have been helping us from day one until now.” Magnús Óli Ólafsson, CEO of Innnes

  • The greatest advantage for the customer is to be able to store all different types of goods in one building.

  • All the three zones for frozen, chilled and dry goods are separated and yet connected to each other to ensure seamless picking and order consolidation handling.

  • Innnes is the only high-tech warehouse in Iceland.

  • The applied concepts not only ensure less manual and heavy workload for the staff but also provide them with the opportunity to work with advanced technologies and diversified scope of tasks

FROM A THREE-MAN COMPANY TO THE LARGEST FOOD WHOLESALER FOR RETAIL AND CATERING

A three-aisle high-bay warehouse for the dry goods line provides 11,300 double-deep storage locations, which are quickly and reliably supplied by three energy-efficient SSI Exyz storage-retrieval machines. In addition, a two-aisle shuttle warehouse enables 20,800 locations for smaller load carriers. Four SSI Cuby lifts and 50 SSI Cuby single-level shuttles transport bins or cartons weighting up to 35 kg. SSI SCHAEFER also installed two palletizing and two depalletizing workstations for fast and efficient incoming goods handling and order consolidation.
After picking is completed and the order is prepared for dispatch, it can be placed back in the high-bay warehouse for buffering before the delivery truck is ready to pick it up. This way the floor space is not taken up by storing the ready pallets.
The design of the deep-freeze zone within the new warehouse is equally impressive. Goods are stored at at -19°C in a two-aisle HBW with 3,600 storage locations for load carriers. 9,700 trays are stored in an automated two-aisle ASPW system. Assembling and dissembling of pallets are completed on two ergonomic workstations designed in line with the ergonomics@work!® concept. The sophisticated workstation solution boosts logical user guidance and built-in error detection.
The concept is designed to ensure maximum process efficiency as well as convenience and better working conditions for the employees

From a three-man company to the largest food wholesaler for retail and catering

A three-aisle high-bay warehouse for the dry goods line provides 11,300 double-deep storage locations, which are quickly and reliably supplied by three energy-efficient SSI Exyz storage-retrieval machines. In addition, a two-aisle shuttle warehouse enables 20,800 locations for smaller load carriers. Four SSI Cuby lifts and 50 SSI Cuby single-level shuttles transport bins or cartons weighting up to 35 kg. SSI SCHAEFER also installed two palletizing and two depalletizing workstations for fast and efficient incoming goods handling and order consolidation.

After picking is completed and the order is prepared for dispatch, it can be placed back in the high-bay warehouse for buffering before the delivery truck is ready to pick it up. This way the floor space is not taken up by storing the ready pallets.

The design of the deep-freeze zone within the new warehouse is equally impressive. Goods are stored at at -19°C in a two-aisle HBW with 3,600 storage locations for load carriers. 9,700 trays are stored in an automated two-aisle ASPW system. Assembling and dissembling of pallets are completed on two ergonomic workstations designed in line with the ergonomics@work!® concept. The sophisticated workstation solution boosts logical user guidance and built-in error detection.

The concept is designed to ensure maximum process efficiency as well as convenience and better working conditions for the employees

SMART CONCEPT IN DETAILS

“We are selling for the whole market in Iceland. We have to be good and we have to be quick because our customers rely on us.”, Magnús Óli Ólafsson, CEO of Innnes