Automated handling to drive efficiency for cosmetics manufacturer
GERMAN FIRM Beiersdorf AG is building a production centre with STILL set to provide production intralogistics for the site. STILL brought Kion Group sister company Dematic on board. Dematic is supplying a conveyor system for pallets that links all subsystems together.
Automation is considered of decisive importance in the new warehouse, with driverless transport systems, working with manually operated equipment, expected to increase productivity, reduce costs and increase capacities.
STILL has designed an integrated system in close cooperation with Beiersdorf. For goods receipt and dispatch, manual STILL electric forklift trucks and warehouse technology equipment are used. Conveyor technology from Dematic provides the link between the goods-in area and the narrow-aisle warehouse, where six fully automated STILL MX-X iGo systems very narrow-aisle trucks are in operation. In addition, the conveyor system ensures onward transport from the narrow-aisle warehouse to production, where six STILL EXV iGo systems high lift stackers take over the goods. These provide fully automated transport to Beiersdorf's production facilities.
The challenge of the project came from volume and resulting complexity. There are heavy loads in different dimensions, high racks and long distances that have to be covered quickly and safely.
Around 140 metres of conveyor technology are installed and about 25 manual and automated vehicles are used. A large number of different load carriers weighing up to 1,250 kilograms each had to be taken into account and a storage height of up to 12.7 metres in the fully automated VNA narrow-aisle warehouse had to be made possible.
For more information, visit www.still.co.uk
