Better sequenced picked order totes

Expansion includes 8 aisle mini-load warehouse with 95,000 storage locations

Cleaning equipment manufacturer Kärcher plans to extend its logistics centre, which is based in Obersontheim, Germany, by the end of 2012.

At its Obersontheim site, the company operates a logistics centre which required expansion to be able to cope with the growth of the business. Kärcher entrusted Miebach Consulting with the planning and coordination of the extension project including the handling system as well as the material flow control and a visualisation system, which will be installed by the Austrian systems integrator TGW.

Apart from a new pallet storage system, the extended logistics centre will include a 8-aisle automated mini-load warehouse with 95,000 storage locations used to supply a new high-performance picking area. A highly dynamic shuttle system for 5,500 order locations will consolidate and sequence the picked order totes and deliver them to the packing area.

In order to handle the required performance of up to 2,000 storage and retrieval movements per hour, TGW will be installing its Stingray shuttle system. An extensive tote conveyor system with intelligent empty tote management will connect the storage and picking areas with the packing area.

The expansion will go live end of 2012 and enable the company to cover further growth of its business in the future.