Article assortment across a wide temperature range

Solutions will be used in the new 516,685 square foot logistics center located in the Saxon Berbersdorf. The plant, located at the A4, will supply 520 EDEKA markets with more than 12,000 different articles out of assortments of dry goods, perishable goods, gourmet food, meat, fruits, vegetables, and frozen goods. Ramp-up will be in different steps and is planned to start in summer 2014. It will be completed by the first quarter of 2015.

WITRON's OPM (dry goods assortment), DPS (dry goods assortment / meat), ETP (gourmet food / frozen goods), and CPS (gourmet food / fruits + vegetables) solutions will enable EDEKA to pick up to 378,000 cases onto pallets, roll containers, insulated containers, or totes on a peak day.

All workplaces in the entire material flow process were designed according to the latest ergonomic standards.

Based on the implemented WITRON technology, all processes within the entire supply chain of the logistics centre will be logically and physically integrated. This includes not only the actual storage and picking, but also the upstream and downstream processes like receiving, replenishment, empty pallet handling, and the shipping process. The consequence for EDEKA: high transparency, lowest error rates, and optimisation with regards to service and logistics costs.

For example, the management of empty pallets, roll containers, and insulated containers is integrated into the receiving process from a conveyor system point of view - starting with receipt and withdrawal, to the timed re-provision in the respective picking area - efficiently controlled by means of a mechanised empties buffer.

Following the storage and picking process, an automated dispatch buffer will organise and optimise the entire shipping process. The dispatch buffer is divided into different temperature zones. It stores and sorts order pallets, roll containers, and insulated containers, and transports those in a consolidated manner and in mixed mode via dispatch lanes to the dispatch gates. This is done using the shortest route, store friendly and just-in-time for truck loading.

With the EDEKA corporate group Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thueringen, whose revenue amounted to 3 billion Euros in 2012 and some 25,000 employees, five EDEKA regional companies have now opted for WITRON solutions. Besides EDEKA Nordbayern-Sachsen-Thueringen, EDEKA Minden (Neuenkruge), EDEKA Rhein-Ruhr (Hamm, Moers, Meckenheim), EDEKA Suedbayern (Landsberg am Lech), and EDEKA Nord (Zarrentin) have already selected WITRON technology for their distribution centres.