SHANGHAI, July 16 /PRNewswire-Asia/ -- In the southern German city of Hilpoltstein, a distribution centre planned and implemented by Jungheinrich has paved the way for more efficient logistical processes at the Keller & Kalmbach company.
(Photo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2009/07/16/200907161038.jpg )
This year Jungheinrich successfully completed one of its biggest logistics projects to date. Its conception, planning and erection of a new logistics centre for Keller & Kalmbach GmbH has set a new industry standard for integral logistical solutions. "The successful implementation of this extremely complex project is a further milestone for our logistics systems division," explains Richard Brandstetter, Head of Logistics Systems at Jungheinrich.
The Hamburg-based enterprise won the bid in November 2007 to erect a new distribution centre in Hilpoltstein, located just south of Nuremberg. Designed to support all logistical processes at Keller & Kalmbach, the buildings and systems were erected on a 44,000-square metre land parcel adjacent to the A9 motorway. For the client, a wholesale enterprise for screws and tools, the commissioning of the logistics centre likewise represented "the most ambitious construction project in our company's history", according to Dr. Ingomar Schubert, Head of Supply Chain Management at Keller & Kalmbach.
The new distribution centre includes a pallet rack warehouse with 35,000 storage slots, an automated small parts warehouse with storage slots for 164,000 boxes, an automated small parts warehouse for 8,000 trays and an order picking area designed to get the goods out fast. All order picking places were set up to support order picking from pallets as well as from boxes and trays. "Thanks to this multi-faceted system, the customer will be able to achieve the desired flexibility in deploying his staff members," reports Dr. Stefan Seemüller, Head of Automatic Systems in the Jungheinrich logistic systems division. The Jungheinrich Warehouse Management System (WMS) is being used to manage all storage areas.
Success assured through perfect coordination
Apart from bringing in the high-rack storage and retrieval units with a 300-tonne mobile crane which had a hook clearance of over 80 metres, the project's biggest challenge involved above all adhering to the tight implementation schedule.
The project was implemented in less than 18 months from the time the contract was awarded. "Being able to stick to the time plan for a project of this size is genuinely noteworthy," comments Carsten Dickes, Head of Automatic Systems Implementation at Jungheinrich, citing the preparation of the construction site as a prime example of the close cooperation with Keller & Kalmbach: "Without the customer's professional preparation of the site, it would have been difficult to deploy the necessary trucks there," he reports.
Jungheinrich solutions: Tailor-made, from manual to fully automatic
Jungheinrich has considerably expanded its logistics systems division over the last few years. The company's focus is on tailored solutions, from manual warehousing systems deploying the Warehouse Management System and wireless communications to fully automated warehouse systems deploying high-rack storage and retrieval units and materials handling technology - or a combination of the two. Jungheinrich provides complete customer support - from the initial consultation, planning and project management to system integration and after-sales service during ongoing operations.
Keller & Kalmbach represents one of Germany's leading wholesalers for fasteners, screws, fastening technology and dowels along with special parts, hand tools, power tools and lifts. The company also manufactures work safety and factory equipment products as well as chemical-technical products. Keller & Kalmbach is based in Unterschleissheim near Munich.
Jungheinrich is among the leading international companies in the industrial truck, warehousing and materials handling sector. As a producing logistics service provider it offers its customers a comprehensive product range consisting of stackers, rack systems, services and consulting for complete intralogistics. The Jungheinrich share is traded on all German stock exchanges.
