The storage of pallets was planned using pallet racking. A 3-bay longitudinal storage system on five levels and a maximum storage height of 7.5 m (top edge of stored goods) enabled efficient utilisation of the hall height. In addition, this enabled A.L.S. to implement a cost-effective, fire protection-compliant ceiling sprinkler solution. For the sake of further storage flexibility, three rows of racking were designed for cross storage in order to be able to store pallets with excess length in racking if required. The pallet racks were located a short distance from the packing stations, which in turn were placed close to the truck loading ramps. This arrangement made it possible to keep the transport routes short and efficient.
For the storage of long goods, mainly lighting and medical technology, a cantilever racking system was used, on whose five storage levels articles of different lengths could be stored in a space-efficient manner.

For various goods that could not be stored on shelves, only block storage was considered due to the high weight and to maintain the flexibility of the hall. They were arranged in different blocks in the east of the hall, taking the aisle widths into account. A separate goods entrance and exit gate ensures short transport routes and fast handling.
The jointly developed storage concept was realised according to the planning in the new building project.

Images: A.L.S. Allgemeine Land- und Seespedition GmbH

Der Beitrag Intralogistics Planning of a Warehouse for Long and Heavy Goods for A.L.S. erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

In collaboration with the client, those service providers were selected who were to participate in the tender. The basis for this was an RFI (Request for Information), in which the diverse requirements, the technical key data and the service specifications were summarized. In the subsequent RFQ (Request for Quotation), VCE worked with the customer to define processes, quantities, interfaces, deadlines, time limits, and contact persons. In particular, the requirements due to water-polluting substances had to be taken into account. The final award negotiations and reference visits were prepared and moderated by VCE. After two rounds of negotiations, the most suitable logistics service provider was selected for the client with the support of VCE.

Image: Fotolia (Johnny Lye)

Der Beitrag DC Central Germany erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

The collected requirements were made available to the future service provider and transferred into a holistic logistics concept for all relevant material flows (new shoes, new accessories and seasonal goods). Through continuous synchronisation of the requirements between Kienast, the new service provider for B2B and the existing service provider for B2C, the logistics concept could be further optimised, which resulted in an expansion of the project scope.

Throughout the IT design phase, the future data flow between Kienast and the two logistics service providers (B2B and B2C), including interfaces, was specified and the necessary modifications to the Kienast systems were defined. During this, the requirements for a web-based SCM tool introduced by Kienast in parallel were also worked out in order to support specific customer processes such as QC. The business requirements and the results from the IT design were formally documented and handed over to IT for the elaboration of the technical solutions and the integration into the development.

During the IT development, IT test cases were worked out and the detailed time planning for the implementation phase including testing, relocation of stocks, go-live and ramp-up phase was prepared. Through the joint selection of suitable test goods and the ongoing coordination between the responsible persons of all departments, a successful test phase could be carried out and the seamless branch supply could be ensured – for shoes and accessories. After the go-live, the project conclusion was prepared, and the further optimisation approaches identified during the project were handed over to Kienast.

Image: © Kienast – www.kienast-schuhe.de

Der Beitrag Implementation of the B2B Central Warehouse of Kienast incl. Replenishment Function for B2C at a New Contract Logistics Provider erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

At the start of the project, the intralogistics requirements for the new B2C DC were comprehensively recorded and specified. In addition to data about the order structure, article spectrum, conveying and sorting capability, returns and cross docking share, the quantity and process requirements for all relevant material flows from goods receipt, storage, picking, consolidation, and packaging to shipping were recorded in detail.

Based on the generated requirement specification, suitable alternatives of an intralogistics system for efficient e-commerce fulfilment were then derived. Considering all relevant processes and material flows as well as a suitable degree of automation for the regional distribution centres, the storage, conveyor and sortation technology were selected. These were then dimensioned according to the previously defined load and integrated into an overall technical concept.

The intralogistical conception took place under the condition of feasibility in several expansion stages. Based on the selected technology, the various processes were defined, and the required number of workstations and personnel was determined according to the defined quantity structure. The resulting functional areas and material flows were visualised in the form of block layouts and material flow diagrams.

The alternative intralogistics solution concepts were evaluated based on various criteria such as conveyable and sortable range of articles, space requirements, ergonomics, scalability, complexity and risks. Together with the client, a preferred variant was then derived, which serves as the basis for the downstream tender for the intralogistics systems of the regional DC.

Der Beitrag Design of regional B2C fulfilment centres for Yandex Market erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

At the beginning of the project, a detailed inventory was carried out, in which both the logistical load and the order structure were determined with the help of data evaluations. On-site inspections and expert interviews were also used to gain an understanding of the existing processes, material flows and the technical equipment used in shipping.

In the second work package, the results of the inventory were analyzed and evaluated. By critically questioning the existing processes and technical equipment on the basis of the logistical load, various optimization approaches for the shipping process were developed. Optimizations in the areas of packaging materials, workflows or automation were developed and discussed with the client. Some of the measures were evaluated with the help of a amortization calculation in order to identify the variant with the best cost-benefit ratio.

Der Beitrag Shipping Process optimization to adapt to a dynamic market for Paulmann Licht GmbH erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

In the first subproject, a new signage and marking concept was developed for the truck park. The basis for this was, among other things, changes in the traffic routing as well as an expansion of the truck park. The development of the concept was carried out in cooperation with the office Rücken & Partner and included the work phases 1-3 of the HOAI. The goal was to explicitly define the traffic routing at the truck park. In addition to that in this subproject, variants were developed for cordoning off and releasing parking spaces for freight transport control in accordance with ADR.

In two further subprojects, feasibility studies were carried out on the installation of a parking guidance system to control the trucks and on camera monitoring at the truck park. In both feasibility studies, variants were developed to analysise which technologies could be implemented in the systems. The comparison of the advantages and disadvantages as well as the respective costs of each variant were used by the client to make a decision.

In the fourth subproject, the access control to the truck park was optimized. Since the gate is closed during the night, variants were developed to improve the traffic control to another gate and its perception during these hours as well as variants to prevent trucks from parking in front of the gate at an early stage. Advantages and disadvantages of each variant as well as the respective costs were prepared as a basis for the client to make a decision.

Der Beitrag Planning Traffic Control of a Truck Park erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

In the first step, the current operation was recorded in detail. This included the recording of current wagon movements, the resources used, operating times and operational processes.

In the next step, the development of the wagon volume was determined. The determined wagon volume was then transferred to the developed process representations, resource requirement analyses and hydrographs of track occupancy. In addition, the designed track system was described in detail with regard to railway engineering requirements and essential parameters were identified.

On this basis the railway operational situation was analyzed. Among other things, capacity bottlenecks were identified and the susceptibility to faults and the service quality for the connecting lines were evaluated.

As a result, recommendations for action to solve the problems identified were made. Furthermore, investigations and presentations of possible construction stages for the realization of the new concept were carried out while maintaining the security of supply for the connecting lines during the reconstruction.

This project was carried out in cooperation with the Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics.

Der Beitrag Operation analysis logistics north for the Henkel factory Düsseldorf erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

Der Beitrag Improving efficiency in transport logistics Austrian Post erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

Within the scope of the project preparation, the project objectives were defined, a framework schedule was set and a cost estimate was prepared. The performance descriptions of the trades of the individual specialist planners were drawn up and relevant specialist planners were identified. The project coordination was continued within the framework of the management and control of the specialist planners as well as the continuous planning of funds requirements and outflow.

The project management included not only the supervision of the preliminary and implementation planning of the trades technical installations, traffic systems and digital display technology, but also the preparation and support of the awarding procedures and the subsequent control of the services of the specialist planners in the context of the implementation of the trades mentioned.

In connection with the planning and specification of requirements for the display technology, it was necessary to automate the functionality of the existing fee tables, to ensure the service level for the customers and to integrate the digital display systems into the parking areas and the corporate design of Messe Essen. In the course of this, a requirement specification of the advertising technology was developed and the planning of the advertising locations was implemented.

Der Beitrag Project management for digital parking fee displays – Essen Exhibition Centre / Germany erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.

The control instruments and logistic processes implemented in the logistics concept to regulate the throughput of the traffic volume enable the customer to handle the events efficiently and smoothly. These include access control systems, upstream check-in processes, deposit processes, processes for evening dismantling, etc. Any necessary adjustments to the existing infrastructure were specified.

On the basis of the developed logistics concept, VCE supported RMCC in the selection of a logistics service provider for the operational handling of the developed logistics processes. The trades trade fair logistics and furniture logistics of the logistics concept required for implementation were tendered by VCE in two award procedures in an EU-wide invitation to tender, offers were evaluated and presented to the RMCC as a decision paper.

After the successful award of the services, VCE also supported the RMCC in the implementation and commissioning of the services. In this context, VCE carried out the training of internal and external employees and the introduction of the new logistics concept on site together with the selected service provider.

Der Beitrag Event logistics – Development & commissioning of logistics concept erschien zuerst auf VCE Consulting & Engineering.