SSI Schaefer automates central warehouse for Rossmann

The chemist chain Rossmann has commissioned SSI Schaefer to automate its central warehouse in their Polish subsidiary in Łódź.

SSI Schaefer will equip a 10-aisle miniload with more than 100,000 bin storage locations operated by Schaefer Miniload Cranes.

In addition, it will install a custom-fit pallet and bin conveying system, introducing 84 ergonomic work station systems and the logistics software WAMAS,

Rossmann’s Polish central warehouse supplies two regional warehouses and over 1,300 shops in Poland. The product range comprises up to 21,000 items, depending on store size.

By installing a second miniload in an existing building and integrate the available material flows, the discount chemist chain is responding to bottlenecks in capacity owing to expansion and growing demand.

The project is intended to enhance the degree of automation in the central warehouse, and to increase process efficiency and performance.

SSI Schaefer will install a pallet conveying system to transport the load carriers from the existing high-bay warehouse to a higher level.

There, the goods will be repacked to storage bins at 28 newly installed ergonomic repacking stations and transported to the miniload on a bin conveying system.

In the miniload, with more than 100,000 bin storage locations, 10 Schaefer Miniload Cranes with a turnover performance of 1,200 bins per hour take care of goods storage. The miniload rack includes 4,960 static and 1,984 dynamic channels.

 They are supplied directly from the miniload and are part of the picking area with the bin conveying system and the 56 connected manual work stations.

Reliable order picking of up to 250,000 lines per day is supported by a Pick by Light system. Once picking has been completed, the newly installed bin conveying system will transfer the target bins to the material flow of the existing system.

The system is completed by the powerful logistics software WAMAS, to control and monitor warehouse operations.

The project will be carried out while the system is in operation – go-live is scheduled for December 2019. Then, up to 18,000 bins will be transported to and from the miniload on the new conveying system.