Protection against insects involves precision and detail work – and the same applies to the warehouse and merchandise management of Lämmermann Systeme GmbH & Co KG, supplier of high-quality fly screens and insect protection solutions. The company, based in Schwabach, Franconia, had set itself the goal of significantly expanding its storage capacity and at the same time accelerating the workflow in the warehouse. The Franconians chose the material handling expert Remmert GmbH from Löhne as their project partner. The features offered by the automated honeycomb storage system enables Lämmermann to execute customer orders using time-saving and highly precise methods and to strengthen its own position in the competition.
After more than 17 years of use, it became clear that the previous storage system at Lämmermann had reached its limits when it came to meeting current market requirements. In addition to long access times in the drive-over warehouse, the storage capacity of 280 tonnes was significantly below the space required by the expanded company. At the same time, the planned new warehouse building in Schwabach was intended to expand the available storage capacities to around 2,000 tonnes at around 1,000 storage locations and fundamentally modernise the technical components. In addition, the focus was on faster access times to more than 100 different types of aluminium profiles and the respective picking, direct storage in racks and thus considerable time savings in the workflow. Already at the beginning of the conception phase it was clear that the warehouse structure needed to be changed.
After only a short search for a supplier, Remmert quickly emerged as the supplier of choice. “The chemistry was right from the beginning on”, recalls Alexander Weher, managing director of Lämmermann Systeme GmbH & Co KG. “In addition to the smooth communication from inquiry to completion, we were particularly impressed by the professional competence of our contact persons and their extensive network of third-party suppliers who were recruited to realise the project.”
Tailor-made implementation of customer specifications
“After a close look at the customer’s requirements, it quickly became clear that the desired performance would only be possible with a honeycomb storage system”, explains Frank Baudach, sales manager of DACH at Remmert. The specific characteristics of a honeycomb warehouse make diagonal travel with route-optimised storage and retrieval machines (SRMs) possible, as well as a quick compilation of the required goods. While the picking of parts of an order in the bridge storage system were only able to be carried out one after the other, it is possible to perform this simultaneously in the new system.
Quick changes are carried out using two pulling units and the cartridges remain at the stations after each storage process. All other processes in the warehouse have also been designed for efficiency. The logistics software from Remmert PRO WMS always ensures short routes and no empty runs. In this way, the honeycomb storage system can be used to achieve fast access times and a high throughput – a core requirement for projects of this size.
On the one hand, values based on experience were used when designing the storage structure and, on the other hand, the planned throughput volume was calculated accordingly in order to make optimum use of the available space. In this case in the form of a silo construction with roof and wall supporting scaffolding and a length of around 50 meters, a width of over 20 meters and a height of about 15 meters. Storage and retrieval are carried out by two trolleys for alternating work processes in order to keep the waiting time for the operator as short as possible. The project was completed after only about two years – from project start to commissioning.
Optimally equipped for future growth
The conclusion of those responsible at Lämmermann is accordingly positive. Since its commissioning in April 2018, Lämmermann has been handling a daily throughput of an average of six tonnes via the new storage system. “Together with Remmert, we have achieved everything we set out to do at the beginning and plan to expand our product range in the future. The modular system from Remmert has put us in a secure position for the future as it grows in pace with our requirements”, sums up managing director Alexander Weher.
