Warehouse planning

Optimal material flows in the warehouse are made possible by the appropriate warehouse technology (as well as conveyor and order-picking technology). When planning new warehouses or modernising existing warehouses or logistics centres, the comparative evaluation of different degrees of automation and technology variants is becoming more and more difficult due to the variety of technology solutions and suppliers, among other things. The available technical product portfolio is both highly innovative and highly automated and digitalised.

But which technology is right for you? The problem when selecting the right degree of automation and the right technology is finding the suitable solution for the optimal process with an attractive business case. This is not an easy task for warehouse planners and logistics managers alike. The dimensioning of the storage cube, the determination of performance data and the calculation of investment costs are relevant for a rough analysis and evaluation of the technology variants. Moreover, the layout design and a 3D visualisation are of great importance for an optimal warehouse design. Efficient tools with standardised key figures, visualisation and evaluation methods are very helpful to quickly address this task.

We have a WareHouseDesign tool for this that has proven itself in numerous projects in the planning of new warehouses as well as in the optimisation of existing logistics systems. The most common systems and technical solutions on the market are stored in an extensive database with the relevant parameters and criteria. This means that small parts warehouses, pallet warehouses, shelves, order-picking and conveyor technologies can be planned and comparatively evaluated very quickly. Innovative technology applications for Logistics 4.0, which are offered on the entire market, are the preferred option. This is done from a vendor-neutral perspective and on the basis of extensive experience as a consulting and implementation partner for warehouse and intralogistics applications.

We have the experience for comprehensive, economic solutions in warehouse logistics and build the bridge between the processes and the technology. Selecting the right technology providers from a neutral position is an important matter for us and an additional benefit for our customers.

Growth or modernisation necessitates a new warehouse/logistics centre which should, ideally, be planned and designed according to the particular, individual requirements. The inclusion of highly automated warehousing and picking technology can quickly turn the plan into an investment-heavy project involving exacting demands and making savings potential essential for a positive business case. A modern and attractive solution for reducing or possibly completely avoiding investment costs and nevertheless realising an in-house logistics property is the “sale and lease back” approach. This involves the company incorporating a property it already owns or a new one to be acquired together with the concept for the new construction of the warehouse into a special-purpose company to be established by the company itself. A financing partner and lessor is its principal shareholder, whilst the company planning the new warehouse acquires a limited partnership as the lessee. The warehouse to be established is thus leased for a definite time-frame and can either be reabsorbed as company property after a certain period by means of a so-called access option through dissolution of the special-purpose company or, alternatively, leased further or repurposed for third-party utilisation. This “sale and lease back with access” approach is a very attractive solution, especially given the current interest situation and financing partners’ high degree of readiness to invest, and is one that is encouraging ever more companies to realise a new warehouse.

The possibilities for executing the warehouse construction or reorganisation projects are diverse. From a best-of-breed approach with self-responsibility to overall responsibility of a general contractor: there are various options available. To summarise, the roles are differentiated as follows: The general planer operates with a neutral and independent eye in terms of solutions and providers with a view to the employment of warehouse technology and materials handling and implementation of suitable real estate. The general contractor stands for a turn-key solution and assumes the project risk. However, this involves not insignificant costs and most are no longer quite independent in their conceptual decisions since they are often closely affiliated with various manufacturers of the technology involved.