Successful Implementation of an Automated KLT Warehouse with AutoStore

EagleBurgmann, the leading international provider of sealing technology and a member of the German Freudenberg Group and the Japanese EKK Group, is optimizing and modernizing its logistics processes at its production site in Eurasburg. ebp-consulting was commissioned more than two years ago to analyze and design the best overall solution for the site.

The goal was to ensure a future-proof and efficient logistics concept with a focus on consolidating and centralizing logistics, as well as implementing the most sensible automation in warehousing and transport. This is intended to optimize material flow, significantly shorten production lead times, and increase flexibility for customers.

By consolidating small, decentralized warehouse areas across multiple buildings and floors at the site, the goal was to gain production space and significantly increase logistics performance through the use of appropriate automation technology. However, the site structure did not allow for a “greenfield solution” in the form of a new warehouse building—thus, a “brownfield solution” had to be implemented within the given structural constraints. In collaboration with EagleBurgmann, ebp-consulting developed and comparatively evaluated a wide variety of concepts, including various building structure modification options, for suitable automated small load carrier technologies. At that point, no specific technical solution had been decided upon—all possible technical variants were to be evaluated independently of the supplier.

The detailed design of the warehouse and the parallel technical tender, actively supported by ebp-consulting, prioritized an AutoStore solution. The AutoStore warehouse, now delivered by Kardex and successfully commissioned, comprises approximately 20,000 bins and is operated by 24 robots. It stores and picks raw parts and semi-finished products for fast and efficient production supply, as well as spare parts.

The successful implementation of the project was celebrated with the official commissioning a few weeks ago as part of a large company event at the site.

Walter Fischer from EagleBurgmann and Marc R. from ebp-consulting