Arla Foods builds a compact storage system
Arla Foods is one of the largest dairy co-operatives worldwide, with a wide product range in milk, cheese, yoghurt, butter, and margarine. Logistical processes in the Danish warehouse in Holstebro were optimised to make best use of the space.
More efficient storage of larger sacks
Only milk protein powder is stored in the roughly 10,000 square metre warehouse belonging to Arla Foods in Holstebro, roughly 300 kilometres north-west of Copenhagen. Production takes place in the Arla dairy plant a few kilometres away. “We deliver the milk protein powder to practically everywhere on the planet”, proudly explains Jens Korbo, warehouse manager at Arla in Holstebro, “except for Australia, New Zealand, and Africa.”
Until the middle of 2012, the milk protein powder packed in sacks of differing sizes were either stored in the block warehouse or in simple drive-in racks. The large sacks, weighing 500 kilograms took up approximately 35 percent of the entire warehouse - so more efficient processes were required.
Multi-depth storage systems save space
The suggested solution specifically for storing five hundredweight sacks was a compact storage system with associated shuttle. The potential of a conventional compact warehouse, i.e. saving space by doing away with aisles, is expanded through the use of shuttle systems. The latter allows for a higher degree of filling, greater throughput, and better use of space.
The system was designed so that every channel can take exactly 13 pallets. Two channels above each other corresponds exactly to a lorry load. On top there is a basic truck (EFG 218) and a shuttle (under pallet carrier, UPC). The dairy co-operative decided on an under pallet carrier, as these are particularly effective with repeated pick-up and dispatch in the same pallet channel.
The UPC is put on the forks of the basic truck and used in the pallet channel during storage. The UPC independently moves beneath the pallet and takes on the goods to be transported without being physically connected to the basic truck. In this case the shuttle independently controls all travel and lifting movements, using sensors to avoid collisions. Meanwhile the operator can pick up another pallet to be stored, position it at the start of the channel and initiate the next item of storage.
Efficient co-operation
Fork lift trucks are part of our complete solution. Several ERE 225 electric pallet trucks carry out stacking and retrieval from the lorry as well as transporting goods into the compact storage system. Due to the fixed platform, they can reach speeds of over twelve kilometres per hour. This means that goods can be transported extremely efficiently.
The EFG 218 electric fork lift truck acts as a basic truck for the UPC and transports the goods from the compact storage system to goods outward. The ergonomically designed workstation ensures relaxed, fatigue-free work. Korbo underlines the validity and value of this promise: “When our drivers feel not only safe, but comfortable on the fork lift trucks, this increases the efficiency of all our processes!”
“Work has been much more efficient here since using the UPC from Jungheinrich!” confirms warehouse employee Elo Kristensen. Korbo adds: “Yes, work is carried out quickly and efficiently here. In addition, the whole system grants us a great deal of flexibility! Overall, what Jungheinrich has managed to do for us here is an excellent solution!“
