The future of intralogistics is digital and at least partially automated. This is because manufacturing companies and retailers are struggling to cope with the significantly increased demands placed on storage and material flow systems for long goods, sheet metal and other flat materials in recent years: an ever-increasing variety of materials, short delivery times and growing cost pressure. This situation is further exacerbated by the increasing shortage of skilled workers: it is becoming increasingly difficult to find suitable employees, particularly in the physically demanding area of order picking. The automation of warehousing and order picking processes promises to overcome these challenges: it allows processes to be accelerated, warehouse capacities to be used more efficiently and more to be achieved with fewer staff.
Automation must suit the company
In large manufacturing and trading companies, fully automated intralogistics systems are now standard in most new buildings. Investing in fully automated warehousing delivers significant efficiency and performance gains and pays for itself quickly.
The situation is different for many manufacturing companies, where warehousing and related processes account for only a relatively small part of value creation. Common drivers for automation are staff shortages, lack of space or safety requirements.
Full automation is rarely necessary here. It is usually more effective to optimise individual warehouse processes or support production through targeted automation – and achieve significant improvements with little effort. Even small solutions, such as individual, automated picking stations, can bring noticeable gains in material efficiency and relieve the burden on employees.
Individual solutions begin with a look at individual requirements
Fehr Lagerlogistik in Winterthur follows this maxim: “Automation can mean many things: it ranges from fully automated high-throughput systems in the metal industry to semi-automated systems in small and medium-sized manufacturing companies to relieve the burden on skilled workers in production. Automated buffer systems upstream of saws, lasers, bending machines, CNC machining centres or other value-adding processes are a useful addition. They enable material to be supplied as needed, decouple individual process steps and compensate for different cycle times. This reduces downtime regardless of staff availability and ensures a stable, consistent production flow,‘ explains Thomas Lehner (photo). ’Our aim is to offer each of these companies the solution that best suits their individual requirements and is therefore optimal in terms of cost-effectiveness and sustainability.”
Developing tailor-made solutions
At Fehr Lagerlogistik, the path to a solution therefore always begins with working with the customer to examine the current warehouse operations and related processes, such as order picking or material supply for production. This holistic view reveals where action is needed and where automation can offer real added value. On this basis, Fehr Lagerlogistik develops tailor-made solutions that increase efficiency, shorten throughput times and ensure the long-term viability of intralogistics.
The spectrum ranges from targeted partial automation of individual processes to the modernisation of existing warehouses and fully automated new buildings. Modular, fully integrated and from a single source, Fehr ensures efficient, reliable and transparent material flows – from material flow analysis, consulting and project planning to implementation, maintenance and service.
Innovative storage solutions from a single source are fehr’s core competence. With renowned Swiss precision and over 65 years of experience, the Winterthur-based company is now the go-to partner for customised storage systems for all industries.
