Healthcare as a right and not a privilege
DSV Healthcare had a goal to build a new distribution center (DC) in Meadowview, Sandton, Johannesburg, South Africa. The new center successfully replaced three previous warehouses and dramatically increased the company’s distribution capacity. The establishment of SSI SCHAEFER in the region was regarded by DSV Healthcare as a key factor for commissioning the company with this project. SSI SCHAEFER has been able to exceed the client’s expectations by providing local maintenance as well as a comprehensive and supportive post-sales service.
Scalable Strategy to Process up to 40,000 Order Lines Daily
The high bay warehouse, comprising Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (ASRS), has 10 aisles of pallet racks with approximately 38,400 pallet locations, perfect to process up to 40,000 order lines daily. Pallet handling, pallet storage, full pallet picking, and out-of-aisle full case picking are operated and controlled by the warehouse management system, WAMAS whereby the system is modular, future-proof, and can increase the speed of processing larger volumes of pallets during peak seasons – making them scalable with DSV Healthcare's business growth and expansion plans.
Achieved a 200% Throughput Increase With Automation
A highly automated picking system with 22 SSI Carousel systems combined with pick-to-tote workstations was exactly what DSV Healthcare was looking for to improve the throughput rate for the storage and retrieval of more than 23,040 totes. The system has 11 double-high carousels and 80 load carriers in each one. The seven pick-to-tote workstations allow employees to collect products, pick the required quantity of items, and transfer them to shipping totes with a picking performance of up to 1,000 picks per hour. The goods-to-person workstation also allows for a guided and error-free picking of goods, making it especially suitable for employees who are new to the warehouse operation.
Workstation Ergonomics Design Improved at Decanting Area
Providing the operators with a safe and comfortable environment to work in is equally as important as having a scalable strategy to future-proof the business. The decanting area has six ergonomics workstations, where small orders are transferred for repackaging into the storage totes. The received SKUs are placed directly into the storage totes, which are categorized according to different product groups, such as mixed cartons and dangerous goods. To ensure that the decanting stations are always stocked with the required products, the system allows for replenishments on demand, using pre-sorted pallets from the high-bay warehouse. This ensures that the workers have access to the products needed to keep operations running smoothly without any delays or disruptions. By providing the operators with highly ergonomic workstations, they are able to perform their tasks productively and safely.
