Press & News

The long-established mould manufacturer agathon, based in the Ruhr region of Germany, aims to increase the efficiency of its tool warehouse. The company’s relocation to a new site has created space for this fresh start. SSI SCHAEFER is supplying several SSI LOGIMAT® vertical lift modules, which agathon is using to optimize and partially automate order picking. The new storage solution also enables ergonomic handling and maximizes the use of vertical space.

Neunkirchen/Siegerland, Germany, October 16, 2024 – The SSI SCHAEFER Group, a leading global solution provider for all areas of intralogistics, today published its third sustainability report, which underlines the continuity of its activities in this area over the last few years.

The SSI SCHAEFER reference project WFL Millturn Technologies, utilizing the efficient SSI LOGIMAT storage lifts, achieves 2nd place in the materialfluss Product of the Year Award in the "Storage Technology" category. SSI SCHAEFER secures 3rd place with the SSI Piece Picking solution in the Industrial Production Product of the Year Award in the "Robotics" category.

Facing a crisis in the supply of sugar during the First World War, 21 Upper Austrian food wholesalers decided in 1916 to found VOG AG in Linz as a buying association. Further expansion has been and continues to be driven by the fact that the food industry and its regulation is constantly changing. A willingness to evolve and adapt to new market and customer requirements has therefore been an important factor in the company’s success. VOG is respected for its quality control, product safety, and variety, both for own brand and private label goods as well as items in the non-food sector.

Around 3,000 pharmacies, an online platform with more than one million customers per month and over two million items sold per day – the Dr. Max Group is one of Europe’s leading pharmaceutical chains. The company is active in 17 countries and is now continuing their success story: As of February 2024, the new distribution center has been supplying the entire Italian market.

Recognized for its significant contributions to the advancement of intralogistics and automated warehouses, SSI SCHAEFER was awarded the prestigious LogiSYM Awards 2024 as the Best Warehouse Automation Company. The award ceremony, held at the Singapore Expo on May 16, 2024, spotlighted SSI SCHAEFER’s groundbreaking innovation in facilitating Nahdi Medical Company’s construction of IMDAD Distribution Center in Jeddah - the first semi-automated pharmaceutical distribution center in the Middle East.
Bob Gill, Chairman of the LogiSYM Awards Judging Panel, presented the 2024 Best Warehouse Automation Company Award to Carsten Spiegelberg, Managing Director at SSI SCHAEFER for Middle East & Africa (f.l.t.r.).
As SSI SCHAEFER celebrates its 40th year in APAC MEA, the company has received various awards throughout its journey as a testament of its dedication. Delighted to receive the award, Carsten Spiegelberg, Managing Director for the Middle East and Africa at SSI SCHAEFER, said, "It is a great honour to receive this prestigious award, which marks a significant milestone in our 40-year journey of innovation and excellence. This recognition not only underscores our commitment to advancing intralogistics and warehouse automation, but also celebrates our successful partnership with Nahdi Medical Company. This award motivates us to continually push the boundaries of our capabilities to ensure that we consistently deliver exceptional service and innovative solutions to our customers.”
The award not only celebrates SSI SCHAEFER's accomplishments, but also the two-year partnership with Nahdi Medical Company to build the 250,000-square-foot, state-of-the-art facility that has set new standards for the industry. IMDAD Distribution Center is an example of innovation with its semi- automated order fulfilment systems, comprehensive data analytics, real-time inventory tracking and temperature-controlled logistics. Notably, the facility has achieved a 98.5% increase in warehouse efficiency since its inception, significantly increasing capacity and competitive advantage in the region. Its robust infrastructure supports a maximum daily picking capacity of 100,000 items and manages over 5,500 shipping totes, effectively handling the surge in online orders.
Yasir A. Jamal, Chief Supply Chain Officer at Nahdi, remarked, "We are deeply honored to receive this award, which stands as a testament to our unwavering commitment to innovation and excellence as a leading Saudi company in the healthcare industry. This success is due to innovative and industry leading strategic core capabilities, which include technical capabilities and robust supply chain management, supported by our dedicated team and valued partners, including SSI SCHAEFER, which has been instrumental, from design to implementation and beyond, ensuring not only the efficient handling of quantities but also the highest quality of service we deliver to our Guests, adding beats to their lives."
Now in its 6th year, the LogiSYM Awards recognize outstanding achievements within the supply chain and logistics industry. The rigorous selection process, managed by an 11-person judging panel, involves evaluating nominees based on their innovation, productivity, efficiency benefits, and contributions to safety and ergonomics. SSI SCHAEFER’s triumph in this competitive category underscores its longstanding commitment to expanding the frontiers of warehouse automation.

SSI SCHAEFER, a global leader in intralogistics and automated warehouses, today announced its partnership with the Taiwan-based logistics property developer Ally Logistic Property (ALP) to deliver the core infrastructure at the heart of ALP's upcoming OMEGA 1 Bukit Raja — a smart warehouse with automation built in, featuring a high quality self-supported high-bay indoor racking system.

The innovative SSI Piece Picking solution, for efficient fully automated single-piece picking, impressed at this year’s IFOY Award (International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year Award), securing first place in the “Stationary Robots” category. The coveted IFOY Award was formally presented during the IFOY Award Night on June 14, 2024, at the Congress Center Baden near Vienna.

In day-to-day logistics, companies are confronted with numerous challenges to which they must respond quickly and efficiently to avoid additional costs. The services of the recently founded innovation start-up SupplyBrain, part of the SSI SCHAEFER Group, strike a chord with countless logistics companies. SupplyBrain provides data-based software solutions that complement the company’s logistics software to optimize the core areas of the supply chain, increase efficiency and reduce operating costs.

Nahdi Medical Company, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia's largest pharmaceutical retail chain, in cooperation with SSI SCHAEFER, the world’s leading provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions, announced the implementation of the country’s first world-class pharmaceutical system in March 2022.

Fluctuating demand and a shortage of skilled workers pose mounting challenges for many companies. In order to translate multi-layered requirements into efficient logistics structures, companies need flexible logistics systems that work together perfectly. SSI SCHAEFER offers a solution in the form of an intelligent combination of space-saving pallet channel storage with an SSI Orbiter channel shuttle and automated guided vehicles (AGV) – a solution that also provides a gradual entry into automation.

In just six months, SSI SCHAEFER was able to automate the existing mobile racking system at Ostendorf in Emstek using automated guided vehicles (AGV) and its WAMAS® intralogistics software. Right after the go-live in the middle of 2021, the positive impact of this partially automated logistics solution was clear and quantifiable: it ensures transparent, error-free processes and makes the material flow resource-independent – and thus more efficient – in three-shift operations.

SSI SCHAEFER now supplies spare parts even faster – all from a single source

With a state-of-the-art warehouse in Hranice, Czech Republic, SSI SCHAEFER has reached a major milestone in its spare parts service. Christian Puntigam, Head of Parts Service Line, and Radek Němec, Team Leader for Spare Part Management, Hranice, followed the project from the initial idea all the way to implementation. In this interview, they describe how they achieved a whole new level of efficiency by optimizing the existing warehouse – and why, despite great success, their work is still far from done.

How can warehouses and material flows be optimized to work more efficiently? What role do new technologies play? And how can the systems used be flexibly adapted to changing requirements? SSI SCHAEFER will provide answers to these questions with its trade fair appearance at LogiMAT 2024 in Stuttgart (March 19 - 21, 2024). Under the motto «Shaping the Future of Intralogistics», SSI SCHAEFER will present itself as a partner for future-proof intralogistics for both small companies and large corporations.

In an effort to expand its logistics capacity and deploy efficient logistics management and technological innovations throughout the company, Desigual, an international fashion company based in Barcelona, has once again trusted SSI SCHAEFER.To centralize operations at its distribution center in Viladecans, Spain, Desigual is replacing a traditional pallet rack for overstock with a new area equipped with 24 RackBots from SSI SCHAEFER’s range of SSI Mobile Robots.

The SSI SCHAEFER Group, a German family-owned company established more than 85 years ago and a leading international solution provider for all segments of the intralogistics industry, reported an increase in revenues to EUR 1.87 billion (+3.2%) for the financial year 2023, according to preliminary figures. The Group benefited from major project acceptances in the Logistics Solutions and Customer Services business units, which offset the decline in Products & Equipment revenue.

The WAMAS warehouse management system from the intralogistics specialist SSI SCHAEFER will be used to efficiently manage V-Markt's wide range of products in the future. The new WMS solution not only meets current requirements, but also represents a forward-looking investment. The order was placed at the end of 2023, with a planned project start in March 2024 and a planned project acceptance in the first quarter of 2025.

SSI SCHAEFER is presenting new software especially for stand-alone operation of the SSI LOGIMAT Vertical Lift Module. LOGIONE is a simple and intuitive storage location and article management system. The self-explanatory user interfaces support the operators and eliminate the need for time-consuming training. LOGIONE is now available for users to download free of charge from the intralogistics expert's website.

Mauro Lunardelli takes over from Notker Steigerwald. Mauro Lunardelli has been appointed as the new Head of SSI SCHAEFER Group's Business Unit Logistics Solutions. The highly experienced manager with Swiss and Italian citizenship has been with the company for 24 years and most recently served as Managing Director of SSI SCHAEFER Switzerland since 2019.

SSI SCHAEFER Group, a leading global solution provider for all areas of intralogistics, today published its second sustainability report. The report documents the company's progress in 2022 towards a more sustainable future. Activities focused on implementing measures that were defined in the sustainability strategy developed back in 2021. The sustainability strategy takes equal account of ecological, social and economic aspects.

In 1972, Rossmann made history with the first drugstore in Germany. Today, Dirk Rossmann AG operates all over Europe, enjoying a large presence in Hungary, with over 250 stores. Not only is it represented by its stores, but also by being a successful e-commerce brand. Thanks to their vast array of products and fast delivery, Rossmann has already been honored with the “Superbrand Award” several times. The company continues to grow rapidly and in order to cope with increasing demand and ensure the satisfaction of all customers in the future, the logistics must grow with them.

Neunkirchen, 07 December 2023 - SSI SCHAEFER, a leading global solution provider for all areas of intralogistics, has announced the publication of its updated main catalog with a new design.

The renowned Fraunhofer Institute for Material Flow and Logistics has successfully validated the SSI SCHAEFER software WAMAS WMS (Warehouse Management System). With the help of the vendor-independent »Logistics IT Online Selection«, Fraunhofer IML supports companies in selecting the most suitable WMS and provider. With the validation signet, the quality of SSI SCHAEFER software solutions is now confirmed once again.

SSI SCHAEFER is honored as a finalist in the "Conveyor Technology" category with the Boohoo Sheffield reference project and the SSI Carrier pouch sorter integrated into it.

Effective October 15, 2023, Peter Edelmann has been appointed as the new CEO of leading intralogistics company SSI SCHAEFER. In this role, Peter Edelmann takes over from Steffen Bersch, who has led the company for the past three and a half years. As a further member of the two-member Group Executive Board, Olaf Hedden has been appointed CFO. He will also take over on October 15, 2023, succeeding Bruno Krauss.

The Lesage Prestige family business, specializing in exceptional meats and delicatessen products, entrusts SSI SCHAEFER, a leading provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions, with the reorganization and optimization of its order preparation. Their current facility in Chemy, France, enables them to deliver meat parcels within 24 to 48 hours. Following strong business growth Lesage chose SSI SCHAEFER to rethink their order picking activity by integrating a fleet of RackBot from the spectrum of SSI Mobile Robots in combination with PR 600 racking systems.

Every year, Black Friday heralds the global peak season in retailing. However, the days of this sales campaign, with lots of discounts, being limited to only the Friday after Thanksgiving, and even to selected products or product groups, are very much over. More and more frequently, vendors are expanding their sales tactics and discount battles over an entire Black Week and seamlessly transitioning into the hot final phase of Christmas trade with Cyber Monday and other offers.

For the first time, the readers of the German trade magazine INDUSTRIAL Production selected the Products of the Year 2023. In the category 'Handling, Assembly and Production', the semi-automated workstation Advanced Pick Station one-level from SSI SCHAEFER convinced and took the 2nd place. With this system, heavy and fragile items can be picked ergonomically. During the award ceremony on March 30, 2023 at Weka Business Medien in Haar, the winners were announced.

The SSI SCHAEFER Group reported an order intake of EUR 1.74 billion (-12.2%) for the fiscal year 2022, according to preliminary figures. The decline is mainly due to the fact that major projects in the Group’s largest business unit, Logistics Solutions, were postponed to 2023 and 2024, as several customers recorded low order intake due to the economic impact of the war in Ukraine and increased material prices.

At the end of January 2023, it was announced that the SSI SCHAEFER Group and DS AUTOMOTION GmbH, a leading provider of mobile robotics (AGV - Automated Guided Vehicles and AMR - Autonomous Mobile Robots) headquartered in Linz, signed an agreement under which SSI SCHAEFER will acquire all shares in DS AUTOMOTION GmbH. The acquisition of the remaining shares was successfully completed and came into effect on March 1, 2023, following completion of the review by the Austrian Federal Competition Authority.

SSI SCHAEFER is launching a fully automated piece picking system with numerous innovative features – the SSI Piece Picking application. This versatile solution, which includes a dedicated smart software, boasts advanced functions such as pick-and-place, object recognition using artificial intelligence (AI), a patented gripping point determination, and extremely gentle product handling. The intelligent robotic cell, which can combine with other SSI SCHAEFER components, was debuted in Stuttgart from April 25 to 27 at LogiMAT, Europe’s leading material handling trade show.

SSI SCHAEFER brings a much-needed automated picking solution to industries with large, oversized-heavy goods. A combined gantry robot with the SSI Exyz crane enables the perfect solution for automated storage and picking of heavy and bulk packaged goods.

Supply quality and first-class on-site services are crucial if retail pharmacies are to survive in the face of online competition. Therefore, the role of pharmaceutical wholesalers is also significant – these companies need to ensure high product availability, and provide the fastest possible delivery. The company in this example has tailored its fulfillment concept precisely to these demands and implemented it with state-of-the-art technology from its long-term intralogistics partner SSI SCHAEFER. The latest highlight is the installed A-Frame with integrated product verification. This highly efficient, fully automated picking system provides up to 40,000 drug packages per hour during peak times on an order-by-order basis while meeting the high standards of the pharmaceutical industry.

Swedish Agro Machinery AB, distributor and importer of farming machinery has decided to centralize its spare parts storage system and equip the new warehouse of 3,700 square meters with SSI SCHAEFER’s logistics solutions. Pallet and cantilever racks, shelves and SSI LOGIMAT® Vertical Lift Modules are parts of the solution. The result: a compact warehouse with up to 23,000 different parts and an overnight delivery.

As general contractor for intralogistics, SSI SCHAEFER provides a new logistics building for Work in Progress Textilhandels GmbH (Carhartt WIP), including a Cuby shuttle system, a compact bin and carton conveying system as well as picking locations with sequencing tower. Furthermore, the existing automated shipping buffer will be extended and connected to the new system technology.

DS Automotion, subsidiary of the SSI SCHAEFER Group, has been awarded the IFOY Award 2023 (International Intralogistics and Forklift Truck of the Year Award). In the category "Intralogistics Software", the vehicle software ARCOS convinced the jury and prevailed against the competitors: ARCOS enables AGV and AMR fleets for the first time to drive with variable zone-based fixed lane guidance, lane guidance with flexible avoidance as well as with free navigation using one vehicle software. The efficient solution can also integrate vehicles from other manufacturers via the VDA 5050 interface.

Neunkirchen/Siegerland / Dubai December 08, 2021 - The SSI SCHAEFER Group, a German family-owned company with a history spanning more than 80 years and a leading international provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions, will be demonstrating what the sustainable supply of food to an urbanized society can look like at Expo 2020 in Dubai, which started on October 1. As an official partner of the German Pavilion Consortium, SSI SCHAEFER will present an innovative vertical farming solution developed in cooperation with Infarm, the world’s fastest growing vertical farming company, in the City of the Future section of CAMPUS GERMANY.

The SSI SCHAEFER Group and DS AUTOMOTION GmbH, a leading provider of mobile robotics (AGV - Automated Guided Vehicles and AMR - Autonomous Mobile Robots) headquartered in Linz, signed an agreement under which SSI SCHAEFER will acquire all shares in DS AUTOMOTION GmbH. SSI SCHAEFER will thus expand the minority interest it has held since 2018 to reflect the growing importance of autonomous and mobile robotics and the AGV business in intralogistics.

In October 2020, Coop, one of the leading food retailers in Sweden, and SSI SCHAEFER, the world’s leading provider of modular warehousing and logistics solutions, announced the starting point of their long-term collaboration.

The Best of Industry Award honors top industrial innovators. In the ‘Digital Infrastructure’ category, the Computerized Maintenance Management System, WAMAS Maintenance Center (SSI CMMS) from SSI SCHAEFER is convincing. It offers planning and digital control for all required maintenance activities. The winners were announced in the course of the online award ceremony.