In order to break logistics paradigms and modify their current supply chain, La Costeña, one of the biggest manufacturers of canned food in Mexico, worked together with SSI SCHAEFER to develop a major logistics solution that aims at increasing storage capacity, picking efficiency and dispatch production.
With about 80% of the company's production currently being carried out in Ecatepec de Morelos, an efficient material flow was called for. In order to achieve this goal, SSI SCHAEFER and La Costeña collaborated to build a unique 6,820 m² logistics center with state-of-the-art technology that Mexico has never seen before. The special feature of the project is the integration of the existing warehouses into the new logistics center, which was perfectly tailored to the customer's needs. An integrated, central picking system will also play an important role in future processes. With the new distribution center, La Costeña will have the desired flexibility and scalability in terms of performance and storage space.
To meet the customer's demands, SSI SCHAEFER creates a 6-aisle channel storage system with a total of 28,332 pallet storage locations. The storage system is made up of two modules which are connected by a pallet conveying system. In each of the modules, three storage-retrieval machines (SRM) type SSI Exyz are used, each of them equipped with a load handling device (LHD) type SSI Orbiter LHD. The SSI Orbiter LHD moves the pallets on the lower levels of the rack system into the multiple-deep channels. In the upper area of the rack aisles, six SSI Lift&Run systems per module, also equipped with SSI Orbiters LHD, are applied. Order pallets ready for dispatch are buffered there.
For optimal material flows, SSI SCHAEFER installs a pallet conveying system with a total length of 1.4 km, 13 vertical lifts to supply two picking levels as well as numerous handling systems, such as automated label applicators, film wrappers and displays indicating loading status. To ensure stable and safe operation, SSI SCHAEFER carried out a very detailed soil analysis, in which the size of the warehouse, the number of employees, the weight of the loads and the fact that the plant is located in a seismic zone were taken into consideration. The results of the analysis were incorporated into the planning of the rack system and thus made a decisive contribution to the plant optimization. The completion of the logistics center is scheduled for 2021.
SSI SCHAEFER has always understood the development and subsequent needs of La Costeña and, for this reason, has offered them the best solution, with the latest technology and a thoroughly innovative project.
As general contractor, SSI SCHAEFER builds a new logistics center for the Mexican food canning manufacturer La Costeña in Ecatepec de Morelos.
From left to right: José Luis Hernández (logistics manager at La Costena), Alfredo del Bosque (logistics director at La Costena), Liliana García (head of automated warehouses at La Costena) and Alberto Romo (project manager at La Costena) in November 2019 in Ecatepec de Morelos/Mexico.