bilstein group - Home straight reached, miniload steelwork completed
SSI SCHAEFER completes rack construction of automated miniload system for bilstein group on time
The steelwork of the new automated miniload system for the spare parts specialist bilstein group in the new logistics center in Gelsenkirchen, Germany, is a crucial milestone for the entire project. In order to ensure that further installations can start as scheduled, SSI SCHAEFER paved the way for a reliable just-in-time installation during the sales and planning phase. The first commissioning took place at the beginning of December 2020 in parallel to the installation, the last parts of the rack structure for the miniload system were approved in the middle of February 2021. At the same time, the general contractor pushed the installation and commissioning of other sub-systems.
The 15-aisle automated miniload system has a capacity to store more than 227,000 containers. The system is the core component of bilstein group’s new logistics center. The leading expert in spare parts for cars and utility vehicles is thus able to guarantee customers the highest degree of availability and delivery capacity in this dynamic sector.
Handover milestone always on the agenda
As a responsible partner in the area of in-house steel rack constructions, SSI SCHAEFER is supporting this project, which due to the tight schedule, is an extremely demanding one. The aim was to install the steel construction of the miniload system successively and make it available to other sub-systems by the middle of February 2021 to be able to start commissioning of storage-retrieval machines, among others:
“We were able to meet this requirement for an implementation on schedule and on budget, as agreed, despite a few Corona-related adversities, “ summarizes Vanessa Henrich, Head of Product Management, Product Line Steelwork High Bay Warehouse, at SSI SCHAEFER.
Clear time and project management
The installation of the steelwork started in August 2020. The rapid construction progress was also the result of intensive preparation at a very early stage. As early as the sales phase, SSI SCHAEFER planned the installation work in close cooperation with the general contractor. The resulting, realistically realizable milestones could therefore be contractually guaranteed to the bilstein group. IPMA certified project managers coordinated further services on site that were rendered by an in-house installation team. As a result, the first important baton could be timely handed over to the installation partner.
In-house grouping of supply chain components
There were slight disruptions at the end of 2020 due to pandemic restrictions. “However, we made up for this delay very quickly in the following weeks, so that we were able to keep our promise to the customer despite new challenges,” explains Vanessa Henrich. “The decisive factor was that SSI SCHAEFER is able to influence almost the entire supply chain, because as a manufacturer we not only bundle our own production, but also all in-house services, from engineering to implementation and quality assurance.” Thanks to this positioning, SSI SCHAEFER is able to keep promises to customers and partners, and ensure a timely implementation. In further steps, SSI SCHAEFER will implement a new mobile rack system, a wide-aisle warehouse and a pallet flow rack in bilstein group’s new logistics center.
The aisle in the automated miniload system has been equipped with a track rail for the storage-retrieval machine and the corresponding fire protection system.
