Huge automated retail revamp
May 1st 2011 Swisslog has implemented a sustainable logistics solution for major European
retailer dm-drogerie markt, with CaddyPick a technical highlight
With around 2,400 branches in 11 countries, dm-drogerie
markt (dm) is one of Europe's leading retailers. In fiscal
year 2009/2010, the Group employed some 36,000 staff
and generated sales exceeding MEUR 5,600. Swisslog's business
relationship with the retailer dates back to 2003, when it was
contracted to build a distribution centre in Germany to meet the
demands arising from dm's double-digit sales growth.
As dm-drogerie markt continued to record growth on the same
scale, it commissioned Swisslog as general contractor for a new
distribution centre. The new facility, located near Cologne is now
one of the largest and most modern facilities around, covering an
area of approximately 50,000m2. The new distribution centre's
logistics data is impressive with up to 1.1 million order lines
processed and 4,500 pallets sent out every day. The facility has
attracted a great deal of interest not only from a logistics point of
view, but also due to the retailer's corporate culture, which attaches
great importance to sustainability issues and workplace quality.
The distribution centre has been distinguished for both and is also
a benchmark in financial terms, being dm's largest single
investment and also Swisslog's most extensive project ever.
The material handling solution
The distribution centre is split into two different operating areas,
each with systems handling bulk boxed goods and small parts,
with associated goods receiving operation and a high bay
warehouse. The 33-metre tall high bay warehouse holds stock for
the small parts operation and has 14,000 pallet locations available,
which are managed by seven stacker cranes.
The part of the building reserved for boxed goods offers space
for 24,000 pallets and is equipped with 13 stacker cranes. Swisslog's
CaddyPick system is utilised in the picking zone which is one of
the technical highlights. An electric monorail system with an
overall length of around 5.5 kilometres connects approximately
5,000 picking stations. The operators pick directly to delivery
pallets which are transported on specially constructed suspended
units. The CaddyPick system combines elements of the man-togoods
and zone-to-zone procedures and enables a highly efficient
workflow with a high picking accuracy.
The goods receiving operation consists of nine sorting lines that
differ by their degree of automation. At the start of every line, the
cartons are first removed from the pallet either manually or
automatically by industrial robots. Next, the tops of the cartons are
removed either by a cutting machine or manually by an operator.
Depending on the size and article type, one or more opened
cartons are placed on a plastic tray or deposited into a container.
These trays or containers are sent to the small parts picking zones
via conveyors. There they are stored in a reserve zone with over
100,000 storage locations before being pushed into free picking
locations. In the picking zones, picking is carried out using a zoneto-
zone principle. The picking containers are transported by
conveyor within the zone-to-zone system and are presented to the
operators at one of 222 pick zones. Pick-by-light displays show the
operators how many articles from which location they should
place in the picking container. The order container is guided
automatically through the aisles until it is completely filled. During
peak days, dm can pick over one million order lines in the small
parts zone using this approach.
The full picking container is conveyed automatically to a buffer
module underneath the picking aisles where it remains until all of
the containers, which make up a pallet, arrive. The picking
containers which sequentially leave the buffer, are automatically
stacked in four towers, and are then placed on a Euro pallet. The
load is secured by straps and conveyed to a goods dispatch station.
From there the pallets are loaded by forklift truck onto a waiting
swap-body transporter.
The software solution
The flow of materials throughout the entire logistics centre is
controlled by Swisslog's AutomationManager. This manages all
warehousing, transport and auxiliary equipment and also
interfaces with dm's warehouse management software and ERP
system. In addition, Swisslog also implemented the SPOC (Single
Point of Control) visualisation system. This supervisory tool
provides dm operatives with a real-time graphical overview of the
current status of all conveyor systems, stacker cranes and other
equipment. The visualisation considerably simplifies
troubleshooting technical faults and thus contributes to the high
availability of the entire facility.
An investment for the future
For dm, the new logistics centre is not only a success from
economic and technical perspectives; it is also a success
environmentally. The ecological sustainability that is firmly
anchored in dm's business culture was implemented in the
project.
Buildings are heated with CO2-efficient wood chips, while
energy-efficient motors in material handling, solar panels on the
roof, optimal utilisation of vehicles and the bundling of transports
guarantee savings of more than
5,000 tons of CO2 a year. More articles from Swisslog (UK) Ltd.: | 
