Automated small parts warehouse opened

Schneider Schreibgeräte GmbH has expanded its infrastructure sustainably with the opening of a new automated small parts warehouse. After a long project-planning phase and a three-year construction period, the building (at 11 million euros, the most expensive single building investment at Schneider) has been in operation since the beginning of the year.

The warehouse is 40 metres long, 20 metres wide and 27.5 metres high. Semi-finished parts are now stored and retrieved fully automatically on four transport aisles by self-propelled, electric transport units and roller conveyors to and from the four floors of the assembly departments. With this measure, the company has gained 30 per cent of its production space. The storage area is inert, i.e. it is filled with a gas so that no fires or explosions can occur. Even raw materials such as wood, plastic and cardboard can no longer burn in this atmosphere. The warehouse has a total of 52,800 storage spaces for large load units (L600 x W400 x H295mm) or 95,040 for small ones (L400 x W300 x H295). With four rack serving units, 520 containers can be stored and retrieved in one hour – a major increase in productivity and safety.

A PV system with 262 modules is also installed on the building, which helps offset the energy requirements of the automated small parts warehouse and generates an output of 100 kWp. This saves around 48 tonnes of CO2 emissions per year. In addition, a new compressed air centre with integrated oxygen reduction was constructed to heat the automated small parts warehouse using a heat recovery system. With this strategically sustainable investment, Schneider is laying the foundation for further sales growth, according to a statement from the company headquarters in Schramberg. www.schneiderpen.com 

Picture: A PV system with 262 modules installed on the new Schneider warehouse. Photo: Schneider Schreibgeräte GmbH