Boosting throughput in a high-bay automated warehouse

Kuehne + Nagel, Veghel, Netherlands

Getting the most out of your operations

Kuehne + Nagel is the leading provider of chilled and ambient logistics services in the Netherlands. It also provides a full-service capability in Belgium, collectively operated from its 650,000 sq. ft. warehousing facility at Veghel, near Eindhoven in Holland. The Veghel warehouse complex took 11 months to build and is over 35 meters high.

Snapshot of Veghel's automated warehouse operations

• 650,000 sq. ft. automated warehousing facility
• High bay 500 feet long, 240 feet wide and 120 feet high
• 11 narrow aisle automated stacking cranes
• 52,000 pallet storage locations for both Euro and CHEP
• Double depth racking with three different slot heights
• Automated guided vehicles and conveyors

Key benefits

The warehouse management system has optimized Kuehne+ Nagel's multi-slot height and expert stacking system, significantly improving throughput at the Veghel facility.

Background

The WMS maximizes the performance of a warehouse by improving both the quality of information and the inbound/outbound flow of materials, simplifying everyday warehouse management tasks while improving scheduling and planning decisions. It communicates with different computer systems, mechanical handling equipment (for example automated guided vehicles, cranes and conveyors) and integrates seamlessly with existing corporate management/ERP systems to give you full visibility and control over all current stock in real time.

[The WMS team] is a respected partner, the people are highly skilled and always quick in helping to find the best fit solutions.”

Hans Russens, Director, Kuehne + Nagel