Dematic Automates the Warehouse of Bünting SCM in Nortmoor

Dematic automates the warehouse of Bünting SCM / Logistik GmbH & Co. KG in Nortmoor, Lower Saxony. As part of the site expansion, the provider of automation technology for the retailer of food and non-food items is installing a three-aisle Dematic Multishuttle system with approximately 75,000 container storage locations, enabling space-saving multi-deep storage.

(Heusenstamm / Nortmoor) The intralogistics solution from Dematic automatically stores items using 85 shuttles, buffers and sequences them, and transports them to the initially eight picking stations. An increase in the number of shuttles to 105 units is already planned. In addition, Dematic is installing 440 meters of its Modular Conveyor System (MCS), which connects the individual logistics areas within the multi-story building. Automatic carton erectors supply the pick locations based on stock levels via connected conveyor lines. An intelligent packing pattern software calculates the most efficient packing pattern for each order and ensures the economical use of transport means. By switching to the automatic transport system, Bünting not only improves the material flow but also increases its throughput rate. The facility is planned to go into operation in September 2022.

“To meet the demands of our customers and our continuous growth across all channels, it was necessary to expand the existing structures at the Nortmoor site. With its high degree of automation and compact design, the Dematic Multishuttle system perfectly meets our requirements,” says Helge-Christian Eilers, Managing Director of Bünting SCM / Logistik GmbH & Co. KG as well as Bünting E-Commerce GmbH & Co. KG. The company operates a warehouse in Nortmoor, among other locations, to supply its own branches and trading partners with products from the grocery retail sector. “By installing Dematic’s automation technology, we expect improvements in productivity, capacity, and handling,” says Eilers. In designing the facility, Dematic collaborated with the consulting company viaLog Logistik Beratung GmbH, which specializes in processes and automation.

Expansion of the Warehouse in Several Stages

The expansion of the warehouse is planned in several stages. The centerpiece is the Dematic Multishuttle with 75,000 container storage locations, which takes over the automatic buffering, storage, and sequencing of containers and trays. Thanks to the telescopic load handling device with innovative eight-finger design, the solution offers maximum flexibility regarding the stored goods and can efficiently store different transport units without fixed storage locations. This achieves a particularly high storage density. “The Dematic Multishuttle allows us precise sequencing of goods at high utilization. Thus, it is ideal for supplying our picking workstations for store-specific order assembly – image documentation and weighing functions reduce the risk of swapped or missing items in the order assembly,” adds Eilers. In the next construction phase, the capacity of the warehouse and the number of workstations are to be at least doubled. Additionally, an increase in the current number of shuttles from 85 to 105 units is planned. The facility is designed to be flexibly scalable and can be adjusted according to future requirements regarding performance and layout design.

High Standardization

To ensure safe handling of the conveyed goods across the individual logistics areas within the multi-story building, Dematic has installed its proven in-house conveyor technology with the Modular Conveyor System. In addition to a modular design and high standardization, the system is particularly robust and durable. The cross-floor transport of unit goods is realized via a vertical conveyor in a space-saving design. “This project is just the first step towards automation for us. We are focusing all our efforts on the opportunities that technology and digitization offer us, particularly with regard to the networking of all systems and the representation of automated processes,” emphasizes Eilers.

Adjusting Order Development in Real Time

Warehouse management and material flow control are represented with a Dematic software solution. This allows for real-time adjustment of order processing in the supply chain according to demand and significant improvements. For monitoring and controlling the technical processes of the facility, the process visualization system Win CC developed by Siemens is integrated into the solution. The operation of the logistics facility is carried out with programmable logic controllers from the S7 family from Siemens.

Photo: © Dematic