Mecalux sets up semi-automated controlled-temperature logistics centre

Salvesen Logistics, a business leader in food distribution, has a controlled temperature logistics centre in Seville, Spain.

This project, designed and developed by Mecalux, has transformed a warehouse with an inefficient use of space, into a semi-automated logistics centre able to meet a high standard of service.

Mecalux has divided the space of the warehouse into two clearly differentiated areas: the automated warehouse, which occupies the old warehouse zone, and the area with push-back racks on rollers.

Because of the characteristics of the product that Salvesen distributes, the two warehouses are maintained at a temperature of between 4 and 7 ºC.

The project was carried out in stages and kept a stable inventory, which guaranteed the perfect operation of the installation during the assembly.

The warehouse has 6 automatic trilateral stacker cranes each 9.8 m high, serving six 48.5 metres long, single-depth racking aisles.

The group of six trilateral stacker cranes permits a combined pallet cycle of 100 in and 100 out per hour with a travel speed of 100 metres per minute.

This type of stacker crane does not require a top rail, which allows you to capitalise on the uneven height of the warehouse covered with gabled roofs, procuring five load levels.

Nor is it necessary that the floor has a high planimetry, because the equipment moves on rails.

ISRAEL PEREZ (Head of maintenance)
The automatic trilateral stacker crane by Mecalux, being able to place items almost at level zero, allows us to make maximum use of the space, apart from having total control over our stock.
 

The processes of entries, storage and dispatch are managed and optimised thanks to the Mecalux EASY WMS warehouse management software, which enables a higher amount of throughput per hour and a total traceability of goods.

This logistics centre is equipped with an automatic dock for unloading trucks. With this system an entire truck, with 33 pallets on it, can be unloaded in 2 minutes.

Before being transferred to the main conveyor system, pallets must pass through the control gauge, where their weight, size and quality are verified to meet established standards.

Two transfer cars, one on each end of the warehouse, deposit the pallets on a conveyor circuit and move them to the entrance of the high-rise warehouse.

The stacker cranes are responsible for picking them up and placing them on the racks.

Part of the conventional pallet racks from the old warehouse are allocated to the picking of high rotation products. In all, this provides an additional capacity of almost 1,500 pallets.

The capacity achieved in the automated warehouse is more than 2,600 pallets.

Mecalux has installed 20 gravity driven live channels in front of the loading docks. Up to 7 pallets deep can be deposited per channel enhancing the speed of dispatches.

The new area of the warehouse has high-density, push-back racks with rollers. These racks have 3 load levels and are 3 pallets deep per level.

When manoeuvring by push and gravity, loading and unloading times are reduced in respect to conventional pallet racks.

This area quadruples their capacity to 2,000 pallets.

A tunnel intended for picking passes through each block of racks as to not interfere with the loading process, which is performed on the front side with wire-guided, trilateral forklifts.

This solution from Mecalux allows a massive preparation of orders.

The area has its own loading and unloading docks, which eliminates unnecessary movements between the two warehouses.

TORIBIO GUMIEL (Salvesen Seville-Malaga Area Manager)
The immediate advantages obtained from the new warehouse have been the increase in productivity, cost optimisation and the dependability of receptions and loads being on time.
 

Salvesen has enhanced its productivity by maximising the use of space, achieving cost savings and a rapid return on investment. All this, thanks to the project designed and implemented by Mecalux, which has transformed Salvesen’s warehouse in Seville.