Sam Outillage: A high-throughput warehouse

SAM Outillage is a 100-year-old company dedicated to the manufacture and marketing of hand tools. Its products are used primarily in maintenance, servicing and repair operations in the industry and automotive sectors.

Due to the rise in sales experienced in recent years, the company has reorganised its 6,000 m² of warehouse space to make the most of it and optimise all picking operations.

DIDIER DENIZOT, Logistics Director at SAM Outillage
We chose Mecalux for five main reasons:

First, it’s shown itself to be a partner, not merely a supplier.

Second, it was able to work with us to devise a solution that perfectly meets our needs.

Third, the automated line we designed together enables us to manage 85% of our total logistics flow.

Additionally, all operations are organised around the automated warehouse for boxes, which occupies less than 25% of the surface area of the entire logistics centre.

And finally, the installation we co-designed definitely meets our objective of a rapid return on investment.

The solution implemented by Mecalux combines an automated warehouse for boxes containing small parts with pallet racks.

The automated miniload installation for boxes is made up of three aisles with double-deep racking on each side.

It has a storage capacity of 19,448 boxes.

 

Automated warehouse

All order picking and consolidation operations are done at the front and sides of the automated warehouse, where a conveyor circuit moves the boxes at a speed of 45 metres per minute. This ensures continuous flows between the various work areas. Two other operations essential for SAM are also carried out here: kitting — whereby tool sets or cases are custom-prepared for each client — and preparation of the rest of the orders, whether they comprise kits or individual tools.

The automated installation is specifically designed to enhance these two operations, following the product-to-person method. Operators remain at their workstations, while stacker cranes and box conveyors bring them the goods they need.

 

Composition of tools 

At the front of the warehouse are two kit preparation stations.

Each of these workstations is wide enough for operators to sort the tools and quickly place them into the cases.

The customer logo is also engraved here if required.

 

Order preparation 

Three pick stations have been installed on the side of the automated warehouse for boxes.

Operators can prepare orders directly in boxes or on pallets.

To their left, they place goods in four boxes corresponding to four different orders. The right-hand side is reserved for larger orders put together on pallets. Orders are prepared with the materials contained in the boxes that arrive from the warehouse.

The pick stations include put-to-light devices that guarantee maximum picking effectiveness. The displays show the exact number of products the worker has to place in each box to complete the order. Then, the operator presses a button to confirm they have completed the operation.

 

Candice Aubert, Logistics Manager
At each pick station, nine orders can be prepared simultaneously and in a completely safe manner: four in boxes, four in envelopes and one on a pallet.

 

Consolidation and shipments area 

Once the orders have been completed, they are sent to the consolidation area. There, the contents and weight are checked, and the documentation for each order is placed in the box. Two operators are charged with palletising the orders to be subsequently delivered.

 

SOFTWARE EASY WMS

EASY WMS, the warehouse management system from Mecalux, oversees the automated installation.

 

Didier Denizot, Logistics Director
The transformation that SAM Outillage has undergone over the past few years has consolidated our company as an innovative French manufacturer in its sector.

 

Thanks to this new, modern and productive warehouse, SAM Outillage has optimised its logistics processes and boosted its throughput and storage capacity.