Case Studies Increased Throughput & Efficient Material Flow

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	Increased Throughput & Efficient Material Flow

Increased Throughput & Efficient Material Flow

Technology Category	Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS) Automation & Control - Automation & Process Control Systems
Applicable Industries	Retail Food & Beverage
Applicable Functions	Warehouse & Inventory Management Logistics & Transportation
Use Cases	Warehouse Automation Inventory Management Predictive Maintenance
Services	System Integration Hardware Design & Engineering Services Software Design & Engineering Services
Challenge	ASKO ROGALAND AS faced significant challenges due to changing supply chains and general market growth. To maintain their position as Norway's leading wholesaler and distributor of groceries, they needed to enhance their logistics strategy. The primary challenge was to automate their distribution centers to stay ahead in the market. The existing manual processes were not sufficient to handle the increasing demand and complexity of operations. The company needed a solution that could optimize space utilization, improve pick accuracy, and reduce dependency on labor. Additionally, they aimed to enhance ergonomics for operators and reduce costs associated with damaged goods and human resources. Read More
About Customer	ASKO ROGALAND AS is a subsidiary of ASKO NORGE AS, Norway's leading wholesaler and distributor of groceries. They serve grocery and convenience stores, institutional households, and service trading customers across Norway. The distribution center in Skurve, SouthWest Norway, spans 32,000 m², with 4,000 m² dedicated to automated processes. The center covers a distribution area from Moi in the South to Bømlo in the North. ASKO ROGALAND employs 230 people and had a turnover of 470 million EUR in 2014. The parent company, ASKO NORGE AS, has over 3,000 employees and a turnover of 5.7 billion EUR in 2013. Read More
Solution	Swisslog provided the automated intralogistics solutions for three of ASKO's distribution centers, including the central DC in Eastern Norway. The solution included a space-efficient High Bay Warehouse with energy-efficient stacker cranes that automatically replenish pallet locations in the picking aisles. An automated conveyor system was also implemented, reducing ASKO's reliance on trucks for internal transport. Inbound goods are delivered on pallets from external suppliers and production sites. Truck drivers unload pallets onto an in-feed conveyor system within the inbound goods area. Pallets travel through a profile check station and, depending on the pallet quality, load dimensions, and ID, they are either approved for transportation to the high bay warehouse or rejected for manual intervention. For infeed into the High Bay Warehouse, the pallets travel to a mezzanine level via a vertical conveyor. They are then stored in the High Bay via one of three automated stacker cranes, each equipped with a RackCarrier. These RackCarriers travel in channels in the racking and transport pallets between the cranes and the respective storage locations, both for infeed and outfeed. The freestanding rack system has a storage capacity of 4,600 pallets and an additional 318 pallets at the picking level. Read More Log in to view content
Contents

Technology Category

Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

Automation & Control - Automation & Process Control Systems

Applicable Industries

Retail

Food & Beverage

Applicable Functions

Warehouse & Inventory Management

Logistics & Transportation

Use Cases

Warehouse Automation

Inventory Management

Predictive Maintenance

Services

System Integration

Hardware Design & Engineering Services

Software Design & Engineering Services

Challenge

ASKO ROGALAND AS faced significant challenges due to changing supply chains and general market growth. To maintain their position as Norway's leading wholesaler and distributor of groceries, they needed to enhance their logistics strategy. The primary challenge was to automate their distribution centers to stay ahead in the market. The existing manual processes were not sufficient to handle the increasing demand and complexity of operations. The company needed a solution that could optimize space utilization, improve pick accuracy, and reduce dependency on labor. Additionally, they aimed to enhance ergonomics for operators and reduce costs associated with damaged goods and human resources.

About Customer

ASKO ROGALAND AS is a subsidiary of ASKO NORGE AS, Norway's leading wholesaler and distributor of groceries. They serve grocery and convenience stores, institutional households, and service trading customers across Norway. The distribution center in Skurve, SouthWest Norway, spans 32,000 m², with 4,000 m² dedicated to automated processes. The center covers a distribution area from Moi in the South to Bømlo in the North. ASKO ROGALAND employs 230 people and had a turnover of 470 million EUR in 2014. The parent company, ASKO NORGE AS, has over 3,000 employees and a turnover of 5.7 billion EUR in 2013.

Solution

Swisslog provided the automated intralogistics solutions for three of ASKO's distribution centers, including the central DC in Eastern Norway. The solution included a space-efficient High Bay Warehouse with energy-efficient stacker cranes that automatically replenish pallet locations in the picking aisles. An automated conveyor system was also implemented, reducing ASKO's reliance on trucks for internal transport. Inbound goods are delivered on pallets from external suppliers and production sites. Truck drivers unload pallets onto an in-feed conveyor system within the inbound goods area. Pallets travel through a profile check station and, depending on the pallet quality, load dimensions, and ID, they are either approved for transportation to the high bay warehouse or rejected for manual intervention. For infeed into the High Bay Warehouse, the pallets travel to a mezzanine level via a vertical conveyor. They are then stored in the High Bay via one of three automated stacker cranes, each equipped with a RackCarrier. These RackCarriers travel in channels in the racking and transport pallets between the cranes and the respective storage locations, both for infeed and outfeed. The freestanding rack system has a storage capacity of 4,600 pallets and an additional 318 pallets at the picking level.

Impact #1	Swisslog's automated warehouse solution provided ASKO ROGALAND with increased handling capacity through optimized space utilization.
Impact #2	The solution allowed for improved service to end customers thanks to increased pick accuracy.
Impact #3	The automated solution reduced ASKO's dependency on labor while improving ergonomics for operators still working at the facility.

Impact #1

Swisslog's automated warehouse solution provided ASKO ROGALAND with increased handling capacity through optimized space utilization.

Impact #2

The solution allowed for improved service to end customers thanks to increased pick accuracy.

Impact #3

The automated solution reduced ASKO's dependency on labor while improving ergonomics for operators still working at the facility.

Benefit #1	The High Bay Warehouse has a storage capacity of 4,600 pallets.
Benefit #2	An additional 318 pallets can be stored at the picking level.
Benefit #3	ASKO ROGALAND's distribution center spans 32,000 m², with 4,000 m² dedicated to automated processes.

Benefit #1

The High Bay Warehouse has a storage capacity of 4,600 pallets.

Benefit #2

An additional 318 pallets can be stored at the picking level.

Benefit #3

ASKO ROGALAND's distribution center spans 32,000 m², with 4,000 m² dedicated to automated processes.

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Overview

Increased Throughput & Efficient Material Flow

Operational Impact

Quantitative Benefit