30 CYBERGROUP LOGISTICS We have operated a number of logistics centers for over 20 years, when we built our new head office and logistics center in Mannheim starting from the ground up provided the perfect platform on which we are able to invest in the future. The continuous increase in our ability to deliver with a current value of 90.45% (May 2022) shows that unnecessary shipping routes are avoided. 2020 has seen the launch of our latest investment in operational automation and the future proofing of our business through the introduction of Autostore. AutoStore is the market leader of warehouse space efficiency offering the best storage density ratio of any container storage system. It enables us to optimise our stock holding and increase capacity by four times past levels in the same floor space. Its flexible design allows us to maximise all the available space in the building. For example, we can build around building supports and make optimal use of irregular floor plans. It has allowed us to eliminate rows of shelving and wasted aisle space as there is no longer a need for picking carts or forklifts. The picking bins are stacked directly on top of each other allowing us to save around 75% of the storage space previously used. Above the stack of picking bins there is a rail system (grid) where high-speed robots operate. They can operate 24 hours a day, openings bins, rearranging them and transporting them to the directly connected ports for incoming goods and the packing line. In the 3rd quarter of 2022, the existing AutoStore was expanded by 50% and thus an enormous increase in effectiveness was achieved. In addition, after 2 years of commissioning AutoStore, we can only record wear of 2 boxes (with 9000 in the system). The robot lowers its gripper plate into the stack which can be lowered to any level within the stack. It is programmed to identify the correct storage bin and to raise it up to the top of the grid. If the robot needs to collect a bin from level nine, it is able to move the other eight bins and place them on other nearby stacks to gain access to the correct bin, leaving blocks of free space. When it is working on delivering the storage bin to the packing line another robot is tasked to clean up and replace the bins in the original order. After a bin is presented at the port, it will open again placed in a bin stack. The system is designed to identify how often a bin is required and automatically adjusts the order of the storage so that the bins with the highest levels of demand are positioned closer to the top of the stack all the time increasing the speed and efficiency of the operation. This means task which used to require hours of analysis and manual labour are happening continually without any human input at all. WHY AUTOSTORE? This state-of-the-art systemhas enabled us to achieve unbeatable operating times and efficiency, in the future this will lead to cost savings and significant cost avoidance. The new system of bring the goods to the person instead of the person going to locate the goods makes the process far quicker. Thanks to AutoStore, our ability to process high volumes of small orders (up to three lines) is far faster and more cost-effective. In addition to the unbelievable space efficiency, the robots are very energy efficient. A system that operates ten robots uses roughly the same amount of energy as a vacuum cleaner. This is achieved by utlising a “hybrid” style of energy regeneration. Where once the robot lowers a bin or reduces speed, electricity is generated by regenerative energy functions and fed back to the batteries submitted. In addition to this the robots do not require any light inside the building to operate,
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy OTU4ODg=