A state-of-the-art logistics hub is being built in Weggis, canton of Lucerne, for Swiss coffee machine manufacturer Thermoplan. The logistics center is scheduled for completion by February 2020. On 11 February 2019, the official start of the project was marked by a ground-breaking ceremony. Thanks to even higher-powered automated intralogistics, Thermoplan, a family-owned business, will be able to increase productivity and drastically speed up throughput times. This is made possible through more compact warehousing and even more efficient picking processes.
With the new distribution center, Thermoplan AG will have created an ideal foundation for projected growth. Founded in 1974, the Swiss company is now one of the world’s market leaders in design and manufacturing of high-quality fully automatic machines for professional use. Thermoplan’s main customers are café chains, bakeries, fast food restaurants, and self-service businesses. Customers include industry giants such as Starbucks and Nespresso. The 330 employees at the Weggis location work in four production buildings.
Shuttle Storage for Trays
With the new intralogistics system designed by TGW, Thermoplan is taking a further step towards even more automation and increased process efficiency. The reason for this investment is an increasingly higher demand for fully automatic coffee machines in the hospitality sector.
At the center of TGW’s solution is a four-aisle shuttle warehouse for 41,000 trays. The building will be connected to the existing Plant no. 4 via a footbridge. Due to unique local soil conditions, the shuttle system will rest on 160 piles which will be driven deep into the ground for maximum stability.
TGW competence for software and controls system
The system will retrieve goods both for the assembly of components as well as for the assembly of coffee machines. Spare parts orders are processed as well. A total of 100 of the ultra-fast yet energy-efficient TGW Stingray shuttles will handle storage and retrieval.
The orders are then dispatched to TGW high-performance workstations, which can be adjusted in height to satisfy high ergonomic requirements. “We are pleased that we were able to convince Thermoplan of TGW’s solution,” emphasizes Beat Losenegger, Managing Director at TGW Switzerland. “Thermoplan also relies on TGW's expertise for software and control.”
