The Swiss grocery retailer Coop has invested 600 million CHF in a new central and highly automated distribution centre. In Schafisheim near Zurich, three regional distribution centres, three freezer distribution centres and three large bakeries have been combined in a single location. The heart of the facility is a fully-automated freezer distribution centre, the refrigerator for refrigerated goods and the empty container control centre, that is helping Coop set new standards.
OPTIMISATION OF THE SUPPLY CHAIN AND THE ECOLOGICAL FOOTPRINT: BY concentrating multiple distribution centres at a single site combined with a high degree of automation, Coop achieves a CO2 reduction of >10,000 tonnes per year, which brings it the company closer to the objective of being CO2 neutral by 2023.
OPTIMISATION OF WORKPLACE ERGONOMICS IN THE REFRIGERATION AREA: The high degree of automation ensures a significant improvement in workplace quality and safety in the refrigeration and deep-frozen area.
The complex intralogistics system combines various goods receipt zones, pallet warehouses, picking areas and goods issue areas with conveyor systems. The two main building complexes are connected by a 160 meter bridge and incorporate solutions for:
TGW systematically takes the total cost of ownership throughout the life cycle of a system into account starting from the planning stage of every system, every component and every product. The freezer shuttle warehouse occupies a special position in the area of energy costs: Coop minimises the total volume to be cooled through the use of automation and robots. By consistently optimising the temperature zones – as cold as necessary, and not any colder – and reducing the oxygen content to 14 %, a freezer warehouse optimised for investment and operational costs is created.
Coop relies on TGW's expertise, even during operation. The comprehensive Lifetime Services package include three years of full maintenance coverage and spare parts supply for the complex intralogistics system.
The TGW Warehouse Software completely covers all performance requirements related to intralogistics, from goods receipt to goods issue, and ensures ideal synergy with mechatronics.
In addition to well-known supermarkets, the Switzerland-based Coop Genossenschaft also includes other commercial enterprises and various production plants. In Schafisheim, a high-capacity logistics centre was built for the grocer, consisting of four large subareas: general goods, empty container control centre, the automatic refrigeration system and the freezer area.
Thomas Kretz
Managing Director
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