Fully Automated Logistics Processes
UNI ELEKTRO
UNI ELEKTRO, founded in 1970, is a leading electronic goods wholesaler with over 70 branches nationwide. The company ships up to 20,000 articles daily across Germany and is known for its commitment to quality and timely delivery. To meet the increasing demands of end customers, UNI ELEKTRO invested in an advanced logistics solution at its central warehouse in Eschborn. This expansion includes a fully automated miniload warehouse, state-of-the-art conveyance technology, and several high-performance workstations to streamline the order processing workflow.
The new fully automated system includes a shuttle warehouse capable of storing up to 68,000 containers across 37 levels, with 45 shuttles for efficient storage and retrieval. This three-aisled, 70-meter-long warehouse operates with a lift system that allows shuttles to autonomously move goods between levels. This system supports both double and fourfold deep storage, optimising the use of available spaceOnce articles are delivered and repacked into source containers, they are transferred to the shuttle warehouse. In the shuttle warehouse, the articles are stored and later retrieved for order picking.
The SimplePick High-Performance Workstation
Order picking at UNI ELEKTRO is carried out with the GEBHARDT SimplePick high-performance workstations. These workstations allow workers to assemble orders by transferring articles from source containers into order containers. A display on the workstation guides workers by visually indicating how many items to pick from each source container. The SimplePick system is highly flexible, as it can handle containers of varying sizes simultaneously. When an order is complete, the corresponding order containers are sent to the packaging workstations via the automated conveyor system.
Via the Conveyor System to the Packing Workstations
If items have been removed from the green source container but it is not yet empty, the container is immediately returned to the shuttle warehouse. If the container is empty, it is sent back to the incoming goods area to be refilled with new products. Meanwhile, the red, completed order containers are transported to the packaging workstations via the conveyor system.
From Packing to Shipping
At the packaging area, the goods from the order containers are packaged and labelled at twelve dedicated workstations. A GEBHARDT ConVer® 147 goods lift ensures that the area is well-supplied with packaging materials. After the orders are packaged, the finished boxes, along with empty order containers, are transferred via the conveyance system to a buffer zone for interim storage. From here, the completed orders are sent to the dispatch area, where they are loaded onto trucks for shipment to customers.