Central Warehouse for Security of Supply

In Inzersdorf ob der Traisen, Austria, Netz Niederösterreich has commissioned a newly equipped central warehouse. In doing so, the grid operator for electricity and gas in Lower Austria is responding to increasing requirements for storage capacity, availability and efficient logistics processes. At the heart of the site is a high-performance storage concept with storage solutions from META, designed for maximum space utilization, clear material flows and a high degree of flexibility.

Netz Niederösterreich is the grid operator for electricity and gas in Lower Austria. The company ensures a secure and reliable supply – from house connections to regional distribution networks. As part of the EVN Group, Netz NÖ is a key enabler of the energy future through the integration of renewable energies, the expansion and digitalization of the grids and the safeguarding of supply quality.

In short: Netz NÖ creates the technical basis for ensuring that energy reaches Lower Austria safely at all times – today and in the future. 850,000 customer installations are supplied via our 56,400 km electricity grid, and 255,000 customer installations are connected to the gas grid.

These are impressive figures that clearly show how strongly Netz NÖ focuses on security of supply. This requires a well-organized and well-equipped central warehouse to ensure spare parts logistics in the most efficient way possible.

This is the case in Inzersdorf ob der Traisen, where META-Lagertechnik Austria implemented the customized storage solution in the central warehouse for Netz NÖ. Since as early as 1972, META-Lagertechnik Ges.m.b.H has been an expert partner for the Austrian market and has developed into a leading supplier of innovative storage solutions and state-of-the-art technology for efficient warehouse management and logistics.

Perfect system combination

In the Netz Niederösterreich central warehouse, all materials required for operations are stored, picked and quality-checked, including the calibration of meters for electricity, gas, water and heat. For the storage technology, the grid operator for electricity and gas in Lower Austria opted for a well-conceived system that is precisely tailored to the various stored goods from the electricity, gas, water and heat sectors and the associated requirements.

META MULTIPAL pallet racks are used for the optimum storage of palletized goods and heavier stored goods. A wide variety of goods are stored here. An additional part of the project was the rack location labelling.

Small parts and spare parts are stored predominantly in the two-storey META CLIP shelving system, where they find their organized place in plastic crates, cartons or as bulk goods. Combined with the META steel construction solution and the optimally positioned staircase, the second level and every storage location are quickly accessible. The pivot gate installed by META at the pallet transfer point is characterized by unrestricted safety. Whether the gate is open, allowing loading from the outside, or closed, making the goods accessible from the platform side, comprehensive personal protection is ensured at all times.

This diversity of systems enables efficient use of the available space while ensuring clear storage structures and well-organized material flows.

The entire storage concept was developed jointly by Netz NÖ and META at an early planning stage and consistently designed for future viability, flexibility and economic efficiency. One particularly important aspect was the option of relocating to a new warehouse in the future, as the current facility is a rented warehouse. Another key point was the QR code solution for simplifying bookings in the warehouse management system – every storage location is equipped with a QR code.

“The collaboration is excellent. We have short communication channels and fast response times, especially when it comes to expansions. The quotation phase usually takes only a few days, we quickly reach agreement, place orders promptly and installation is completed just as quickly. Quality is equally important: talking to each other, providing advice and finding solutions together. If something stands out, questions are asked and corrections are made. It is not simply a matter of implementing exactly what the customer wants; instead, ideas are actively contributed, including during the planning phase,” explains Stefan Mandl, Head of Materials Management at Netz NÖ. “That is how it should be, and that is how it should remain. We are currently also converting many decentralized warehouses, and fast responses are crucial for us.”

A particular challenge and, at the same time, an exciting change of pace for the storage technology expert META was the integration of the lighting as well as the joint development of a new rack location labeling system with the customer. Creative brainstorming was required here to ensure the best possible service and smooth processes.

“It was a genuine all-round carefree package. We took care of the complete planning, organized the delivery of goods, unloaded the trucks and were responsible for the entire installation through to processing and acceptance,” says Ronaldo Prade, Technical Sales at META Austria. “Even the label stickers and electrical work were part of our scope of responsibility. We were also technically involved in the sprinkler system, while the execution was carried out by specialized companies.”

Growing Role of AGVs in Advanced Manufacturing

In every manufacturing facility, products spend time being made and time being moved. While production processes are often highly optimized, material handling can still create delays, bottlenecks, and unnecessary complexity.

To improve the flow of materials across the factory floor, more manufacturers are turning to Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs). Whether transporting components, supplying assembly lines, or handling heavy loads, AGVs are helping manufacturers increase efficiency, improve traceability, and create more flexible production environments.CTi Systems of Luxembourg offer the following advice.

What is an Automated Guided Vehicle?

An AGV is a driverless vehicle designed to transport materials throughout a facility in a controlled and predictable manner. It moves independently, follows assigned routes, communicates with factory systems, and delivers loads without requiring an operator behind the wheel.

Beyond simple transportation, AGVs help streamline internal logistics, improve material flow, and ensure that components arrive exactly where they are needed, when they are needed. The way an AGV navigates depends on the application and the operating environment. Early AGV systems followed fixed paths using embedded wires or magnetic tape. Today’s vehicles use a variety of advanced navigation technologies, including laser guidance, LiDAR, vision systems, QR-code positioning, and natural feature recognition.

These technologies allow AGVs to move safely and accurately through dynamic production environments. The vehicle continuously monitors its surroundings, detects obstacles, and adjusts its movements accordingly. In many cases, it can automatically select an alternative route if its preferred path becomes unavailable.

This combination of precision, flexibility, and safety enables AGVs to operate efficiently even in busy manufacturing facilities where people, machinery, and vehicles share the same workspace.

Why Are Manufacturers Deploying AGVs?

Manufacturers today face a growing number of challenges. Production volumes must increase, delivery deadlines are becoming tighter, and skilled labour can be difficult to recruit for repetitive material-handling tasks. At the same time, companies are expected to maintain high safety standards while keeping costs under control. This is where AGVs can make a meaningful difference.

By automating the movement of materials, components, and finished products, AGVs help create a more consistent and reliable flow throughout the facility. Instead of relying on manual transport requests or fixed schedules, materials can be delivered exactly when and where they are needed, helping production teams focus on value-added activities.

AGVs also reduce dependency on forklift traffic and manual handling, contributing to a safer working environment. Because their movements are controlled and predictable, they can help minimize the risk of accidents, product damage, and production interruptions.

Another advantage is operational consistency. Unlike manual processes, AGVs perform the same task according to predefined rules every time. This helps improve process reliability, particularly in facilities where material availability has a direct impact on production performance.

For many manufacturers, the decision to deploy AGVs is not only about automation. It is about creating a smoother, safer, and more efficient operation capable of supporting future growth without increasing complexity. How customized AGV Solutions can tailor automation to specific manufacturing needs?

Most automation projects fall short for one simple reason: the technology is expected to fit the factory, rather than the factory’s requirements shaping the technology. There are no manufacturing facilities that operate in the same way Production layouts, products, workflows, and operational challenges differ from one site to another. As a result, a standard vehicle often addresses only part of the requirement.

Customed AGVs are designed around a specific flow of materials, products, and information within the facility. The vehicle dimensions, payload, navigation technology, load handling interface, and software integration are all selected according to the operational requirements of the customer.

The objective is simple: to ensure that the AGV is engineered to become a seamless part of the existing production process. How do customized AGV solve manufacturers’ challenges? Many facilities operate in restricted spaces, require precise positioning, handle loads with unusual dimensions, or have strict safety and traceability requirements. In these situations, standard automation solutions often force compromises.

A tailored AGV solution can be developed to:

Transport exceptionally heavy or oversized loads.
Interface directly with assembly stations.
Automatically position products for manufacturing operations.
Operate safely in mixed environments with people and equipment.
Support complex production flows without disrupting existing processes.
The objective is not simply to automate transportation. It is to eliminate operational constraints, improve workflow efficiency, and create a more flexible manufacturing environment.

How can AGV support smart factories of tomorrow?

Modern AGVs do far more than transport materials between workstations. Connected directly to manufacturing execution systems (MES), warehouse management systems (WMS), and enterprise resource planning (ERP) platforms, they provide a real-time link between production planning and execution. Material deliveries can be triggered automatically based on production demand, ensuring components arrive exactly when and where they are needed.

The benefits extend beyond efficiency. Every movement performed by an AGV can be recorded, timestamped, and associated with a specific product, batch, or production order. For industries such as automotive, aerospace, and battery manufacturing, this level of traceability has become a significant competitive advantage. AGVs provide flexibility as production requirements change. Routes, destinations, priorities, and workflows can be adjusted through software rather than costly facility modifications.

As factories become more data-driven, AGVs are also contributing valuable operational intelligence. Fleet management systems can identify traffic congestion, monitor vehicle utilization, predict maintenance requirements, and optimize routes in real time. The result is a material handling system that continuously improves its own performance.

New Issue: Logistics Business September 2026

The September 2026 issue of Logistics Business is out now, bringing together our latest coverage of artificial intelligence, automation, supply chain resilience, sustainability and the technologies reshaping logistics operations. In this edition, we explore how these once-separate priorities are increasingly converging as businesses look for practical ways to improve efficiency, resilience and performance.

Artificial intelligence is a major theme throughout the issue, but we put the emphasis firmly on real-world applications rather than future promises. We examine AI in commercial transport, warehouse intelligence, compliance and decision-making, including our exclusive report from Motive’s Vision 26 conference in Nashville looking at how AI is already being used to improve fleet safety and reduce administrative workloads.

Against an increasingly unpredictable global backdrop, we also tackle supply chain resilience and disruption. We look at the impact of extreme weather on logistics operations, the changing demands of cross-border compliance, emerging fraud risks and the technologies helping businesses respond faster when disruption strikes.

In materials handling and intralogistics, we ask where warehouse automation goes next. From humanoid robotics and Physical AI to robotic sorting, AGVs and real-time operational data, we explore why the next competitive advantage may come not simply from adding more robots, but from making better decisions and creating more connected automation ecosystems.

Sustainability runs throughout the edition too. We look at the transition beyond diesel at container ports and how environmental performance is becoming increasingly intertwined with operational efficiency. In our dedicated packaging section, we explore sustainable packaging ecosystems, PCR strapping, right-sized packaging and the often-overlooked role of pallets in closed-loop supply chains.

Across 68 pages of exclusive features, interviews, case studies and industry insight, we take a closer look at a logistics sector in transition – with a particular focus on what businesses can do today rather than simply what might be possible tomorrow.

New EU Packaging Regulation Impacts Business

Research of British manufacturers and suppliers shows an overwhelming majority are rethinking packaging to comply with new EU rules.

The EU’s PPWR introduces a new framework for packaging circularity, including requirements for recyclability, recycled content and packaging minimisation. Many of the new measures will be phased in over the coming years and 12th August 2026 marks the general application of the new regulation for any business placing packaging on the EU market.

A survey of 200 British businesses throughout non-food supply chains, by logistics company Advanced Supply Chain, revealed that 93% have been affected or expect to be affected by the PPWR. The research found:

16% have already formatted packaging to comply
39% are currently making changes to packaging
32% are reviewing and assessing packaging formats
6% expect to be affected by the PPWR
Just 7% of businesses reported that the PPWR will have no impact on their packaging.

Stuart Greenfield (pictured, below), UK and European Sales Director at Advanced Supply Chain, commented: “We surveyed businesses across sectors including homewares, fashion, consumer electronics, footwear and many more, and the findings show just far-reaching the EU’s new packaging regulation has become.

“Although the PPWR is an EU regulation, it’s not unusual to see businesses applying PPWR principles to packaging used outside the EU. British businesses want to continue trading seamlessly with customers across Europe, and many are standardising packaging formats to support compliance, control costs and simplify retail logistics across multiple markets.”

As well as adapting packaging to comply with the PPWR, British businesses have also been contending with the impacts of the packaging Extended Producer Responsibility Scheme (pEPR). The scheme has introduced new fees for packaging waste, shifting the costs of managing packaging waste from local authorities to affected businesses.

Advanced Supply Chain’s research shows the pEPR has increased repackaging requirements for 70% of businesses, meaning 47% have seen growing levels of packaging waste. 37% also reported that the scheme has led to increased packaging errors, further impacting levels of packaging waste.

Packaging manufacturer Duo supplies retailers and brands across the UK and EU. Duo co-owner and commercial director, Anthony Brimelow, said:

“We’re seeing a growing number of British businesses prioritise packaging strategies that increase levels of recycled content, rightsize packages and focus on lightweight materials. The PPWR and pEPR are driving this trend, but the challenge is ensuring sustainability gains don’t come at the expense of packaging integrity. We expect this to drive innovation in advanced materials that deliver strength and efficiency.”

Greenfield concluded: “The pEPR is increasing the pressure on businesses to find the right packaging balance across product protection, customer experience, cost control and sustainability. We see this during the pre-retail stages of supply chains, where packaging plays a crucial role in getting products ready for sale.

“As supply chains adapt to the pEPR, we expect packaging waste linked to repackaging to decline. Many businesses are already revisiting their own supplier standards and compliance measures to reduce repackaging requirements, as products move from source of supply through to point of sale.”

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