Logistics expansion powers Conrad Electronic

TGW has expanded an automated warehousing solution for Conrad Electronic, one of Europe’s leading multi-channel retailers of electronics and household technology.

Together with SAP specialists IGZ, TGW has doubled performance for the retailer, which offers more than 700,000 products to customers worldwide, both online and via its 30 European stores from its distribution centre in Wernberg, Germany.

Steady growth meant that Conrad’s logistics facility required expansion to increase capacity and provide optimum customer service.

TGW realised a solution consisting of a STINGRAY shuttle warehouse with more than 200,000 storage locations and a performance of 12,000 tote storage and retrieval movements per hour (6,000 in & 6,000 out).

The order fulfilment solution is based on a Goods-To-Person picking system, which is realised over three picking levels, each with 15 ergonomic workstations. Two thirds of the picking stations service direct online customers and the remainder allow for shop replenishment. There is also an additional picking area that is used during peak and for single order picks.

“The new picking area allows us to work more efficiently, and with zero-error system tolerance we achieve remarkable picking performances. We have doubled our performance,” said Udo Hermannstadter, Head of Logistics at Conrad.

TGW’s Natrix sorter distributes order cartons to their respective routes, where they are conveyed into trucks on telescopic boom conveyors. The system delivers a performance of 6,000 packages per hour, which means the number of shipping packages has doubled to 100,000 per day.

With the 56million Euro investment in the new installation, Conrad is able to continue its growth and prepare for a promising future.

“We expect further growth during the next year, and the expansion of our logistics facilities will definitely help us to pursue our strategy,” Udo Hermannstadter concludes.