With a wide product range of over 700,000 items, Conrad Electronic is renowned as a paradise for fans of electronic gadgets and other tech gear. However, after the multichannel retailer experienced years of strong growth, the company's distribution center in Wernberg, Bavaria, started to run up against performance and capacity limits. Conrad decided to expand the central warehouse facility. At the heart of the new system is a powerful, highly dynamic shuttle system connected to goods-to-person order picking workstations.
HIGHER STORAGE CAPACITY and simultaneous enlargement of the number of items available
DOUBLING THE NUMBER OF ORDERS SENT Approximately 100,000 deliveries per day to customers
FUTURE-PROOF SAP IT platform with storage management and material flow control system
Attaining the best service level for its customers – both in the B2C and the B2B area. The existing fufillment system was no longer capable to deliver this level of service. To maintain maximum flexibility for the omni-channel activities, it was high time to update the existing system. TGW developed a solution that met Conrad’s goals and provided more space, capacity and overall output.
30 workstations are supplied with sequenced totes from the shuttle system. Multi-order picking takes place at the workstations achieving 300 picks/hour.
The automated shuttle warehouse comprised of 15 aisles, each having 46 levels is the core of the new system. Our Stingray shuttles are used for storage and retrieval. Over forty order picking workstations have been installed; these are on three levels to save space.
Order picking uses goods-to-person workstations. The operators follow the picking dialogs shown on the touchscreens according to the "pick-to-light" principle. A pick rate of approximately 250 picks per hour is achieved at these workstations.
At over 40 stations, the packaged cartons are routed to the shipping area. A "Natrix" shoe sorter increases total output. The cartons are automatically sealed and labeled.
The high-performance system enables Conrad to fulfill orders from the various sales channels from one distribution center. In addition, the fulfillment solution is designed to enable a growth strategy without any problems.
Conrad was able to double their order capacity. Perfectly harmonized material handling components are integrated to a fulfillment solution, that provides Conrad with higher storage capacity and a boost in the number of products that can be ordered by the customer.
Conrad Electronic is a family-owned company founded in 1923. Since 1946, they have had their headquarters in Hirschau in the Upper Palatinate region of eastern Bavaria. As a company with an international presence in 16 European countries, Conrad is an omni-channel provider of tech gear and electronic goods.