Meffert AG, one of Germany's leading paint manufacturers with sales of DM 300 million and branch operations in Europe and Asia, needed a new logistics centre to meet the
growing demand at its main plant in Bad Kreuznach.
|  | "This is a colourful place"
Dieter Meffert, CEO of Meffert AG Farbwerke, describes his company's approach: "We consistently focus on the concept of service. This is made clear by the fact that we deliver all
of our orders within 48 hours".
And this is a high performance standard considering the 5,000 different products stored on 20,000 rack locations with 1,600 pallet movements every day. Meffert needed a flow
storage system because the space available for palletized products ready for despatch was limited. The main functions of this customer-oriented logistics system are now handled by
a new LOGIX flow storage system capable of turning over up to 500 pallets per day. Finished products are now scanned in the flow storage warehouse where they are called up as
required and prepared for delivery.
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| | High availability
The system comprises four storage levels, each with 14 flow storage lanes and 18 pallet places per lane for a total of 1,008 pallets. Dynamic Storage roller track modules ensure
smooth handling of the pallets weighing between 150 and 600 kg. The entry and crossway modules are equipped with full width roller tracks. Serviced exclusively by hand pallet
trucks, the take-off module on storage level 1 is equipped with split roller tracks, while those on levels 2 to 4 have full width roller tracks. Speed controllers were installed
to ensure that the pallets do not exceed the "speed limit" of 0.3 m/s in the storage lanes. Safety separators guarantee precise and careful separation of the pallets for order
picking.
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| | Perfectly coordinated conveyors and flow storage
Products are moved from the production area to the warehouse area over a bridge structure. Vertical lifts distribute the products for delivery to four conveyor lines leading to
four transfer cars. Each level has a dedicated transfer car that automatically places the pallets into the flow storage lanes assigned by the scanner. Electric pallet trucks are
used to remove the pallets, arranged in order of delivery, from the floor level while the second to fourth levels are serviced by electric high-lift trucks.
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| | Peak performance
According to Dieter Meffert, "At peak times, 500 pallets come in and out of the warehouse every day". At such a high turnover rate, reliability is essential. In view of the high
throughput and distribution figures, the main focus for Meffert is on making palletised products directly, and reliably accessible.
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