First phase of complex DC completes

Automated materials handling solutions specialist TGW Logistics has completed a major milestone in the development of a huge logistics centre being built for Swiss food company Coop on a 110,000 sq m site in Schafisheim – one of the largest construction sites in Switzerland.

Started in June 2013, the first stage of the development, the General Products warehouse is now fully operational 24/7. Around 13,000 roller containers and 2,000 Euro pallets of flowers, plants, fruit, vegetables, dairy, confectionery, bakery and general products are picked and shipped each day.

A TGW conveyor system for pallets and roller containers connects various goods receiving areas, the high-bay warehouse with around 4,000 Euro pallet storage locations, and the picking and shipping areas. The operation sits over six floors that are connected by 32 lifts. A 160-metre bridge connects the two buildings that make up the facility – the modified existing warehouse and an extension.

Live supply chain operations continued throughout the first stage, which was made more complex by the scale of the development, the high degree of automation and the relevance of the General Products warehouse to the interdependent phases, which have yet to be completed.

"An important milestone has been reached and the acceptance of other phases of this huge development will follow, such as the Empty Packs Centre, Bakery, Cooling Machine and Freezer Logistics," says Harald Stallinger, managing director at TGW Systems Integration. "The teamwork between our employees, the planners, suppliers and the entire Coop team has been excellent. We can all be proud of our achievement."