Kaufland has a reputation for quality, a wide selection of goods and low prices. Owned by the Schwarz Gruppe, it has physical stores in seven countries outside its domestic market, including Poland, the Czech Republic and Romania. The company is also committed to sourcing food from sustainable production and to comprehensive environmental, climate and species protection.
In June 2020, Kaufland signed a contract to use Vanderlande’s next-generation STOREPICK automated case picking (ACP) solution for its 16,000m2 Geisenfeld DC, which has three levels (ground, 8m and 15m floors). The facility supplies dry goods to more than 120 stores in Bavaria and Baden-Württemberg.
STOREPICK has been installed to handle both incoming and outgoing products to guarantee store-friendly deliveries across multiple store formats. For Kaufland, choosing the right automation had to take account of several factors.
“The biggest challenges in the decision-making process were the issues of efficiency, space requirements – and what is becoming increasingly important – ergonomics to help employees who carry out handling tasks,” says Konrad Ott, Project Leader with Kaufland. “Vanderlande enabled us to see existing ACP systems, so we recognised the added value for our company and decided to proceed with this solution.”
The decision to green-light the project was also informed by the strong relationship between the two companies, which dates back to 2005. Vanderlande has installed several systems for the hypermarket giant in Germany, Poland and the Czech Republic.
“Due to our trusted and long-standing relationship with Vanderlande, we had proven automated systems for low-volume, slow movers,” explains Mr Ott. “However, we wanted something similar for high-volume fast movers, and that’s why the STOREPICK ACP system was recommended to us.”
The project also acts as a pilot, with a view to introducing similar solutions and technologies in other Kaufland facilities. “It’s part of my job to gain experience with the system at Geisenfeld and ensure our parameters are met, before we optimise and roll out elsewhere,” adds Mr Ott.
Kaufland was encouraged by STOREPICK’s ability to handle a broad range of goods. The automation was a perfect match for Kaufland’s unique U-shaped pallet system – the Kaufland Klapp-Palette (KKP) – which is physically more rigid than the traditional euro pallet. The new facility combines the use of both pallet types to ensure a more flexible approach to logistic operations.
Robotised palletising in combination with Vanderlande’s load forming logic (LFL) software allows Euro pallets and KKPs to be created and filled with maximum efficiency. It also ensures that products are not damaged by having too much weight placed on top of them and helps with the efficient transportation of goods.
Slower moving SKUs are stored and commissioned semi-automatically by employees at ergonomically designed workstations. Here, Vanderlande’s unique 3D, shuttle-based automated storage and retrieval system – ADAPTO – is deployed with 144 shuttles to provide the Geisenfeld DC with the ability to react to changing market dynamics.
Kaufland also acquired 14 autonomous mobile robots (AMRs) – part of Vanderlande’s Pallet AV portfolio – that mainly move both types of pallets. A further two AMRs handle empty pallets, supported by four Toyota automated guided vehicles divided equally between two storage areas.
Installation was a huge task and took three years to complete, not least because work took place during the recent pandemic. “COVID-19 was a big challenge, but despite this Vanderlande did an excellent job,” adds Mr Ott. “They were innovative and supportive, ensuring everything was a success despite a scarcity of materials.”
Such difficulties didn’t stop the system going live on schedule in October 2023, with the final acceptance and sign-off following in July 2024. The DC can now pick 120,000 SKUs per day, and there are more than 8,500 in the system at any one time.
Vanderlande provided training on the system for several technicians, as well as Automation Shift Leader, Harbin Sela. “There were many things to learn, but it was a good experience, and we were well supported by Vanderlande’s project team,” he explains. “We were then able to train other technicians and support staff ourselves.”
In addition, the STOREPICK automation has provided a great way to maximise the DC’s footprint, as Mr Ott explains. “If we had stayed with a manual system, we would have needed double the floorspace, which is no longer a practical option in Germany or the rest of Europe,” he says. “What’s more, the compact system and relatively small area allow us to save resources and use less energy.”
The DC employs more than 900 people, and they too have directly benefitted from the introduction of automation. “There may be more technical work now, but the processes are much easier, and everything is more compact,” says Mr Sela. “Instead of going to find and pick the goods, the final pallet comes to us – ready for delivery to the store – with no one involved in between.”
Moreover, thanks to its use of robotics and other ergonomic solutions, such as height-adjustable workstations, there are fewer manual tasks across the facility.
“We don’t need to lift goods anymore,” adds Mr Sela. “Even when depalletising, we can push rather than lift items. What’s more, automation has improved people’s jobs – for example, former pickers have new roles supporting system operations and are better qualified as a result.”
“We told employees early on about our project and plans, promoting the idea that those who were interested in the new system might want to imagine working in the new digital world,” adds Mr Ott. “This was received very positively by the workforce because these are the jobs of the future. It is much more pleasant for an employee to be controlling the system with a laptop, rather than doing physically demanding work.”
The STOREPICK system and advanced robotics are also making an impression on the wider company. “Many managers from Kaufland have visited the new system, and it has opened their minds to change and technology,” says Mr Ott. “The stores we serve are also open to its advantages and we are ready for the future thanks to this huge investment.”
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