80 locations on four continents and over 60 years of expertise – as one of the world's leading logistics providers in the automotive sector, Schnellecke has extensive know-how to make value-added logistics in the automotive industry more efficient every day. Another milestone in the field of automation is the new Leipzig warehouse complex, where a total solution from Jungheinrich is used for just-in-sequence delivery to a renowned automobile manufacturer. Three Automated Guided Vehicles (AGVs), gravity roller conveyors, and software handle the transportation of cable harnesses, door sills, rear bumpers, and other vehicle parts.
Comprehensive Logistics from a Single Source
To meet the high demands for process reliability and ensure material availability five days a week, 24 hours a day, the Jungheinrich EKS 215a high-lift trucks proved to be the optimal solution. They were specifically developed for automated operations and are the perfect complement in a modern human-machine operation at times of growing skills shortages. In addition to the detection and monitoring of pallets by the EKS 215a, the AGS has 360° personal protection with safety sensors on the vehicle for maximum safety at work.
Equipped with a lithium-ion battery and the function for automatic
interim charging, the AGS are operational around the clock. The capacity is always designed so that at any time enough vehicles are available to achieve the required throughput. To prevent failures, Schnellecke also chose the premium service package with a guaranteed response time within one hour in the event of vehicle defects or other failures. Whether replacement parts service, repairs, or software support, Jungheinrich service technicians are on hand immediately when needed.
Jungheinrich as General Contractor
In the Schnellecke project, Jungheinrich once again demonstrates its strength as a comprehensive logistics provider. The customer received all components from a single source – from planning to customer service after project completion.
“Jungheinrich provided us with a complete package tailored exactly to our needs,” summarizes Benedikt Gillmann, Head of Team Automation at Schnellecke, “exactly what we were looking for for our specific application.”
The simple commissioning and pragmatic approach to challenges within the project also convinced the customer.
The logistics service provider Schnellecke commissions an automated just-in-sequence logistics solution (JIS) for a premium automotive customer. Ensuring delivery capability five days a week around the clock is the top priority. Jungheinrich provides a comprehensive logistics concept for the
efficient JIS supply of car parts consisting of EKS 215a Automated Guided Vehicles, shelving systems, conveyor technology, and software for controlling the processes.
In conversation: Benedikt Gillmann, Head of Team Automation Schnellecke Logistics GmbH
What do you see as the crucial advantages of Jungheinrich's overall concept?
Our company stands for innovation and future-oriented thinking – forward thinking, as we call it. Jungheinrich's expertise in automation and digitalization is the perfect basis for shaping and influencing logistics in the automotive sector in the future. In Kabelsketal, we have programmed the initial interface, so to speak, to optimally utilize the advantages of automatic storage in the future. By coupling our warehouse management system with the Jungheinrich control system, we are opening up completely new possibilities for efficient management of our warehouse processes. The communication between vehicles and storage facilities facilitates the entire planning and increases our productivity.
What motivated you to choose Automated Guided Systems (AGS) for your logistics solution?
We have been dealing with automation projects for over ten years now to proactively counter all-pervasive issues such as resource and skills shortages. The use of AGS allows us to use our internal resources more efficiently.
Furthermore, the market demands a certain dynamism and flexibility from us, which we achieve through the automation of processes. Naturally, our employees first had to familiarize themselves with the automated vehicles and their handling during the ramp-up phase. However, the simple, intuitive operation of the EKS 215a made this process much easier, and we had an overall smooth commissioning.
Are you satisfied with Jungheinrich's premium service and would you recommend the collaboration?
Service packages with short response times were an important criterion for us during the project award. As a JIT and JIS supplier, we need to be extremely agile and flexible. Every second counts. We cannot afford to wait several hours for technical service personnel. The premium service package was the perfect choice for us and meets all of our expectations. The service is reliable, prompt, and professional. Our collaboration overall went perfectly. We value Jungheinrich's many years of experience and technological know-how. Therefore, we can certainly imagine relying on Jungheinrich's expertise in future use cases.
The Project at a Glance
- Client: Schnellecke Group AG & Co. KG
- Industry: Logistics
- Company size: approximately 19,000 employees worldwide
- Location: Kabelsketal/Leipzig, Germany
- Warehouse size: 6,000 m2
