After a two-year renovation phase, Spar Austria has reopened its logistics centre in Graz. The food retailer is automating the entire goods-in process using technologies from specialist supplier Knapp. This allows effective use of space and increases efficiency of processes. Spar Austria has been working closely with the Graz-based logistics specialist since 2009.
Austrian Spar has expanded its existing logistics space at the Graz site by 40 per cent to 40,000 square metres. The move became necessary to guarantee supply of stores with a growing range of goods. From here, the retail company delivers over 5,350 different products from non-perishable foods, fruit and vegetables and dairy product categories. The centre delivers a further 18,000 different products via cross-docking from a central warehouse in Wels to the stores.
The Graz subsidiary is one of six Spar regional centres in Austria. The logistics hub supplies 273 Spar, Eurospar and Interspar locations as well as Spar Express petrol station shops in the region and thus providing around 1.4 million consumers with everyday items.
Automation optimises incoming goods process
The newly built, fully automated high-bay racking system provides 2,500 square metres of floor space and 6,400 storage locations. Thanks to optimised space utilisation, this increases storage density and thus improves storage capacity. The logistics centre in Graz processes around 180 pallets per hour. Of these, 80 are automatically stored directly in the high-bay racking system. Knapp’s Powerline pallet conveyor system transports around 100 pallets to the connected picking stations.
Due to automation, the retail company can handle incoming goods processes faster and more efficiently. The technology relieves employees of heavy physical labour and thus ensures better working conditions.
