Leading companies are constantly on the move. To ensure that production and storage capacities also achieve the necessary adaptability, Ausnutria and Stöcklin rely on intelligent, modular, scalable and highly flexible intralogistics automation at the Heerenveen site.
Consistent, step-by-step automation of material and goods flows to supply production, with direct connection of neighboring partner companies via a central pallet high-bay warehouse
4-aisle, 34-metre-high pallet high-bay warehouse with 11,500 storage locations and an option for 6-aisle expansion; fully automated operation by 5 MASTer SRMs with a storage/retrieval capacity of up to 188 pallets per hour; integration of a tunnel with conveyor line for containers from the neighbouring building; setting up a buffer zone with 2 automated guided vehicles/AGV EAGLE-ANT 1 for transferring raw materials from the neighbouring milk drying plant; conversion of the software to logOS MFS
The plant enables Ausnutria to supply the milk powder mixing and filling plant's production, which fluctuates from day to day with the order volume, 'just-in-time', to use short distances and to temporarily store goods ready for dispatch within easy reach
Subdivision of the bearing into different hygiene areas; software migration and implementation of all automation stages during operation
Dutch company Ausnutria is the world's leading manufacturer and supplier of baby and infant food. The flexible, fast and, above all, safe provision of a growing variety of sensitive products in absolutely flawless quality for both own and customer brands is one of the company's core challenges. At the production site in Heerenveen, ultra-modern annexes have been built in recent years, creating short distances in the process chain and enabling scalable, future-oriented automation of intralogistics.
In the first expansion stage, Ausnutria used Stöcklin "Greenfield" to design and build a fully automated high-bay warehouse with transport systems that enable the various carriers and packaging materials with different storage and conveying requirements to be moved and stored intelligently. The storage and retrieval capacities are up to 188 movements per hour.
Shortly thereafter, a tunnel was created with an additional conveyor level that extends from the neighboring building to the front of the High-bay and seamlessly integrating the provision of containers and packaging into the automatic processes at Ausnutria.
Replacing the third-party software with logOS MFS harmonized communication between the ERP system and the plant, improved performance and created the necessary conditions for further expansion stages and the integration of additional operational components and technologies - including the creation of a buffer zone between production and the neighboring milk drying plant, in which two driverless transport vehicles/AGV EAGLE-ANT 1 from Stöcklin operate.
Step-by-step automation is becoming the principle for the future: the modular, step-by-step implementation in Heerenveen shows how sustainable intralogistics is created - not as a one-off major project, but as a continuous process. Each stage builds on the previous one. Whether conversion of the High-bay, replacement of the software or introduction of the fully automatic AGV system: each step helped to further increase flexibility and performance.
Together with Stöcklin, Ausnutria has not only created efficient processes, but also a working environment that meets the high quality and hygiene standards for baby food, while remaining future-ready.
