Automatic supply chain system

Motus Handling has developed an automatic supply chain system at Volvo Car Gent that links the supply area, two warehouses and pick-up zone fully automatically with each other.

Client

Volvo Car Gent

Volvo Car Gent (Belgium) is one of Europe’s leading car producers. The site in Ghent has been producing passenger cars since 1965 and, today, employs more than 5,000 people.

Challenge

Volvo Car has a high-storage pallet warehouse supplemented with another smaller box warehouse. The supply to the warehouse and the parts selection had become dated and could no longer ensure the planned capacity. This sometimes led to production delays. Volvo wanted both the infeed and outfeed areas of the warehouses to be rebuilt. This would ensure that the required performance could be achieved.

‘The biggest challenge of this project was the alignment of three existing elements in a complex building structure.’

Solution

In partnership with Engie Fabricom, Motus Handling has built the infeed and outfeed of products in the warehouse. It starts with a setup area to introduce incoming pallets smoothly and quickly into the system from the truck. Then it is determined where the pallet is to be sent using barcode scanners. Before entering the warehouse, the quality of the pallet boxes is checked. Pallets that do not meet the grade are disposed of. If they do, the pallet is offered to one of the two warehouses or directly to the pick-up area. This takes place at two levels with the required vertical transfers to enable possible changes. The double transfer car brings the correct pallets and parts to the pick-up area. All with the ultimate aim of improving capacity and reliability.

Why Valtech Group?

To achieve the projected short delivery time, Motus Handling could count on the assistance of Valvan Baling Systems for the preinstallation of the machine components. In other words, other companies from Valtech Group provided complementary services to help find the solution for the customer.