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With the implementation of a
temperature-controlled high bay
warehouse for dairy products, SSI
Schaefer has realized one of the most
modern production and logistics
systems for the Norwegian market
leader Tine SA. With the implementation
of automated processes, efficiency
has increased by 30%. The project will
enable the company to save up to €7
million per year.
Tine SA, located in Oslo, pursues
ambitious goals. Norway’s largest
producer of dairy products desired
an expansion that enabled them to
achieve sustainable cost reductions.
To accomplish this, they needed higher
efficiency and flexibility in their logistic
processes. Therefore, the cooperative,
consisting of 15,000 Norwegian dairy
producers, restructured and optimized
its presence on the southwest coast.
In Jæren near Nærbø, around 30km
south of Stavanger, the group of
companies has erected one of the most
modern production facilities. The dairy
production was consolidated from four
old production facilities from the nearby
area into one, new 25,000m
²
facility.
200 million liters of milk are processed
to around 300 different dairy products
every year.
“This increased productivity requires
intralogistic processes that are based
on sustainability and efficiency,”
explains Ingvar Løge, facility manager of
the new facility in Jæren. “Therefore, we
have constructed the new distribution
centre right next to the production
facility. Since its completion at the end
of 2012, it ensures, on the one hand,
the protection of a consistent cold chain
from the delivery of the base materials
via production, storage, maturation,
quality control and packing up to
dispatch of the finished products. On
the other hand, the automation of the
processes designed on largest possible
flexibility supports the handling of the
expected quantity increase by product
developments and the increasing
demand.” The group of companies
invested a sum of around €180 million
in the construction of the new facility
and logistics system.
After an international tender SSI
Schaefer was awarded the contract for
the creation of the logistics concept
as well as the detailed planning
and implementation of the high-bay
warehouse, including conveying
system. “Excellent logistics references
in the area of perishables, the process
knowledge and the necessary product
range enabled us to develop a solution
that was tailored to the specific
requirements of Tine. These were the
decision factors for Tine placing the
order with SSI Schaefer,” explains
Morten Kirch, Sales Manager Northern
Europe of SSI Schaefer.
The logistics of perishables, especially
dairy products, present a special
challenge when it comes to storage
and picking. In addition to the
temperature control requirements
between +2° to +8°C, dairy products
have a comparatively shorter shelf life
and minimum durability that require a
rather high throughput, which must be
considered when developing these
processes. They require short periods
for the handling of logistics processes,
a fast throughput and direct transports.
Possible sensory disturbances have to
be especially avoided.
The dynamic warehouse and picking
system from SSI Schaefer that included
hardware, additional automation and
software connections, optimized the
throughput for Tine in the supply
chain from farmer to refrigerated shelf.
“With the consolidation of production
and storage facilities, and the new
automated system, we expect to
Intralogistics for Dairy
50
Logistics Business Magazine | September 2015
COLD STORE AUTOMATION