Centralized DC in Spain using Mobile Robots

In an effort to expand its logistics capacity and deploy efficient logistics management and technological innovations throughout the company, Desigual, an international fashion company based in Barcelona, has once again trusted SSI Schaefer.

To centralize operations at its distribution centre in Viladecans, Spain, Desigual is replacing a traditional pallet rack for overstock with a new area equipped with 24 RackBots from SSI Schaefer’s range of SSI Mobile Robots. In the first phase, the initial orders (push) are prepared there; these supply the company’s branch stores with the collections for the next season. The goal is to pick 30,000 units per day in two shifts in this new area.

When orders are assembled, a key requirement of this project is to organize them by collection and include all the sizes of a model combined together in the end. SSI Schaefer proposed a solution that could meet this sequencing requirement and ensure consistent store-ready order preparation – a key element in Desigual’s plan to improve the shopping experience. The solution SSI Schaefer proposed is also flexible enough to pick other types of orders, such as repeat orders of the same items (in-season re-orders) in department stores or Desigual branch stores, as well as picking online orders.

Jorge Soriano, Logistics & Distribution Manager at Desigual, explains: “Comparing RackBots to other types of solutions, they are obviously a flexible solution that is easy to scale, and they allow us to both expand storage capacity with new racks and increase dynamic capacity by purchasing new RackBots. In Desigual we are committed to efficient logistics management and technological innovation to improve product availability at its points of sale and through all our distribution channels.”

An extension of the conveyor belts connects the new area where the RackBots work to the existing SSI Schaefer system. This conveying system transports the cartons to the new area directly from the incoming goods area or the existing high-bay warehouse, which SSI Schaefer designed for Desigual in previous projects and which is made up of 10 SSI Miniloads and 200,000 storage locations for cartons. The customer order cartons that are prepared in the new RackBot area are either delivered to customers via shipping lanes or temporarily stored in the high-bay rack for later shipping.

Centralizing operations at the Viladecans distribution centre is part of the company’s ‘Open Desigual’ philosophy, based on the principle of cross-collaboration. Collaboration with the best partners in each area of the business allows the company to be ever closer to consumers and offer them the best experience in physical stores and digital retailing. For this project, Desigual teamed up with SSI Schaefer, a partner specializing in optimization of logistics processes. Commissioning of the new area is scheduled for November 2023.

Project details:
• Number of RackBots: 24
• Number of storage locations: 7,980 storage locations for 600×400×400 mm cartons
• Rack height: 5.3 meters (last carton level at 4.9 meters)
• 4 picking stations equipped with Put to Light racks with 16 positions per workstation
• Incoming via RackBot Port

Performance:
• 486 cartons/hour for the picking stations with 300 incoming cartons/hour at the same time
• 648 cartons/hour for the picking stations (without simultaneous incoming cartons)