SSI Schaefer Supplies Logistics to Ikea

The Swedish furnishing house Ikea is pursuing two future-oriented projects that will demonstrate influence on distribution logistics as well as intra logistics. The company is setting up an increasing number of multi-level stores, which offer the customer showrooms on several levels. The furnishing house is also concentrating on the use of new storage aids like the loading ledges. Their partner for the projects is SSI Schaefer, Giebelstadt. "By using recyclable tripod plastic corners as well as paper or cardboard pallets, we are able to save space when storing products and process them easier," explains Michael Geiger, logistics manager at Ikea Nieder-Eschbach, close to Frankfurt/Main. "Furthermore, the reduced use of conventional pallets also saves handling and warehousing expenses."

Geiger adds, "In order to ideally use the advantages of the new building structure and the new storage aids, we also wanted to apply an efficient solution to the internal flow of material between goods receiving and allocation in the showrooms". "We had checked numerous possibilities - the use of a conveyor system turned out to be the best solution."

SSI Schaefer is currently installing the sixth system of this type at Ikea in La Coruna, Spain. The remaining five systems are located in Nieder-Eschbach, St. Gallen and Lyssach in Switzerland, Dublin in Ireland and Ghent in Belgium. The conveyor system in Spain will be put into operation the beginning of 2010. The approximately 34,500 square meters gross floor area of the multi-level store in Nieder-Eschbach extends over three stories. Goods receiving is located on the lower level, while sales areas are located on the ground and first floor. There, 9,500 items are directly available to Ikea customers.

SSI Schaefer handles transportation between goods receiving and the storing positions with their conveyor system. Unlike conventional pallet conveyors, which transport storage aids on metal guide rollers or transport chains, plastic elements are used for the solution. These elements are interlocked lengthwise and linked together to a revolving belt over the entire width of the conveyor system. All components of the modular system - from feed-in station, chain conveyor to shuttle vehicles, rotary tables and vertical conveyors - are equipped with this continuous belt. In this way, pallets of different size and material can be accepted and transported by the automatic conveyor system easily and without slipping.

SSI Schaefer, www.ssi-schaefer-asia.com