Fig.: fetra
Since1954, fetra (Fechtel Transportgeräte) has been manufacturing hand-operated transport equipment used worldwide. The company is now expanding its production and logistics facilities. Viastore is supplying a two-aisle pallet warehouse for the project, complete with stacker cranes, conveyor technology, and the WMS "viadat".
The production areas will be significantly expanded in the future. In addition to a new 9,252-square-meter production and storage hall for the powder coating, assembly, and order picking departments, a 1,680-square-meter shipping hall with 13 loading docks and one ground-level door is being built. It is equipped with conveyor belts for parcel shipping, which are directly connected to the picking stations. With this expansion, which aims to significantly increase fetra's efficiency and capacity, it made sense to also rethink all intralogistics processes and better position the company for the future with an optimal system solution.
Following extensive consultation and precise planning, the international intralogistics specialist Viastore, headquartered in Stuttgart, delivers a 1295 square meter and 21 m high automated pallet warehouse (APL) in silo construction with 4136 pallet storage places.
Manually operated: high-lift pallet truck from fetra
Two "viapal" stacker cranes handle the storage and retrieval in the two-aisle, double-deep facility, each aisle 60 m long. The "viaconvey" package and pallet conveyor system transports the pallets between the warehouse and the loading/unloading stations, ensuring a seamless connection from goods receipt through central production points to package and pallet shipping. Viastore integrates telescopic belt conveyors for complete automation of the loading process into the trailers. To control the entire system and efficiently manage the storage, transport, and order picking processes, Viastore implements its intuitive warehouse management system (WMS) "viadat".
In the future, production will be supplied by an automated guided vehicle (AGV) system. Furthermore, fetra can expand the warehouse by two aisles if needed. The building and warehouse technology are designed accordingly.
Construction began in May 2024, and the buildings are scheduled for completion in spring 2025. The intralogistics system is expected to go live in autumn 2025.
