viastore expands Panasonic‘s European logistics center
Panasonic Electric Works Europe, a subsidiary of Panasonic Industry Europe, expanded its European logistics center in Pfaffenhofen near Munich, Germany with the addition of an automated mini-load system from viastore. The company offers a full range of products and services from electrical components, devices and modules to comprehensive solutions and manufacturing facilities for production lines to customers from a wide variety of industrial sectors. This investment enables Panasonic to centralize various locations and business areas. “The viastore solution enables us to further expand our capabilities in the European market and offer our customers maximum service at optimum cost,” says Gerhard Reiprich, Senior General Manager Logistic Operations at Panasonic. In the past, the warehouse staff had to manually retrieve small parts from storage racks, which resulted in long throughput times and high susceptibility to errors. The use of space was less than ideal as well. “Today, processes run automatically and efficiently, not least thanks to our viadat warehouse management software, which reliably controls and manages all operations,” explains Peter Päusch, Director Office South at viastore. The WMS is ergonomic, intuitive to use and fully scalable with regard to function and performance.
From a technical point of view, the solution consists of a five-aisle automated mini-load system that enables the double-depth storage of almost 14,000 containers. Five viaspeed automated storage/retrieval systems perform around 650 double cycles per hour. The goods receipt, packing and picking workstations with empty container staging enable high throughput rates and ergonomic operations. The pick-by-light system, which was also implemented by viastore, ensures low error rates in picking. In addition, the warehouse, which is more than five meters high and thirty meters long, has been optimally fitted into the hall and makes the best possible use of available capacities.