Case Studies > Gries Deco Company: Targeted Store Delivery with CaddyPick

Gries Deco Company: Targeted Store Delivery with CaddyPick

Company Size

1,000+

Region

Europe

Country

Austria
Germany
Switzerland

Product

CaddyPick
WarehouseManager

Tech Stack

Warehouse Management System
Material Flow Controller
Monorail Vehicles

Implementation Scale

Enterprise-wide Deployment

Impact Metrics

Cost Savings
Customer Satisfaction
Productivity Improvements

Technology Category

Automation & Control - Automation & Process Control Systems
Functional Applications - Remote Monitoring & Control Systems
Functional Applications - Warehouse Management Systems (WMS)

Applicable Industries

Consumer Goods
Retail

Applicable Functions

Logistics & Transportation
Warehouse & Inventory Management

Use Cases

Inventory Management
Supply Chain Visibility
Warehouse Automation

Services

Software Design & Engineering Services
System Integration

About The Customer

Gries Deco Company GmbH, founded by Oskar Gries in 1948, is Europe’s leading specialist in home decor and home furnishings. The company has transformed from a manufacturer to a successful manufacturer and retailer, reflected in the extensive expansion of its DEPOT store network. By 2015, the company had grown to 425 stores in Germany, Switzerland, and Austria, employing more than 7,000 people and generating over €500 million in sales per year. The DEPOT retail brand has also been experiencing continuous growth in its online business. The company’s headquarters are in Niedernberg near Aschaffenburg.

The Challenge

To manage the rapid store growth and the need for new warehouse capacities, Gries Deco Company decided to fully reorganize its warehouse and distribution logistics in 2011. The goal was to significantly increase the delivery service level for their points of sale, sustainably optimize inventories, reduce throughput and delivery times from 48 hours to no more than 24 hours, and cut logistics costs in half. Another top objective was to integrate the existing decentralized warehouses into the new logistics concept. The logistics concept, adapted by Swisslog GmbH, was completed after a two-and-a-half-year planning and implementation period, resulting in a new distribution center built to the highest standards.

The Solution

The new warehouse and distribution logistics system is tailored to Gries Deco Company’s expanding in-store business. The high-bay warehouse, built on a 150,000 m² lot, is equipped with 12 stacker cranes and has space for approximately 111,000 pallets. The semiautomated picking warehouse provides 17,500 pallet locations and seven additional stacker cranes. The core element of the logistics solution is the semiautomated CaddyPick picking system, which combines classic person-to-goods picking with the zone-to-zone approach. The CaddyPick system uses monorail vehicles to transport pallets through the picking aisles, ensuring efficient and error-free picking. The system includes 120 CaddyPick vehicles that handle the flow of goods and disposal of empty pallets and waste materials. The picked and wrapped pallets are transported to the shipping department by an extensive conveyor system, where they are labeled and prepared for shipping. The logistics center also uses a high-performance warehouse management software system to coordinate storage, retrieval, picking, packaging, and shipping processes.

Operational Impact

The complete solution covers the entire flow of goods from receiving to storage, picking, shipping, and store delivery.
The CaddyPick system ensures safe and quiet warehouse operation and can be expanded at any time.
The integrated weighing system in CaddyPick optimizes quality and ensures error-free picking.
The automation and state-of-the-art warehouse components significantly improve productivity.
The high-performance software system ensures perfect control of all logistics components, preparing the logistics system for rapid growth in both online business and physical stores.

Quantitative Benefit

CaddyPick increases picking performance by as much as 40% compared to a conventional solution.
The logistics and distribution center sends approximately 5,000 pallets on their way to the stores daily.
The CaddyPicks move approximately 5,100 pallets per day in the picking warehouse.
Employees carry out around 90,000 picks in three daily shifts.