With brands such as Electrolux, AEG, Anova, Frigidaire, Westinghouse and Zanussi, the Electrolux Group sells more than 60 million products for private and professional kitchens in more than 120 markets every year. The Group employs 52,000 people worldwide. In Brazil, Electrolux is represented in around 38 million households. The company further expanded its activities in South America in 2017 with the acquisition of the household appliance brand Continental. As part of a global reengineering process to modernize its plants, the global player also reorganized its warehouse logistics at the Curitiba site in Brazil. The fully automated handling and storage solution was implemented by international system integrator Viastore.

There were three restructuring options to choose from: Electrolux initially considered expanding the existing warehouse, and the use of an external warehouse was also discussed. "From a cost-benefit perspective and from a technical point of view, however, a new automated warehouse was the best solution," explains João Nilton Costa, Inbound Logistics Manager at Electrolux.

Pallets up to 35 meters high

Viastore was chosen because the intralogistics specialist best met the technical requirements: The new layout combines an automated small parts warehouse (AKL) with a pallet warehouse and makes ideal use of the 4,000^m2 storage area: On the one hand, around 6,720 pallets with piece goods are now stacked up to 35 m high: storage and retrieval in the pallet warehouse is handled by four storage and retrieval machines, two with single depth and two with double depth. On the other hand, the 14 m high mini-load warehouse has a capacity of 17,600 containers and cartons. Five additional double-deep storage and retrieval machines are used for handling. Their "Multigripper" load handling devices allow the loading and unloading of load carriers of different sizes and material types.

Viastore installed the appropriate conveyor technology in Curitiba alongside the storage system: this not only transports cartons or pallets in and out of the warehouse. Integrated inspection systems also record the dimensions and weight of the conveyed load carriers. The data collected helps to determine the ideal storage location or to store the pallets according to their weight class - up to 600 or 1,200 kg. "We have been able to reduce our logistics costs by 38% by optimizing routes, eliminating inefficiencies and standardizing processes," Costa explains. "Automation also enables visual data management, which significantly speeds up decision-making."

The centralized storage of raw materials brought decisive advantages for Electrolux. The precise overview of stocks ensures that the assembly lines are supplied at all times. In addition, the high degree of standardization and synchronization reduces the delivery routes required for storage and retrieval. "When we talk about efficiency, that includes sustainability," emphasizes the Electrolux Inbound Logistics Manager. "Because when we complete more tasks with less effort and in less time, we save resources and are therefore more environmentally friendly."