How an efficient warehouse design yielded a capacity increase for 84%

Less space, more storage capacity

Bringing two warehouses together in one compact building without any loss of capacity. SSI SCHAEFERe rose to the challenge for Belgian packaging specialist Ducaju. "Our new warehouse is half the size it used to be. Yet SSI SCHAEFER managed to achieve a capacity increase of 84 percent," says Pieter Debucquoy, Innovation & Technical Manager at Ducaju. "That's very impressive!"

Pieter Debucquoy has been working at Ducaju for 20 years. The Erpe-Mere-based company itself has been around for nearly three centuries. "Our roots go back to 1729. Since then we have acquired a solid reputation in luxury packaging, folding boxes, wrapping and presentation material in cardboard. Boxes, folders and displays really no longer hold any secrets for us," laughs Debucquoy. In recent years, Dujacu has continued to expand its activities, including the acquisition of two industry peers BDMO and Hellyn. "As a result, today we have a complete and complementary product range." 

However, due to growth - 3 million boxes and folders go out the door every year - the need for a new building began to arise. "We were too small in size, and that was affecting the logistics organization. The capacity of our two warehouses and the layout with static shelving were no longer adequate. We were losing too much time looking for the right pallets. It could all be a lot more efficient," says Debucquoy. Near the existing site, in Meulebeke, a brand new factory was finally built in 2021, and with it came a state-of-the-art warehouse.

High expectations

"For a long time we considered putting two warehouses: one for incoming goods and semi-finished products, another for finished products. But after a study by a major logistics consulting firm, we decided not to do that and to build one large storage area," says Debucquoy. "We wanted to keep it as compact as possible so we didn't have to invest needlessly in fire protection: 2,600 m² instead of 5,000 m². At the same time, more goods had to be stored on that smaller surface area without compromising the logistics flow. On top of that, we would like to evolve to a semi- or fully automated warehouse controlled by a WMS. It was all in the future, but the design had to be scalable. Future-proof. So quite a lot of work went into drafting the Request For Quotation (RFQ) to make clear to candidate suppliers our high expectations."

A total partner with all the expertise in house

"The RFQ was indeed very detailed," recalls Steve Cautaert, Head of Sales Dynamic Systems at SSI SCHAEFER. "They had accurately measured everything in their old warehouses: from the load capacity to the heights of the racks. That helped us assess their needs correctly. Based on the specifications, we knew almost immediately what to offer. Everything it described is standard in our range. After a few exploratory talks and some minor adjustments, we quickly arrived at a final proposal. What did it look like? Well, the nice thing about this assignment for us was the combination of different storage solutions, on the one hand for small goods and on the other hand for pallets. Usually these are two separate worlds. In this project they came together and that made it extra interesting. That's why you now see both Logimat vertical storage elevators and mobile pallet racks here, in addition to the classic static racks."

Debucquoy adds: "There are not many providers who have all of these systems in house and can install them. It was therefore very convenient for us that SSI SCHAEFER could take care of everything, and this undoubtedly played a role in their favour. For our part, it was a conscious decision to go for a total partner who could take the maximum load off our shoulders and with whom we could switch quickly." "SSI SCHAEFER is not only a one-stop shop. We are also a manufacturer of our products and keep sales, project management and after-sales service in-house. This allows us to stay on the ball at all times and provide our customers with optimal service," Steve adds.

A smooth installation

After making the necessary preparations, construction of the new warehouse began in early 2021. Barely a year later, it was operational. "The installation of the Logimat elevators and the shelving went wonderfully smoothly," says Debucquoy. "It proves that the choice of one partner was the right one. The short lines of communication, the follow-up, the planning ... I really can't remember any major problems, discussions or delays. Okay, the contractor did overlook a waiting pipe when pouring the floor and SSI SCHAEFER had to make last-minute adjustments. But that was nothing insurmountable. It is a new building and they have so much experience that a solution was quickly found," he says.

Yet the implementation of this project was certainly not an everyday occurrence for SSI SCHAEFER. Steve: "We are talking about Logimat elevators and mobile racks that are 10 metres high. The construction of the elevators in the shafts provided, with only 10 cm clearance around each installation, was a precision job. But everything got done on time and, importantly, is functioning as it should." Debucquoy nods in agreement: "The layout and technology are top-notch. Our employees now have no problem finding the pallets they need," he says. When asked what they think of the new warehouse, he replies, "A new environment and new installations is always getting used to. However, the racks and the Logimat elevators are very user-friendly. For example, the display of the elevators works very intuitively. You don't have to program anything on it. SSI SCHAEFER did all this for us in advance. The only thing they helped us with was determining the security levels - who has access to which drawer in the elevator. The plastic containers also came from SSI SCHAEFER. Everything is now nicely in place. On the floor, I hear nothing but positive noises."

Built-in security

In addition to setting up his warehouse, Ducaju also entrusted the aftercare to SSI SCHAEFER. "The warehouse is the beating heart of our company. If something breaks down there, it immediately affects our production. To minimize this risk of downtime, we have concluded a Service Level Agreement (SLA). In this way, we build in some extra security. If there is a fault with one of the elevators or racks, we can count on SSI SCHAEFER to fix it ASAP. In addition, it is always good to stay in touch. Everything evolves, so our logistics organisation must also be able to grow with it. Suppose that when a picking order is sent, the right rack opens immediately, before an employee or, who knows, an Automated Guided Vehicle (AGV) is on site. Then we gain even more time. It's not for tomorrow, but I know that SSI SCHAEFER has a lot to offer in the area of automation. So perhaps there will be a follow-up to this pleasant collaboration in the future. You never know what will come out of the box", concludes Debucquoy.

The numbers

Formerly
2 warehouses of 4,000 m2 and 1,000 m2
Capacity: 3,750 Europallets
Static pallet racks

Now
1 warehouse of 2,600 m2
Capacity: 6,900 Europallets 

Mobile pallet racks
2 mobile systems with each:
16 rows (2 fixed + 14 mobile)
8 sections per row
6 levels
4 Europallets per level
Aisle length: approx. 30 m
Highest outlet position: 10 m

LogiMat stock elevators
2 Logimat elevators with containers from SSI SCHAEFER
Height: about 11 meters
Occupied floor space: approx. 23 m² for both units
Real storage area: 541 m²
Goods height: 120 mm