Order picking system with automated miniload storage for meat distributor Casaventa
Cock’s vleeswaren in Sint Niklaas (Belgium) supplies high quality meat products to specialty stores. Casaventa is Cock’s logistics partner. Since 2006 Casaventa is fully responsible for all distribution of Cock’s products. For this purpose Casaventa built a new automated distribution center on a 10.000 m2 area across from Cock’s Vleeswaren. Vanderlande Industries built the automated storage and order picking system for Casaventa.
The distribution center, opened in 2006, contains state-of-the-art technology and was designed in close cooperation between Casaventa and Vanderlande Industries. Important goal was to handle a growing number of orders and improve service level.
The automated distribution center includes goods receiving, storage, order picking and shipping. Totes with meat products travel from goods receiving to a fully automated miniload storage system with 7 QUICKSTORE cranes. Vanderlande Industries ‘goods-to-man’ Compact Picking System (CPS) is used in order picking. The workstations receive totes from the miniload system. Orders are picked and checked throughout the day. In the evening totes are collected, stacked and transported to the shipping area, to be transported by truck to their destination.
Vanderlande Industries VISION warehouse management system (WMS) controls the entire meat distribution center, including 5 manual order picking zones. System design was simulated in great detail. A lot of attention was paid to providing the required flexibility for future growth. With this order picking system, Casaventa has one of the most modern meat distribution centres in Western Europe.
