INSPIRATION
14
WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS…
Unlike other industries, food and beverage
can be quite extraordinary. High dynamism
of the FMCG (fast-moving consumer goods),
high labor costs, constantly changing
requirements, and relatively low entrance
criteria leveraging a risk of new entries.
Add to that the obligation to meet quality
standards to ensure high levels of health
and safety, it's safe to say food and beverage
is a unique sector. The industry is currently
battling with an increasing shortage of staff
and skilled workers, and even if we put that
challenge aside, working in an environment
of -28°C discourages skilled workers from
applying. Finally, food and beverage has
undergone a value chain shift - transitioning
from a classic model (B2B - selling to
wholesalers or purchasing associations), to an
end-customer model, requiring multi-channel
strategies.
According to the AMI (Agricultural Market
Information Society), Germans spent 22
percent more on organic food in 2020. The
pandemic seemed to accelerate this trend, as
the pre-pandemic growth rate was wavering
between 5 percent and 13 percent. Online
trading (including delivery services), farm
shops, weekly markets and health food stores
fueled this significant growth, accelerating
the organic food market by 35 percent.
Consumers' search for trustworthy, healthy
food alternatives stimulated the growth.
Stefan Schmaus saw a tectonic shift in his
sales data during the pandemic.
…MAKE LEMONADE
Schmaus decided to extend his manual
warehouse's capacities with a partner
that understands his need for sustainable
growth by delivering extraordinary quality
in hardware, software, and consulting. The
objective was to supply the production
lines completely and on time in order to
improve the overall operational excellence.
'Swisslog's know-how and passion
for growing together with customers
encouraged me to continue trusting in
their cutting-edge technology. I recognized
that selecting Swisslog will be a long-term
journey - as we understand each other
on both a human and professional level,
and we are already seeing the pay off at
our warehouse and distribution site in Bad
Grönenbach. Swisslog is our first choice
when it comes to intralogistics,' said Stefan
Schmaus.
CREATING A FUTURE-PROOF WAREHOUSE
The high-bay warehouse (HBW) for raw
materials in Legau is a new building that
adjoins the existing building structure
SPOTLIGHT ON
ORGANIC FOOD
THE FAIRY TALE OF RAPUNZEL NATURKOST GMBH
Sven Borghoff, Senior Sales
Manager, Germany
Sven is married with two children and
a pet dog.
In his free time he run triathlons and
spends time with his family.
'We studied the existing data flow of
material and evaluated possible future
areas of demand.'
'Our warehouse was running at 95 percent capacity,' said Stefan Schmaus, Head of Logistics at Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH, Germany. As the
first Warehouse and Distribution Center in Bad Grönebach was close to opening, further needs arose for a transitional concept to deliver
two advantages at once. Primarily, they were looking for a new compact and fully automated raw material warehouse for their production
site in Legau. Secondly, Rapunzel asked for support in creating an intelligent link between the new high-bay warehouse, and new and
existing production lines, in a way that ensures maximum availability. It was important for Rapunzel to guarantee provision of raw and
packaging materials at the dedicated areas. Swisslog has vast experience in organic food and understands specific needs of the food and
beverage industry. Thus, Rapunzel Naturkost GmbH trusted Swisslog once again to help them find the ideal solution.