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Unilever Schweiz GmbH replaces existing warehouse management system by WAMAS®

SSI Schaefer implements the WMS without interrupting running operation

Tuesday, September 29, 2009

Unilever is one of the world’s leading providers of consumer goods. Whether food, body care products or detergents – by deciding to buy the brands of Unilever Schweiz GmbH, every day 150 million people around the world make these products part of their lives. The company was founded in 1929, employs approximately 1.250 people and disposes of a wide range of 400 qualitative branded products. Since July 2005 the four international business areas of Unilever Schweiz - Foods, Home Care, Personal Care and Foods Solutions have been concentrated at the Thayngen (CH) site. SSI Schaefer modernized the warehouse as the general logistics contractor.

This retrofit project had some built-in complexity. It has several incompatible storage areas, warehouse extensions based on different "control generations" and project management while the facility is in operation. These barriers were quite a challenge to the Unilever and SSI Schaefer implementation teams, with the warehouse operating a 2- or 3-shift system with 300 employees in the production and supply chain.

Initial situation
The warehouse is subdivided into several sections corresponding to the product range (raw ingredients, packaging and equipment, finished products). The dried products are stored in a seven-aisle high bay warehouse. Additional storage areas for refrigerated and frozen products are immediately adjacent to production.

The Unilever warehouse in Thayngen has been in operation since 1997. Over the years the warehouse has been extended several times. For instance, stacker cranes are equipped with PLCs from different generations, Simatic S5 and Simatic S7. In 1997 an electrical overhead conveyor was installed in the pre-zone. A vertical conveyor transports goods to and from production over several different floor levels. A transfer carriage links production with the pre-zone. Both the lift and the transfer carriage date from 1995. Between the lift and the transfer carriage is a horizontal conveyor system, built in 1997 and featuring a Simatic S5 controller.

The objectives and requirements of Unilever Schweiz GmbH were as follows:

• To upgrade the outdated control technology to Simatic S7 and to ensure, that spare parts are available and that the system is reliable and stable. In addition, it was required that we reduced operating costs and achieved significant performance improvements.
• Implementation of the WAMAS warehouse management and material flow systems for optimised control of goods flow across all sections of the warehouse, including online picking.
• Unilever also needed integration of the existing system components, such as the electrical overhead conveyor, vertical conveyor, etc. into the logistics system.
• Interface to SAP

The goods and services provided by SSI Schaefer included analysis, proposal/planning, project management with detailed restructuring scenarios. Also, we replaced Simatic S5 with Simatic S7 control technology, implemented WAMAS warehouse management, material flow, picking, stacker guidance and control systems as well as the interface to SAP, commissioning the entire system and training Unilever staff.

Changeover during 16-hours-per-day production operation
In order to have the smallest possible impact on production and warehousing operations the changeover plan, including transfer scenarios, was drawn up in consultation with the customer. Schaefer also installed a test system parallel to the existing system. Comprehensive testing and the gradual upgrading of the stacker cranes, trolleys, conveyors and lifts to Simatic S7 took place during weekend shutdowns or between 10 p.m. and 5 a.m. during the week. The old system could be up and running again within half an hour at any time.

The next phase saw the implementation of the WAMAS logistics software systems and the link to SAP. To test communication between SAP and WAMAS, Schaefer installed a SAP test system and specific processes were "put through their paces".

Once the function tests were complete, all the article master data was transferred from the old system to WAMAS, the old Simatic S5 controllers removed and production with the new system started.

WAMAS logistics software handles the flow of goods
The automatic processes and goods flows, from goods-in and replenishment of production to processing complete pallets for goods-out, are reorganised by the WAMAS logistics software.

The WAMAS records the data consistently and logs all actions without interrupting employees in their work; the result is consistent transparency in the warehouse processes.

Orders are entered in the SAP system and forwarded to WAMAS. Once goods have been entered and marked at goods-in, pallets are either taken to the selected storage areas on stackers or automatically using the overhead conveyor.

A three-shift system is in operation which sees raw materials and packaging material sent to the production area and the finished goods returned automatically to storage again via a simplified goods-in process.

Goods-to-man picking (KIP) is organised in two shifts. Once the desired quantity of goods has been taken, the remaining goods are automatically transported back to the high bay warehouse on the overhead conveyor.

Paperless order picking cuts down the number of errors
By introducing paperless order picking Unilever has succeeded in significantly reducing the incidence of errors.

The W-LAN routes orders directly to operatives' terminals and operatives are directed to the shelves by the most efficient route. Operatives work in two shifts receiving goods-in, picking orders and preparing them for dispatch.

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