The benchmark in order picking!

Schuon delivers up to 20,000 packages a week. Speed and efficiency are required. This is where the MX-X really shines with its significantly improved ergonomics.

A STILL truck provided the evidence for this in a field test at Gebrüder Schuon Logistik GmbH. It has been winning over both operators and users there since December 2016, not only by guaranteeing optimum floor area utilisation, high flexibility and greater handling performance, but also by leaving nothing to be desired in terms of driver comfort.

The success of logistics service provider Schuon in Haiterbach in the Black Forest is not only determined by seamless logistics processes but also by a high level of flexibility when faced with fluctuations in products and demand. ‘We value warehouse equipment that is tailored to our needs so we can react flexibly,’ says owner and managing director Horst Schuon. ‘We can achieve maximum flexibility with simultaneously increased performance thanks to the new STILL VNA truck.’

STILL and Schuon share a long-standing partnership. The Hamburg-based intralogistics expert has not only built a 17.2m high rack system with 30 aisles and 65,000 pallet bays for the building extension, but has also been providing full-service management of the logistics company’s truck fleet. ‘We are proud of our many years of trust and partnership with Schuon. Thanks to this, we are very well acquainted with the processes and the resulting challenges in the company,’ says Thomas A. Fischer, Sales, Marketing and Service Director (CSO) at STILL GmbH. ‘Our new MX-X series is precisely tailored to the tough demands of the logistics service provider. That’s why we put our order picking vehicle concepts to the test and identified ways to optimise them.’

The logistics expert’s warehouse is designed for the highest levels of efficiency with 140,000 pallet bays and 80,000 order picking shelves. Whether it’s precision-timed ‘Just in Sequence’ deliveries, quality management and inventory planning for procurement logistics or fulfilment for online shops, Schuon and their 120-total staff realise an extensive range of warehousing tasks in their HQ in Haiterbach and in Lengwil, Switzerland.

The rail-guided MX-X VNA trucks serve the upper racks in the main hall at Schuon. The vehicles can effortlessly lift to lift heights of up to 18m thanks to the auxiliary lift. The main and auxiliary lifts are used simultaneously for fast access. The MX-X is fitted with the new ALS system that stabilises the load, similar to the STILL FM-X reach truck’s active load stabilisation, which not only ensures safe load handling but also speeds up the order picking process. This means the hydraulic controls help compensate for the vibrations in the mast when picking and storing. This allows for intelligent control of the extension speed and depth. In addition to a uniform storage depth, this also achieves a handling capacity that is up to 5% higher when storing and picking.

Schuon delivers up to 20,000 packages a week. Speed and efficiency are required. With the rise in online trade, employees increasingly need to pick smaller lots from the pallets instead of complete pallets. This is where the MX-X really shines with its significantly improved ergonomics. For example, the driver’s cab has been enlarged and vibrations reduced, so that the operator can work comfortably and increase their pick rate. The redesign of the swivel reach fork mechanism has not only improved the stability of the auxiliary lift, it has also shortened the distance of the cab to the end of the pallet by 40mm and, thanks to the tilt sensor, the distance for the driver when accessing the racking is reduced.

As access speed is particularly important for fast order picking, the simultaneous operation of main and auxiliary lifts means a significant increase in efficiency. ‘We can approach the shelf faster with the new MX-X and, after removal, transport the pallet faster to the transfer station in one smooth movement,’ said Horst Schuon. The improved stability of the swivel reach fork and the quieter running of the sideshift also ensure more secure load handling of the logistician’s sensitive products.

‘The tough conditions at Schuon logistics company have shown us that we have created a winner with our new vehicle concept and perfectly met the demands of an advanced warehouse. The new STILL MX-X order pickers are therefore an ideal combination of high throughput efficiency and ergonomics, which tangibly benefits customers such as Schuon,’ says Thomas A. Fischer.