Linde's K Range high rack stackers are fully automatic and travel on wire along the aisles.

E&K Automation and Linde Material Handling have partnered to provide Samsonite's European headquarters in Belgium with an important component of its latest logistics project.

The company's growing product range had become problematic, leading to the construction of additional storage space at the Belgian warehouse.

'[It] has become a growing logistical challenge for us to manage the multitude of products," explains Germain Ghys, Samsonite's logistics manager in Oudenaarde. "We rented additional storage areas in the immediate vicinity years ago but this solution was not cost-effective, fast or flexible and reached its capacity."

In the warehouse's new storage area for the slow rotation of Samsonite products are three Linde K Range automatic high rack stackers that move both freely and on wire guidance. E&K Automation partnered with Linde Material Handling to equip the trucks with a laser camera, telescopic forks and pallet profile control.

Samsonite's products are split into fast- and slow-moving products. At the same time, every product can be switched from a slow to a fast mover, or vice versa, according to seasonal activity and promotional campaigns. The aim of the new storage area for slow movers was mainly to release capacity for the turnover of fast-moving goods.

In 2007, Samsonite's initial plan was to construct a dynamic storage area at its warehouse for both order picking and bulk storage. Construction began in 2008 at a greenfield site and was completed in April 2009. Using much of its own automation expertise, Samsonite did not use the services of a general contractor.

All subcontractors, from the rack builders to the suppliers of conveyer systems, electrical networks and security systems and automatic high rack stackers, were directly selected by Samsonite.

The new storage area is equipped with five levels and 12 aisles which are up to 160 meters (175 yards) long. There are 11,520 storage locations and 1,100 picking locations for a maximum of one million individual items. The pallet racking is divided into six separate sections.

Samsonite considered three handling solutions for its new storage area - fully automatic cranes, manually operated very narrow-aisle trucks, and manually operated reach trucks. All three ideas were rejected due to cost and the number of trucks required. (words ending in "ly" don't take hyphens)

Ghys and his employees looked to other companies, including E& K Automation, who had considerable experience with automated transport vehicles.

"The experience and collaboration between E& K Automation and Linde Material Handling with the reliability of the K Range trucks was one of the deciding factors," Ghys says.

He adds that the automated high rack stackers offered a back-up plan in the event of an electronic failure. "As the trucks are equipped with an operator seat, they could be manually driven in an emergency."

The automated K Range trucks are normally wire-guided along the aisles. Each of the racks has a 150mm (5.9 inch) safety clearance between the truck and the load in the rack. Movement of the truck outside of the aisles is via a laser scanner system. The laser guidance system works by using reflectors located in the warehouse.