Linde equipment at Winning Group's warehouse

Multi-channel retailer Winning Group is benefiting from Linde's STRATOS warehouse planning and simulation software at its new national distribution centre in Sydney, built around world best practice principles.

The project took two years to plan, with Winning Group determined to use logistics as a growth enabler.

Chief logistics officer Alan Lewis compiled comprehensive data relating to throughputs and whitegoods types, sizes and weights to guide the planning and understand how the new warehouse could look, how that layout would work and what types of materials handling equipment were required.

Linde's STRATOS software program and simulations allowed Winning to see a virtual "day in the life" of the proposed facility.

Winning Group had initially developed a concept for a distribution centre unlike any previously operated in Australia - a 13,000 sqm facility with very narrow aisle (VNA) configuration, served by turret trucks fitted with carton clamps and 11.5 m reach. Linde was able to provide a conceptual layout as the basis for further discussions just three days after gaining access to the Winning Group data.

After evaluating tenders from alternative suppliers, Winning Group took delivery of Linde equipment on long-term lease, including six E20-335 battery electric counterbalance forklift trucks with carton clamps, a R16HD - 1120 reach truck and two K Series turret trucks with carton clamps. The trucks are fitted with the Linde Power Solutions Fast Charge Battery System, allowing them to cope with increased usage should the new DC move to a three-shift operation in peak times.

"The relationship with Linde has been a success, not just because of the STRATOS software, but because, from the outset, they took the time to fully understand who we were, how we operate and where we wanted to progress in the future," says Lewis.