Application 016: Food distribution Nongshim Co. Ltd., South Korea
Prawn crackers and instant noodles, honey snacks and Chapagetti. South Koreans certainly love the culinary delights on offer from market leader Nongshim Co. Ltd., established in 1965. The South Korean food company employees some 5,000 people and supplies not only the supermarkets of Seoul and Pusan but also exports its products to over 80 countries worldwide. With continued growth on the horizon, the guiding philosophy of the company is clear: “you reap what you sow.”
 | Maximum performance in a small footprint
And what exactly has Nongshim sown? In this case, a smart investment which promises a rapid return. The new distribution centre in Kumi bears testimony to the company's
strategic vision. This fully automated dispatch station with extremely high input and output levels represents a dynamic interface between inward and outward stock movements. The
technology of choice: Interroll dynamic storage. Equipped with a host of cutting-edge solutions, Nongshim has been able to achieve superior levels of product availability based on
the FIFO principle. It has also reaped the rewards of efficient management and organisation of fast-moving goods, coupled with the best possible use of available space. This is a
blessing for a company that has developed its business in one of the most densely populated countries in the world - adequate commercial space is an expensive
commodity.
Test marathon under fast-track conditions
Extensive tests were conducted before Nongshim put the 5040 pallet spaces into operation at its distribution centre in Kumi. Interroll tested the special plastic pallets to ensure
they moved perfectly through its own test lanes. On-site tests performed under "fast-track conditions" confirmed the problem-free operation of Interroll's dynamic
storage system. In order to put the system through its paces, Nongshim channelled its entire product range through the system over a period of four weeks. Interroll's dynamic
storage solution passed with flying colours, and Nongshim gave the go-ahead to the supply of 180 lanes with 28 pallet positions each.
Nothing is left to chance
Today, the distribution facility meets the full range of requirements for an efficient high-speed distribution centre controlled by a fully automated warehouse management system.
Products are moved from the adjoining production facility on conveyors to the dynamic warehouse and are placed into storage by two rack service units, each of which features
double load-bearing mechanisms. The system is capable of handling up to 200 pallets per hour. At the point of outgoing goods, pallets are removed by similar automated rack service
units.
Controlled speed for added value
The section between the loading and take-off points is filled to the brim with ingenious technology. For instance, to make sure that fully loaded pallets - they can weigh
anything from 150 to 600 kg - and their delicate loads are handled both efficiently and carefully as they make their way along the 33-metre inclined lanes, Interroll
installed two speed controllers per pallet space. Thanks to the gentle transportation of pallets, less film wrap is required to secure the goods on the pallet - an added
bonus for the company and its customers. Similarly, a second safety separator was integrated to reduce accumulation pressure on goods protruding over the edge of pallets.
Variety is the spice of life
The technical design of the roller track modules is tailored specifically to customer requirements. Interroll needed to take into account the fact that Nongshim's pallets are
not always equipped with continuous runners. Working in close co-operation with the Swiss contractor Lakor International AG and rack manufacturer SSI Schäfer Switzerland,
Interroll developed a dynamic flow solution which is designed to incorporate oversized packages. This was one of the customer's specific requirements for the system, and it
involved loading goods measuring 1,145 mm in length, 1,360 mm in width and 2,300 mm in height onto a pallet measuring 1,100 mm x 1,300 mm. Interroll relished the challenge -
and came up trumps. As Klaus Blumenschein, Interroll Sales Director, explained: "Our experience in producing over 60,000 pallet spaces for fully automated dynamic flow
systems - some of which boasting lane depths of over 64 metres - proved decisive in terms of securing the overall contract. Interroll was also quick off the mark when it
came to putting forward convincing solutions for the rack service unit interface, both for the loading and take-off sides of the system."
Custom solution gets it right first time
What is truly impressive is that after a single year in operation the blueprints for the customised arrangement of standard rollers, safety separators and speed controllers are
already setting the standard for future projects. The South Korean food giant is already planning additional dynamic flow systems for other distribution centres thanks to the
positive experience with the Kumi facility. Unfortunately, land for building is hard to come by in South Korea - but good things come to those who wait.
Customer views
The storage and distribution of an entire product range is made much more efficient and cost-effective thanks to dynamic storage technologies. Much faster returns on investment
are possible thanks to the high throughput capacity provided by this compact, space-saving system.
Jürg Lanz
Managing Director of Lakor International AG
|
Back
|
