 | Domino effect or product line hygiene?
It is said that marketing is the engine and logistics the drive behind economic success. If so, then 21st century mail order firms need to be absolutely sure they are 100% on top
of their processes throughout the entire supply chain. If the company's retail or online range changes from one week to the next, there is an even greater need for integrated
solutions, real-time inventory control and product line hygiene at the point of sale. However, without a highly flexible method of dealing with returns the entire logistical model
can grind to a halt!
The turning point
All returned items for one of Germany's mail order companies with 54,000 sales points and a busy web portal that accounts for 25% of revenues are prepared for turnaround at
the Bremen Logistics Centre. DHL Excel Supply Chain Central Europe, which operates the centre, has continually adapted its entire in-house logistics since 2000 to meet the needs
of its customers. For Pierau Planung and system integrator Siemens Dematic, the aim is to process returns with a minimum order throughput time. Faced with growing volumes,
increasing product variety and considerable seasonal fluctuations, DHL relies on a targeted and finely tuned combination of automation and manual processing.
Since 2004, in addition to professionally trained staff, automatic data capture, pre-sorting of returns and customer-specific data processing as an integral part of the inventory
management/materials flow system, the DHL logistics team have been able to count on a new toy which has been developed as a key element of Interroll's modern, standardised
conveyor technology: the vertical cross-belt sorter. It can sort up to several thousands of items in short order and as such is an enormous help in dealing with peak-season
returns over the pre- and post-Christmas period.
Flexibility across the entire process
The feed-in belt leading to the 21-metre sorter with its 24 chutes/collection bins illustrates in logistical form the three key elements of speed, reliability and flexibility.
Returned items are unloaded from a transfer bridge and then deposited on telescopic conveyors. The relevant data is taken from the shipping label before the goods are transported
via an ascending conveyor to an intermediate platform. Here the packages are opened manually and the items placed on the conveyor belt. Next, details of the goods are obtained
from the return label. From here, they may be given a further manual check before repackaging /relabelling, placing back on to the conveyors, identification of returns via scanner
and loading onto induction belts for sorting. Furthermore, all conveyor units are adjusted for frequency throughout and are almost maintenance-free thanks to Interroll's
expertise in the field of conveyor technology (type 4081).
Individual product sorting
The items are transferred individually with a gap in the rate and cycle onto sorting carriers fitted with cross-belt conveyors (length x width: 600 mm x 600 mm). Now it's
time for the Interroll cross-belt sorter, which has proven itself thousands of times over, to really shows what it can do with a speed of 1.1 metres per second. When the
cross-belt carrier reaches its target (allocated by the control system depending on usage criteria), a pneumatically actuated plate makes contact with a wheel mounted underneath
the chassis of the cross belt sorting element and activates the belt. In other words, the carrier's translational movement is converted into a rotary movement which in turn
drives the cross-belt carrier's conveyor on to the discharge point. No further power input is required, as the individually sorted items slide into the metal chutes. The next
stage of the distribution process can now begin.
Customer views
"Tried-and-tested technology and a superb customer solution. Interroll's cross-belt sorter is a tough and flexible sorting solution that we can depend on to meet
our distribution needs in returns handling, especially in the busy period before and after Christmas."
Christian Greitsch / Mario Hüneke
Returns Manager / Technology Manager at DHL Excel Supply Chain Central Europe's Bremen Logistics Centre
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