Building blocks for the future: ADLER is erecting a fully automated high bay warehouse in Schwaz

With the construction of an ultra-modern water-based paint factory, ADLER, Austria's leading paint manufacturer, recently concluded a top class building project. Whilst the new factory has already started operations, work on the next construction project is continuing intensively at the ADLER plant premises in Schwaz.
17 Jul 2017

ADLER is investing in a fully automated high bay warehouse, which will provide space for around 4,000 tonnes of paint, varnish and wood preservatives, thus doubling the current capacities. The first, almost 30-metre high racks are already towering into the Tyrol sky - because the warehouse is being built from the inside out: on concrete foundations, the 20 rows of racks are first being erected: only afterwards will the stainless steel facade and roof be put in place.

Modern Logistics

With the new high bay warehouse, ADLER is opting for an innovative fully automated transport system: "Laser-navigated vehicles collect the finished paints, varnishes and wood preservatives from the factory, where they are produced by our employees. These vehicles take the products to the warehouse where they transfer them to the automated materials handling system. Robots ultimately ensure that each product is stowed at one of the 15,000 storage locations," says Christian Steurer, Head of Logistics at ADLER. The energy concept for the new warehouse, with a photovoltaic system and groundwater heat pump, is also future-oriented. The construction guarantees the highest level in terms of safety: the facade is made of fire-resistant panels, whilst a modern sprinkler system, which is supplied from two water reservoirs in the basement floor, provides protection.

Loyalty to the Location

The shell construction of the new order picking building is already complete. 20 employees will pack the ordered goods here in future and prepare them for collection at one of the 10 truck ramps. It will be still quite a few months, however, before this stage is reached: the new warehouse will start operations in August 2018. 
And after that? Construction work will continue: "The next building stage will involve modernising and converting the existing warehouse into a modern raw materials warehouse. We are thus taking the next step towards an efficient and modern method of production," explains Christian Steurer. With the extension of the plant, once again ADLER is renewing its commitment to Tyrol as a location: "Even if ADLER operates worldwide these days: research, development and production at our company only takes place in Schwaz," explains Andrea Berghofer, who manages the family company in its third generation. "All in all we are investing around 70 million Euro in Schwaz over the next few years: the new warehouse alone will amount to around 30 million. An investment that will benefit not only our company, but the whole region."

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