Client: HAPPY is a company that started on the Bulgarian market 29 years ago. Today, the restaurant chain is widely preferred by many people in Bulgaria, and after its unprecedented success, it has expanded onto the international culinary and restaurant scene, winning prestigious awards in 2023 - BEST RESTAURANT IN LONDON 2023 and BEST CULINARY EXPERIENCE IN ENGLAND 2023;
The food chain is internationally represented with two restaurants in Barcelona, Spain, and one restaurant in London at the iconic Piccadilly Circus. All HAPPY restaurants adhere to the highest possible international standards regarding interior design and client service;
HAPPY's warehouses and distribution centers must be prepared for efficient and fast deliveries to 23 Happy Bar and Grill restaurants in major cities and the national road network in Bulgaria;
For design and installlation of the new racking equipment, the company trusts the leader in warehouses systems installations in Central and Southeastern Europe - STAMH Group. The two companies work excellently together, both during the design phase of the new pallet racks and during their installation and commissioning;
Industry and specifics: The storage and distribution of food products is very specific and demanding, and so is the equipment for this type of warehouses. There are many producers, seasonality in production - fluctuations in demand based upon time of the year, and extremely high standards and requirements are related to the cold delivery chain, and the special storage conditions. This requires specific approach when designing and implementing warehouse equipment and pallet racking systems;
On one hand, the industrial racking systems in this type of warehouses must ensure maximum space utilization, and on the other – fast, and precise handling of large quantities of goods in short periods of time, with Shuttle Technologies or Mobile Pallet Racking Systems often being the preferred solution;
Project Location: The new distribution center, equipped by STAMH Group, is positioned at a strategic location in Eastern Bulgaria, in an industrial zone close to an important international port, major national roads, and an airport. The combination of strategic location, substantial warehouse capacity, and fast, and efficient products handling gives HAPPY a significant logistical advantage. The company has a very efficient logistics chain capable of servicing all the company's restaurants quickly, accurately, and efficiently;
Of course, HAPPY restaurants also offer the online orders option from the well-known digital platform - https://dostavka.happy.bg/, which represents an additional logistical challenge;
Implementation Period: The coordination of all the details regarding the new warehousing system, as well as the design and engineering carried out by the specialized engineering and software teams of STAMH, were completed at the end of November, 2023;
Before mid-2024, all necessary mobile bases were manufactured and delivered. The racking system components were installed and commissioned by the engineering, hardware, and software teams of STAMH Group. All HAPPY teams in the warehouse in Varna received training related to the proper operation and management of the new storage system for pallets;
Challenge: The new Mobile Racks had to be ready for serious daily work in a warehouse with a special temperature regime, operating at -25 °C. Due to the operational costs associated with maintaining such a temperature regime, optimizing the limited warehouse space is crucial. STAMH's engineering teams had to design a warehouse system that would allow the storage of a maximum number of pallets with a height of up to 1.7 meters and a weight of up to 500 kg;
Solution: STAMH Group implemented a new Mobile Pallet Racking System, accessible from two different sides of the warehouse with access to two different ramps. The system is equipped with a total of six mobile bases - three in block 1, with a length of 16.26 meters, and three mobile bases in block 2, with an impressive depth of approximately 30 meters;
Both blocks have 4 pallet stacking levels, providing efficient storage for more than 1 550 pallets within the limited warehouse volume. Additionally, Conventional Pallet Racks for single-sided pallet stacking were installed around the warehouse perimeter, further optimizing the useful volume in the distribution center;
The mobile bases are controlled by two different panels with integrated HMI and touch screens. The new Mobile Pallet Racking System is also equipped with remote control, reducing the distances warehouse operators need to travel for each operation of selecting and opening a working aisle in one of the two blocks;
The system includes a special night mode function for even and well distributed cooling and ventilation of the pallets when the warehouse is not in operation for the longer periods of time;
Achievement: The space in the new cold storage warehouse of HAPPY, near Varna, is maximized due to the fact that Mobile Racking Systems open a working aisle only where necessary. The other racks remain closely positioned until another working aisle needs to be opened. Choosing Mobile Racks from STAMH Group means reducing storage costs for each individual pallet in the long term by storing more pallets within the same working volume. The warehouse system is equipped with all the necessary security systems and motion sensors. The new Mobile Racking System features both audible and visual warning signals;
STAMH Group's teams designed the solution, delivered all necessary structural, hardware, and software components, and commissioned the new solution with a guarantee of stability, security, and extended durability;
Learn more about the Mobile Racking Systems for pallets;
