The logistics hub operates with pallets and non-palletized units and needs optimal daily stock rotation
Client: Inter Cars is an international company with offices in more than 20 countries in Eastern and Central Europe. Among them are Bosnia and Herzegovina, Bulgaria, Croatia, Czech Republic, Estonia, Finland, the United Kingdom, Greece, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Poland, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, and Ukraine;
Industry and Specifics: Inter Cars' branch network in Bulgaria consists of 39 different offices throughout the country. The spare parts market is extremely dynamic and undoubtedly influenced by the current trends, related to inflation and delivery difficulties;
Inter Cars' ability to provide quality spare parts and tuning accessories for vehicles, trucks, and motorcycles across the country, in a quick and efficient way, makes it a preferred partner for many auto repair shops, truck fleets and transportation companies, auto and motorcycle customization shops, spare part retailers and global spare parts manufacturers;
Project Location: A well-equipped logistics center near a big city is crucial for ensuring fast and precise deliveries to clients, as end-customers who need their vehicles repaired require shorter servicing times, each day. They need quick and precise deliveries of auto spare parts, tunning accessories, oils, and tires. Inter Cars' logistics center near Sofia is essential to the rapid processing of palletized and non-palletized goods;
Period of implementation: The new Live Storage System for pallets is something new for Inter Cars Bulgaria. The first part of the system was completed in the middle of the second half of 2023;
Challenge: The new warehouse equipment for Inter Cars had to meet three very specific needs of the company:
- Space optimization and high storage density;
- Ability to handle hundreds of pallets, every day;
- Accessibility – a certain number of products, always available in the front part of the racking structure;
The company's goal was to test the new way of working provided by the Live Storage Racking Solution, to make a decision for the further expansion of the system;
Solution: The solution, engineered and installed by STAMH Group teams, not only met the requirements of Inter Cars Bulgaria, but also provided additional advantages and functionalities;
Live Storage Pallet Racks are a smart solution for reducing operational costs, as they are equipped with special sloping roller tracks that move pallets inside the system using gravity forces. This significantly reduces the distances that material handling machines and warehouse operators in the warehouse need to cover when a pallet needs to be stored or retrieved;
The new Live Storage warehouse solution also aligns with the company's goals for sustainable development. The distribution center near Elin Pelin is equipped with photovoltaic panels on the roof. Live Storage Pallet Racks, on the other hand, use only gravitational forces and 0 electrical energy to move pallets within the system;
Achievement: In an area of less than 65 sq. m., the new Live Storage System allows efficient buffering of a total of 240 pallets! The brand new Live Storage Racks have a total height of 9.5 meters and feature five levels of pallet storage with a maximum height of 1.65 meters and a weight capacity ranging from 150 to 600 kg;
The new Live Storage Racking System is designed to be expandable, with the storage and retrieval corridors for pallets (on one side) and pallet extraction corridors (on the other side), also being extendable;
