Automate to gain competitiveness

Under the structure of the Group AC brand provides a set of commercial establishments known to Spanish consumers, to a large extent by the fact of advertising players have been from the very beginning of the TV in our country. It is the case, for example, Norit, the detergent of the borreguito, of Gior ("A little pasta, basta…"), or Alex autobrillantes waxes.

Recently, AC brand, with the collaboration of Ulma Handling Systems, has undertaken a process of reorganization of the internal logistics, as well as involve the introduction of automation systems for storage, preparation and classification of orders has been for the Group an effective solution to meet the challenge of increasing productivity within a scenario of continuous improvement of its competitive position.

Paul Casanova, director of logistics of group AC brand, explains that the origin of the Logistics Automation of the company project was the redevelopment which currently suffers the industrial zone of L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, where he was the factory of AC brand. "Such a redevelopment forced us to ask ourselves the inevitable transfer of the factory, and we placed in the position to relocate or automate to gain competitiveness." It was then when, after months of study, showed that, through the optimization and automation of production and logistics processes, there were other alternatives to relocation, Casanova said.

The solution to logistical requirements and production that would prevent the relocation of AC brand arose three years in the international exhibition of the logistics (SIL). There were Antonio Masriera (Industrial Director Group AC brand) and Paul Casanova to present the draft of the new plant in Sant Llorenç D'hortons.

The new factory of AC brand in Sant Llorenç is divided into three parallel buildings, about 120 meters long and about 40 meters wide each.

The central building is an automatic silo of about 24 metres high with a capacity for more than 12,000 pallets. It consists of five racking (one aisle), as well as one flameproof, an innovative system of automated storage designed for explosive environments for products such as aerosols, which due to its characteristics must be stored in antideflagrantes areas. It is stored both finished product as packaging to automatically supply the production areas.

The silo is connected with the other two buildings (factory AC brand in the West building, and factory laboratories Genesse and expeditions in the building of this area) through a closed circuit of STV's, smart cars responsible for providing, at a speed of 3 meters/second, all material from any point to different areas of the plant.

The area of preparation and expedition of orders is composed of three areas: one of picking the type Pick to Light, a second automatic picking (load man) and, finally, a classifier (sorter) orders of 18 channels, with capacity to support more than 1,200 boxes per hour. The expedition of pallets full is performed by an individual VTC and a 6-channel sorter.

Paul Casanova believes that we can confirm some of the anticipated savings, which has resulted in increased productivity and flexibility at all levels, both in agility of input materials preparation and exit of goods.

AC brand has in project currently end of optimizing the plant of Sant Llorenç D'hortons, and it has initiated a new project of expansion of the store of Ceys, located in Bigues i Riells, from an automatic silo which is also connected with the area of manufacture and the areas of preparation and expedition of orders.