Fabory reduces lead times with a vertical conveyor from Qimarox

From its central warehouse in Tilburg, Fabory supplies companies throughout Europe with bolts, nuts, screws, and other fastening materials. To replenish picking stock in its miniload system, system integrator TBWB implemented a system for depalletizing and transporting boxes. Two Qimarox components play a crucial role in this solution: the Prorunner mk5 vertical conveyor and the PD1 Palletdispenser. Thanks to the system, the time required to replenish picking stock has been significantly reduced.

Fabory is a wholesaler of fastening materials. Companies throughout Europe rely on the bolts, nuts, and screws supplied from Tilburg because of their high quality.

“We have our own laboratory where we test the quality of incoming goods. In addition, we advise our customers on applications and materials,” says Maarten Scheffers, Supply Chain Improvement Engineer at Fabory. “Those are crucial services for our customers. They cannot afford a bolt to fail in a roller coaster or wind turbine.”

The product range consists of no fewer than 100,000 different items, all stocked in the 30,000-square-meter central warehouse. A miniload system with nineteen cranes has been operating there since 1998.

“Eighty percent of the volume processed in Tilburg comes from this miniload system,” explains Scheffers. “After nearly thirty years and several modernization projects, this storage system remains a key pillar of our logistics operation.”

Check out the case video by clicking here ! 

New narrow-aisle warehouse

Due to continued growth, Fabory built a narrow-aisle warehouse for bulk stock seven years ago. However, this warehouse was located elsewhere in Tilburg, requiring a truck to travel multiple times per day to the central warehouse to replenish the miniload system. In practice, this proved to be an inefficient process.

“Sometimes it took a full day or even longer before an item became available again,” explains Scheffers. “That is why, three years ago, we decided to build a new narrow-aisle warehouse adjacent to the central warehouse.”

In this warehouse, seven autonomous warehouse trucks, consisting of two narrow-aisle trucks and five stackers from Still, handle the storage and retrieval of fastening materials. Whenever inventory in the miniload system needs replenishment, these trucks receive an assignment to retrieve a pallet containing the required products. The pallet is then transported to a depalletizing robot, which removes the boxes and places them onto a roller conveyor. The conveyor transports the boxes directly to the miniload system.

“It now takes only a few hours to replenish stock,” says Scheffers.

Height difference of 4.5 meters

To depalletize the boxes and transport them to the miniload system, Fabory relied on system integrator TBWB.

“They have been one of our trusted suppliers for many years. TBWB is an innovative, no-nonsense company located nearby. They know our processes and understand exactly what we want,” says Ronald van den Dungen, Supervisor Equipment Maintenance at Fabory.

“Despite the limited space available, TBWB succeeded in implementing a solution that connects the roller conveyor from the bulk warehouse with the conveyor system in the central warehouse. This was a challenge because it required overcoming a height difference of 4.5 meters.”

Two Qimarox components play a key role in this solution. The most visible is the Qimarox Prorunner mk5, a vertical conveyor that picks up boxes from the roller conveyor after depalletizing and transfers them to a discharge conveyor located 3.5 meters higher, leading to the miniload system.

The Prorunner mk5 features four product carriers operating in a continuous loop and is capable of handling high throughput rates. Next to the depalletizing robot, a Qimarox PD1 Palletdispenser has been installed to stack empty pallets.

Compact and modular design

The compact design was not the only reason for selecting the Prorunner mk5. Another important advantage is that, unlike an inclined conveyor or spiral conveyor, products are transported vertically while remaining upright.

“The boxes containing fastening materials can weigh up to 28 kilograms. Larger bolts may roll inside the box, with all the consequences that could entail. It is essential that boxes do not deform or slide during transport,” explains Ronald van den Dungen.

The modular design of Qimarox equipment proved especially valuable when the Prorunner mk5 had to be extended eighteen months ago. Originally, the vertical conveyor only needed to bridge a height difference of 3.5 meters. After a process modification, an additional meter was required.

“The vertical conveyor could simply remain in place,” recalls Van den Dungen. “All Qimarox had to do was add two extra sections. After that, the machine operated exactly as before. The modular design of Qimarox offers major advantages.”

Quality and reliability

The Qimarox components were recommended by TBWB.

“Because we had already been using a Qimarox palletizer for almost twenty years, we immediately trusted the quality and reliability of their equipment,” says Van den Dungen.

Fabory continues to experience the same reliability today.

“These are compact machines with effective yet straightforward technology. They cause very few disruptions and require minimal maintenance.”

Looking ahead: Prorunner mk1

Scheffers and Van den Dungen are already preparing for the next automation project. This project focuses on automating the goods receiving process.

“Most products arrive in boxes that are already suitable for storage in the miniload system. However, we also receive products that still need to be sorted manually and repacked into these boxes. We are now implementing two specialized robots, including an intermediate buffer, that will place these boxes onto pallets.”

This new project will once again be carried out by TBWB and will include another Qimarox solution. This time, a Qimarox Prorunner mk1 will be installed. The standard pallet lift will bridge a height difference of approximately two meters.

With this investment, Fabory continues to optimize and future-proof its logistics processes in Tilburg.

In collaboration with: Fabory – TBWB – Qimarox