Site planning for HOLZ-HER Maschinenbau
"It was clear that we would need external know-how for such a complex project. After all, we are mechanical engineers and not logistics experts."
More space for production
The German company, founded in 1914, specializes in the manufacture and sale of stationary woodworking machines. In Austria, the production site is located in Voitsberg, Styria, yet it has since reached its limits in terms of capacity. A larger assembly area is needed to be able to keep up with demand, which is why HOLZ-HER planned to enlarge the warehouse hall.
Once again, logistics plays a key role here: to free up valuable space for production on the one hand and, on the other, to create the conditions for smooth handling operations. Our consultants were brought on board to stake out the logistics of tomorrow.
Step by step to the preferred option
First, inventory and transaction data were evaluated to work out the necessary planning parameters. We then developed a variety of options, including an evaluation of budget costs, with respect to warehouse technology, warehouse layout, and the potential for automation. The preferred options were shown in a 3D design so as to give the project team around CEO Harald Steiner as realistic an impression as possible in the decision-making process.
New perspectives and greater budget security
The joint project enabled us, for example, to highlight possibilities that the customer have not previously considered, such as using an autostore system for the automated storage and retrievals of small parts.
Another benefit: the investment framework for the preferred variant has also already been defined. Once the project has been implemented, HOLZ-HER will have what it wants: sufficient production space and an efficiently designed warehouse.
“Our in-house specialists were initially a bit skeptical as to whether this could work, but soon were very enthused with the concept. This was one of those cases where external consultants, thanks to their experience and unbiased view, came up with ideas that one wouldn’t have considered from the standpoint of the day-to-day operations. And another positive surprise: Although the implemented solution was quite far removed from the original considerations, the budget remained within limits.” – Harald Steiner, Managing Director
