Another milestone for logistics expansion at Häfele

At the beginning of October 2020, we reported on the groundbreaking ceremony for the construction of the new high-bay warehouse 4 and the adjacent goods receiving area at the Nagold site. Häfele and io-consultants reached another milestone on August 30 and 31, 2021, when Swisslog (a general logistics contractor) installed the seven stacker cranes for the new high-bay warehouse and its around 15,000 storage spaces within a mere two days. Even in the face of current uncertainties, there have been no major delays in the project so far.

io-consultants has been supporting Häfele in the gradual conversion of its logistics processes for more than four years. As lead consultant, we are taking over the entire construction planning of the new high-bay warehouse and the associated plant expansion – from the initial concept and detailed planning to awarding contracts, supervising implementation, and go-live. All work will be carried out during ongoing operations without affecting Häfele’s ability to deliver, ensured by detailed migration planning. The planned changes will shorten walking distances and make workplaces more ergonomic.

Curious onlookers were able to observe the installation of the stacker cranes from afar: it took two crane systems to put them in place; the larger had a span of more than 40m. To begin with, the stacker cranes – each weighing approx. 4.2 tonnes – were lowered through the specially created roof openings of the silo structure and placed in the aisles. Then the pre-assembled masts, more than 22 m long, were also brought in from above. Each mast took only about 40 minutes to install, including bolting and anchoring to the top rail.

The next stage involves installing the conveyor system and the related electric floor conveyor, which will be fully integrated into the existing building. Internal department relocations have been planned and carried out in recent weeks and months to free up the necessary space. The expansion will be carried out during ongoing operations, with the months ahead likely to be among the most challenging project phases.

The whole facility is scheduled to go live in early 2022.