Third automatic high-rack storage for freezer specialists Agristo

Agristo, the pre-fried and frozen potato goods manufacturer, is cooperating with Egemin Automation for the third time in a row with the construction of its new, fully automated, high-bay, frozen food storage. The new warehouse is being built on a 25-hectare site in Wielsbeke, Belgium, where Agristo has also erected new production buildings and green spaces as well as storage facilities. With this investment, Agristo is expanding its production and storage capacities and continues to guarantee high quality products.

The foundation for the new location was laid in September. When completed, the warehouse will be nearly 45m high and will have room for 50,000 pallets on 15 storage levels - the equivalent of 35,000 tons of frozen French fries. The operation is planned for autumn 2017. Agristo already uses two high-bay food storages from Egemin, one in Tilburg (2012) and one in Nazareth (2015).

Quality and capacity guaranteed though automation
The new frozen storage facility is being built on the former Unilin site in Wielsbeke. Egemin is taking over the entire logistical equipment and automation of the warehouse. The system integrator supplies the storage racks, the storage cranes, the conveyor belt system and the machines used to move the pallets. For the automatic control and management of the new warehouse and of all the transport equipment, Agristo uses the Egemin software
"Thanks to automation, Agristo can guarantee the quality of its products even more easily" explains Marcel Spruijt, the sales manager at Egemin. "The refrigeration chain remains uninterrupted at all times. The conveyor belt system automatically transports the frozen French fries from the production area to the storage area. Additionally, fewer steps are needed to move the pallets and cartons to their storage locations. This reduces the risk of damage to the pallets and to the packaging." Thanks to their powerful storage system, Agristo can process large quantities of goods in a short time. This makes it possible to fully load a truck from the warehouse in just 15 to 20 minutes.

A sustainable production chain thanks to energy-saving technology
The silo design of the deep-freeze storage is designed for sustainable energy use. "The production and storage of frozen French fries requires a lot of energy", explains Carmen Wallays, Purchasing and Logistics Manager at Agristo. "This is why, when designing this new project with Egemin, we also paid close attention to efficiency, sustainability and environmental protection."

For example, the roof and wall insulation is thicker than that of most deep-freeze warehouses. The pallet-cranes have an internal energy recovery system which feeds the energy released during the lowering and deceleration of the crane back into the electricity network. As a result, the cranes save up to 20% on energy, less heat is released, and the warehouse requires less cooling.

Specifications
The new Agristo warehouse in Wielsbeke is 45m high, 68m wide and 122m long. The ten single-armed cranes, whose telescopic forks support a double or triple storage depth, place the pallets on the 15 storage levels at their assigned locations. The running length of the cranes is approximately 115m and the crane height 43m.

For more information:
Egemin GmbH
Angela Drexl
T. +49 (0)421 43627-55
info@egemin.de