It takes experience to successfully implement an intralogistics system at -28°C

Feldkirch, Austria

Bischof Lebensmittellogistik

The development of the Vorarlberg-based logistics service provider is closely linked to the regional expansion of the food industry. Bischof provides a comprehensive range of services for customers such as Kraft Foods, 11er, Hilcona, Bofrost, and Ölz: from collecting frozen and refrigerated foods, to payment of duty, storage, order picking, and assembling, to co-packing, retrieval, and on-time delivery to wholesale chains and retailers throughout Europe. The backbone of the cold chain is currently formed by 260 employees, 190 refrigerated trucks, and 25,000 pallet spaces; 16,000 of which are for frozen food.

Portrait of Michael Zimmermann, CEO Bischof
Bischof Lebensmittellogistik
The interface of the LTW warehouse control system to our ERP system worked perfectly right from the start. It took less than a week for the first 2,500 pallets to be stored without any trouble. We were very pleasantly surprised at how smoothly commissioning was accomplished.

Michael Zimmermann, CEO

PROJECT OVERVIEW

The pre-zone (-5°C) is separated from the high-bay warehouse (-28°C) by two refrigeration doors

Bischof decides to double its storage capacity and build a fully automated deep-freeze high-bay warehouse. Key customers, including 11er and Kraft Foods, are indicating a rapid increase in demand, at the same time as suggesting who should implement the project: LTW Intralogistics! Thanks to their outstanding references in the frozen food sector, LTW is awarded the contract to supply stacker cranes, conveyor systems, and warehouse management software.

Bischof employees in cold protection suits manually load the conveyor system with the forklift truck

Fully automated operation of a logistics system at -28°C in the high-bay warehouse and -5°C in the pre-zone demands a high standard of planning and equipment design. Experience is essential for correctly estimating material shrinkage, and for paying attention to important details – from choosing a suitable gear oil for cold temperatures, to deciding which heatable electrical components to use.

The stacker crane works the switch to the other aisle during driving

The flow of goods in the 4-aisle, double-depth high-bay warehouse is implemented by two aisle-switching stacker cranes – the LTW warehouse control system ensures that there are no collisions. Every rack aisle is connected to the conveyor systems at the front. Two transfer cars bridge the storage and retrieval lines. A vertical conveyor connects the order picking area on the upper floor to the material flow below. Features such as contour check and buffer locations ensure smooth operation.

more project information (PDF)
The head office in Feldkirch

The follow-up project

The successful performance of the high-bay warehouse is given due recognition: Bischof instructs LTW to build the same system again – this time in Sennwald, in the neighboring Swiss Rhine Valley.
A Bischof employee maintains the stacker crane in a cold suit

Maintenance work in the bitter cold

Every single detail of LTW's intralogistics is well thought-out. Not only must everything run smoothly, it must also be easy to service – a major challenge, particularly in the frozen food sector. LTW equipment is easy to maintain, ensuring that work is easily completed, even when wearing gloves to keep out the cold.
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