The exchange of electronic business documents accelerates procedures and reduces process costs. The entire logistical process is established on the basis of this notion. Based on electronic ordering, the immediate fixed reservation of order volumes and a binding delivery confirmation, the logistics process gets going.

The order is transferred to the central warehouse management system and implemented into a concrete transfer order. Taking into consideration the optimal capacity utilisation of people and technology, this is sent to the relevant employee by radio data transmission to their mobile data registration terminals. Real-time booking into the SAP system shows the current available inventory at all times, simplifying the ordering process for the scheduling department. Through the electronic management of orders, competent information can be provided at all times from the order status through to delivery at the customer's site. This consistent electronic documentation is also the basis for achieving a high level of quality. 

The technical highlight of the new electronic Logistics Centre is the efficient, automatic small-parts warehouse (ASW), which offers storage capacities for up to 71,500 containers over 12 alleys. At 14 picking stations, up to 6 orders can be processed at the same time on each workstation. At peak times, capacity amounts to virtually 1900 items per hour, corresponding to more than 30,000 order items every day. The 50-metre-long alleys of the ASW are stocked and picked from using 12 fully-automated, 15-metre-high rack feeders, which achieve a speed of up to 6 meters per second, enabling up to 158 to-bin and from-bin transfers per alley per hour.

In the order accumulator (OAC), containers from various goods and storage areas are automatically brought together. At the same time, the OAC undertakes buffer functions for picking orders being processed simultaneously. Each OAC module has over 440 container storage spaces and is equipped with a 7.70 m high lifting bar rack feeder with combi-telescope for the dual-depth storage of E/D/E containers in a constant cycle, weighing up to 50 kg. Capacity amounts to about 200 double rounds per device and hour.

The handling of logistics from the central site of Wuppertal is steeped in tradition. For 80 years, our members have been supplied from Wuppertal. Through the expansion of the Logistics Centre, this core competency was designed to be future-proof and the prerequisite for further growth at the site was created.

The new eLC Logistik-Center in figures:

• Logistics area                              66,650 m²
• Logistics volume                         405,238 m³
• Hazardous goods storage           3000 m²
• Number of items                           > 80,000
• Order items                                   > 35,000 per day
• Number of packets                        5000 per day
• Number of pallets                          500 per day
• Container handling equipment    > 5,000 metres

Delivery service is a core competence of our Logistics Centre, which has been developed over many years and adapted to the requirements of our members. The E/D/E offers tried-and-tested delivery concepts, irrespective of whether for replenishment of your own warehouse or an urgent shipment directly to the end consumer.

As well as the weekly ongoing delivery, there is also the option of Germany-wide delivery of many items using a parcel service or package freight within 24 hours.