ICA choose Consafe Logistics for their new distribution center in Sweden

Consafe Logistics has together with Daifuku Europe Limited, a wholly owned subsidiary of Daifuku Co Ltd, Japan, received a letter of intent to design, manufacture and supply the automated materials handling system for the new distribution centre for ICA Sverige AB, the largest retailer in Sweden. The new facility is scheduled for completion by the end of 2006. ICAs supermarket chain comprises more than 1.600 stores in Sweden.

ICA has been growing its business steadily over the last few years and has reached a point where the distribution infrastructure has to expand its maximum capacity. In order to achieve future expansion plans and to increase the efficiency of the existing operation, ICA has decided to invest in a new distribution centre to be located in Helsingborg, in the South of Sweden.

After a long and thorough period of analysis, Daifuku Europe has been appointed to supply the new distribution centre. The Daifuku system comprises 35 automatic stacker cranes, case sorters, automatic depalletisers, and a SattStore Warehouse Control System from Consafe Logistics. This integrated Daifuku system will be one of the most advanced in Europe.

Key to the design of the new facility is the Daifuku STV (Sortation Transfer Vehicle) system that provides high speed pallet sortation. The Daifuku STV is capable of sorting and distributing up to 1,000 loads an hour on a single level and provides a cost effective alternative solution to conveyor. Standard models are available for 100Kg, 1000Kg, 2,000Kg and 3,000Kg.

To date, Daifuku have supplied and installed many integrated materials handling systems throughout Europe, this is the second major distribution centre to be delivered into Scandinavia for a supermarket chain, following the successful completion of the installation in Denmark for Netto. This opportunity is a direct result from the increased sales activities of Daifuku Europe Limited together with Consafe Logistics in Scandinavia, and sees the expansion programme for Europe develop to the next stage.

We see this project as a strategic important project for the Scandinavian market. In our partnership with Daifuku Europe we provide complete logistic solutions for automated warehouses. SattStore WMS is a well-known product in Scandinavia and has a history of successful implementations for companies within retail. says Lars Persson, Executive Vice President, Consafe Logistics AB.