Everything in one location
The choice to realize all new facilities at one location yields many benefits. Robbert van ‘t Hoff – CEO at Westfort: “One of the most important advantages is that we greatly improve our internal logistics through this centralization. In addition, employees will work with the latest meat processing technologies. Finally, customers can be sure that their products are being worked on in the most efficient way and according to the highest standards. This creates a better product, more sustainably produced to the highest standard.”

Unique ‘no hands’ cold store
One of the unique components within this total new construction is the realization of a ‘no hands’ cold store. From the moment that the products are packed, no more hands are involved in the process of internal transport, freezing, sorting and palletizing until the moment the frozen products are loaded. An important part of this system is the AS/RS Shuttle system where individually frozen boxes are buffered before they are palletized. Martijn Herder – CEO at Inther Group: “By directly freezing the products and later sorting them into ‘article clean’ pallets, we also realize a quality improvement in addition to efficiency gains. A win-win situation for both production and logistics.”

AS/RS Shuttle
For the sorting of these pallets, Inther Group will supply an AS/RS Shuttle system of 3 aisles and 24 levels, suitable for the freezer environment of -18 degrees Celsius. The AS/RS Shuttle system will be controlled by the Inther LC software. Marc Biermann – Head of Sales Engineering at Inther Group: “The design chosen for the shuttle system is completely redundant. This redundancy is achieved by applying the so-called double play principle, whereby both lifts take care of both the loading and unloading of totes per aisle.”

WCS – Inther LC
As a Warehouse Control System (WCS), the Inther LC software will control the entire shuttle system. The sorting algorithm gives Westfort the full flexibility to send all frozen boxes from both freezing tunnels to the shuttle system in random order. To make this flexibility possible, two different output levels are provided which allows each shuttle aisle to directly link to the two palletizers. The conveyor technology from Inther Group is used for the in- and output of these products.

Realisation in 2020
Installation will start at the beginning of 2020. The total expansion is expected to be operational in August 2020, after which Westfort can proudly call itself one of the most modern and complete meat companies in the world.