Vanderlande supplies systems for 3M European distribution centre expansion in Jchen, Germany

 Vanderlande Industries has won the order to supply and install the order picking and sorting system for a major expansion of the 3M European distribution centre in Jchen, Germany. Vanderlande will also handle the connection to the existing logistics systems and will install a new material flow control system, all without interrupting operations in the centre. 

 
The new facility will be located opposite 3M's existing European distribution centre. It will be operated by the Kleine group, with most of the planned floor area of about 40,000 m" dedicated to the 3M operations. To minimise truck traffic between the existing and new sites, which are separated by a main road, both blocks of buildings will be connected by a 150 m conveyor bridge crossing the road at a height of five metres.
 
The expansion is necessary because 3M's present Jchen distribution centre the most important of the company's six distribution centres in Europe has reached its capacity limits. 3M decided to expand the existing facility rather than relocate it elsewhere because of the central position of the site in Jchen, near Mnchengladbach.
 
Vanderlande Industries will install two Posisorter systems of the newest generation for high-capacity product sortation. The system's performance and reliability have been proven in more than 350 installations worldwide. Further key benefits of the Posisorter are its positive sorting, gentle product handling and easy maintenance. Because of the wide range of 3M products handled in Jchen, belt conveyor technology will be used almost entirely. The products will be transported on belt conveyors and belt curves, and buffered with Qveyor conveyors.
 
As well as the proven Vanderlande material handling solutions, the company's experience in successfully handling system expansions and updates in operational environments and its extensive reference list were important reasons for 3M's choice of Vanderlande Industries.