News
Körber becomes general contractor for Avnet's new high-performance distribution center in Bernburg
31.07.2023
Bernburg/Bad Nauheim, 31. July 2023. The international technology group Körber is supporting the US electronics wholesale group in the construction of its new high-performance distribution center in Bernburg (Saxony-Anhalt).
As the general contractor, Körber is responsible for almost half of the total investment volume of 225 million euros in order to implement both the extensive, highly complex warehouse technology and SAP Extended Warehouse Management. This is intended to ensure consistent and efficient processes in Avnet's distribution center in order to deliver up to 19,000 packages a day to over 30,000 customers worldwide after gradual commissioning from 2025.
Avnet announced last September the official start of construction for its new high-capacity distribution center in Bernburg. Semiconductor electronics and electronic components are to be shipped from this worldwide in two years. In addition to the previous distribution centers in Poing (Germany) and Tongeren (Belgium), Bernburg will be the third logistics location for the company in Europe. The logistics area, which occupies 56,000 square meters of the 190,000 square meter site, is designed by Körber as general contractor for technology, logistics and IT. The common goal is to meet the agile requirements of Avnet's national and international customers with the highly automated distribution center and to build a future-oriented, high-performance logistics location. The new logistics center should primarily be able to do without fossil fuels and rely entirely on renewable energies and green electricity.
Körber was recently awarded the contract as general contractor. The focus is on the technical solutions as an overall project. In terms of automation, all logistical components will interlock perfectly in the future. The storage areas include an automated high rack and two automated shuttle warehouses for small parts. An extensive and redundant conveyor system should be able to cope with the increased order volume. Körber's many years of SAP experience complement the offer. The implementation of SAP EWM, including the control of the material flows, is also carried out by Körber with SAP EWM MFS.
Andreas Ebert, CEO Automation, Körber Business Unit Supply Chain, is very pleased with the close cooperation so far: »The possibility of implementing such a large-scale project offers the opportunity for Körber to contribute all of its technological and planning knowledge. Avnet is a high-tech, future-driven company whose demands we meet technologically. Our common goal is a distribution center that will remain state of the art for decades to come.«
Roswitha Heiland - Vice President Logistics EMEA - Avnet Logistics GmbH adds: »Right from the start, we liked how Körber devoted the idea and attention to our all-important topic of reliability and thus technical redundancy, both in the storage technology and in the overall material flow networking of our 700 workstations. In this regard, a holistic solution of the highest technical quality has emerged.«
»The throughput and thus the technical capacity of the solution planned by Körber also enables us to already have growth potential anchored above our planning horizon,« concludes Ms. Heiland.
As the general contractor, Körber is not only the contact for IT and system technology during implementation, Avnet is supported for future maintenance and support (SAP EWM hotline).