Quooker has commissioned a 20,000-square-metre sustainable distribution centre (QDC) in Ridderkerk, the Netherlands, full of smart automation. With this, the inventor of the boiling water tap takes the first step towards a scalable logistics operation that will allow the company to continue to grow in the coming decades. Unique is the scalable design of the building, which is prepared for adding additional floors. Soon, the 70 or so logistics employees will move but their new accommodation in Ridderkerk.
The new distribution centre is distinguished by a combination of compact design and far-reaching automation. By combining functions and building in height, a high storage capacity is realised with a relatively limited footprint. The choice for high-rise (30 metres high) was not only dictated by efficient use of space, but also by the future development of the site.
The distribution centre anticipates a next phase of working with multiple layers, allowing goods to be sent in and out at different levels. Investing now in a structure that is suitable for 'stacking' creates a logistics system that can be easily expanded and adapted, without drastic changes to the base.
60 per cent automatic
Automation plays an important role in keeping the logistics operation at Quooker manageable. The QDC uses an automated storage system for both 31,500 pallets and 40,000 totes, combined with an automated order picking system. This allows around 60 per cent of outgoing orders to be processed without human intervention.
Michiel van Veen, chief supply chain officer at Quooker: "Automation makes processes faster, more consistent and less error-prone. At the same time, we can use space and labour more efficiently, which is important in a tight labour market. The layout of our new distribution centre ensures an efficient and scalable logistics operation that is prepared for growing volumes, without a commensurate increase in system complexity."
Sustainability
There is also a lot of focus on sustainability. This is both in the compact design that ensures lower energy consumption and in the energy-efficient installations, good insulation and sustainable materials to structurally reduce energy consumption andCO2 emissions. Van Veen: "Because we are developing the building in-house, there is also room to invest in energy-saving measures with a longer payback period. These are investments that are less likely to be made in many distribution centres, as they are often developed by investors. It is precisely our long-term vision that makes sustainability here not only in technology, but also in the way the building is developed."
Furthermore, Quooker has taken water and green measures, such as facilities for rainwater collection and encouraging biodiversity around the building. On a day-to-day basis, the integration of logistics and production also contributes to fewer transport movements and thus a lower environmental impact.
Pleasant working environment
In addition to the functional design, the QDC pays attention to the working environment. The transparency of the building, the use of light materials and the use of greenery have created an open and pleasant working environment - an aspect that is usually less obvious in logistics centres.
The commissioning of the distribution centre marks the first phase of a wider development in which production, logistics, offices and showroom will eventually come together in an integrated working environment on a single site of around 120,000 square metres. The start of phase 2 is now being prepared and includes a doubling of the current premises in Ridderkerk, making it possible to transfer the entire company to the new location in one go in a few years' time. This integration will ensure shorter lines, even better cooperation and more flexibility in the chain.
Quooker's new distribution centre shows how logistics companies today are already thinking about scalable warehouses for the future. But how do you ensure that such growth remains possible when energy capacity, grid congestion and legislation increasingly become limiting factors? This question takes centre stage at the Energy & Estate Pavilion during Logistica Next, 3-5 November at Jaarbeurs. Subscribe to the LogiNews newsletter and be the first to know when you can register for the event for free.
