The SSI Schaefer Group, which has been independently rated as the world’s largest Materials Handling Systems supplier for the last 5 years, is celebrating its 75th anniversary in 2012. SSI Schafer has experienced its strongest growth in South East Asia and Australasia, with several significant automation projects and continued increasing penetration in the industrial storage market.Regional Managing Director, Brian Miles reported that in 2011 Schaefer’s order intake exceeded Euro 120 million in the region with the signing of major automation contracts complementing its already expanding industrial storage solution business.
LOCAL CONVEYOR MANUFACTURE & TECH CENTRE
One of the reasons for this success was the opening a 5,000m2 assembly hall at SSI’s Malaysian factory dedicated to the manufacture of Schaefer’s superior range of super quiet low energy conveyors, allowing SSI to offer its clients European quality systems at competitive Asian prices.At the same time Schaefer opened its Tech Centre which showcases the company’s wide range of conveying and paperless picking technologies, including high productivity “Good-to-Person” pick stations which enable customers to achieve in excess of 1,000 picks per person per hour and fully automated A-Frame picking. Additionally, working demonstrations of Schaefer’s in-house “Orbiter” for channel storage, mobile racking systems and “Logimat” vertical lift systems show clients how optimal storage density can be achieved. A number of customers have now visited this facility, the most recent being our Australian and New Zealand distributors whom Schaefer hosted for one week in Singapore for Tech Centre, factory and site visits.
STORAGE SOLUTIONS TO AUSTRALIAN STANDARDS
Schaefer’s Malaysian manufactured pallet racking range known as Interlock 600 was certified as FEM 10.02.02 compliant in 2005, following tests undertaken in Dortmund and Greenwich Universities. Schaefer’s German Structural engineers sit on the Technical Committee of FEM and chaired the committee to draft the soon to be released new Drive in Racking codes.This product range has now been tested and certified by an independent Australian Structural Engineering company as compliant to AS 4084-2012 introduced in February. Mr Miles stated “It was decided to continue to invest in Malaysia, where the company has a 6.5 hectare site and a labour force of close to 300 of which over 200 have more than 5 years service with the company. In the region, we have excellent relationships with our steel suppliers who can provide us with a higher quality of steel than is available in China. In fact we export uprights to China for projects which require higher frame and bay loadings against the trend of manufacturers using China as their export base.”
“To meet a growing demand from our 15 subsidiaries from Australia to South Africa and Dubai to South East Asia, we have just installed a second paint line and increased our warehouse loading area to 5,500m2 with 10 loading docks. By increasing the critical mass to 30,000mt of production in 2011, the company has been able to achieve real savings in the last 6 months, which has helped Schaefer increase its market share.” Mr Miles said.
Simultaneously the company has installed new production lines, which can now roll 5 different post profiles in 3 gauges, together with specialist beam profiles used in the design of Automated Storage and Retrieval Systems (AS/RS) or Rack Clad Warehouses (where the AS/RS system acts as the supporting structure for the warehouse).
AUTOMATED STORAGE SOLUTIONS
“Schaefer is the leading supplier of automated storage technology, with over 750 warehouses built worldwide. Asia is now a competence centre for the design and manufacture of these systems.” Mr Miles stated. “The last 2-3 years has seen a resurgence of AS/RS projects in South East Asia. It was a natural progression for the company to use the company’s expertise in this market to supply these systems from Malaysia. We now have Engineers trained in Germany whom Schaefer have certified competent to undertake these designs. It means we can reduce design and manufacturing lead-times, which in turn helps us to pass on savings to our customers and partners”.He added, “Automated solutions required racking systems manufactured to a high tolerances. These can be achieved on SSI’s precision rolling mill which is similar as that used by Schaefer in Germany. Obviously steel quality is critical with assured availability from our suppliers.”“Schaefer manufactures identical products in both its Asian factories, the product is interchangeable with PR600 system made in Germany by its parent company, so when designing racks which require the extreme loads required for rack clad buildings in seismic zones we can substitute these profiles to compliment our own range,” Mr Miles explained.He emphasised, “I’m proud to add that Schaefer’s racking system is sold to the company’s global subsidiaries, we have resisted the practice of some of our competitors who have re-engineered their racking to suit the Asian market, simply to try to win market share with lower cost.”
“Schaefer has built its 75 year reputation on providing quality products supported by outstanding service, this is why Globally and here in Asia, the company is recognized as No. 1, the market leader.”
Whilst Schaefer views the turbulence in the European Financial markets with some caution the company is confident that given its comprehensive range of products all produced within the Schaefer group, the company will continue to expand its market share. The 1st QTR has seen order income some 20% up on 2012, with a full order book and healthy quote bank. “With our International customers ramping up production I am confident that the company will consolidate its market share.”
↧