Company information
Real S.A. is a company with nearly 30 years of experience in processing fruits and vegetables. The company combines in a professional manner storage, distribution and production of frozen food products, concentrates, juices and mousse products sold under the Owolovo brand. Thanks to its own fleet, it provides comprehensive transport services as well as less-than-truckload and truckload logistic serivces. The Centre in Nowy Konik is a part of an extensive network of ten company facilities.
Andrzej Gajowniczek – Chairman of the Board
I started the business in 1975, at the age of 17. Considering my current age, I have been in the business for 51 years and everything works out. We have been extending our business successfully. In 1997, we bought a small cold storage facility in Mroszków from the trustee in bankruptcy. We started our business in this purchased cold storage facility in Mroszków. We had 3.5 thousand pallet spaces at our disposal. Today we have no less than 235,000 pallet spaces and we are in the process of constructing another facility in Puck, in Rekowo in the vicinity of Puck, that will provide 55,000 pallet spaces.
Project information
Today we are visiting the freezer warehouse in Nowy Konik. This modern facility provides 106,000 pallet spaces and contains 10 multipurpose high-bay storage chambers and 8 blast freezer rooms. The majority of the chambers and rooms are fitted with mobile racking and drive-in racking with shuttle carts. Two of the chambers constitute a fully-automated warehouse with 47,000 pallet spaces, supported by eight double-deep stacker cranes and one multi-deep stacker crane, capable of handling storage spaces of variable depth. The automation solutions were implemented in the facility by Logisystem and STOW. The Qguar WMS system for managing warehousing logistics was implemented by Quantum Qguar.
Anna Kopytowska – Cold Store Manager
We invest in modern technologies to ensure quality, safety and economic efficiency within the entire supply chain process. The processes realized in our facilities are in constant flux. It is so, because our contractors, our clients keep modifying their own processes. Therefore, we must be flexible.
Warehouse deliveries
Planned deliveries are directed to individual areas, based on the specific character of articles or storage time. Once a pallet label is scanned, a forklift truck shifts it to the relevant chamber. The strategy of allocating warehousing locations is managed by Qguar WMS. Goods that require to be frozen are transported first to a blast freezer room. Finally, they are transported to locations in mobile racking, drive-in racking or onto the conveyor that shifts them into one of the automated chambers.
Automated warehouse
Transport to automated chambers is realized by two sections of conveyors and lifts. Once a pallet is placed on a conveyor, the warehousing automation system communicates with the WMS system and identifies the pallet with an ascribed individual RFID tag that will be paired with an SSCC number in the Qguar WMS system. After weighing and envelope control, the pallets that meet the requirements of automated storage are transported to the double-deep or multi-deep stacker cranes. Once a pallet is put in place by a stacking crane, the WMS system updates the inventory levels. Apart from reducing the need for human labour in very low temperatures, advanced automation also means a significant increase in the efficiency of processes.
Elwira Gęsina – Deputy Director of the Cold Store
The main advantage we gained from the logistic warehouse consisted in optimization of warehousing processes. This translated in the end into shortened time of operations, which is nowadays a crucial issue for handling sensitive goods, such as frozen food products.
Andrzej Gajowniczek – Chairman of the Board
When extending this facility that contains 106,000 pallet spaces, we decided to implement state-of-the-art technologies. The state-of-the-art technologies allowed us to optimize the use of storage areas, reduce the need for human labour and reduce costs. Of course, we reduced as much as possible the need for human presence in difficult conditions in cold stores.
Shipments
The majority of shipments from the warehouse are full pallet shipments. Qguar WMS carries out detailed planning of orders of transport from specific chambers. Pallets from mobile and drive-in racking are delivered directly with forklift trucks to the loading gates. The goods stored in automated storage chambers are delivered on conveyors to the chute, wherefrom a forklift truck delivers them to the loading gates. Qguar WMS manages separation of all orders, which allows goods from multiple chambers to be transported simultaneously, while maintaining the loading sequence.
Loading the semi-trailer
The final stage of shipment consists in loading the pallets delivered at the gate onto a refrigerated semi-trailer via a curtain dock shelter. During loading operations, operators scan pallet labels to confirm in the Qguar WMS that goods have been issued from the warehouse.
Agata Jackiewicz – Warehouse Administration Manager
Thanks to the implemented solutions, we can send task performance orders to radio terminals and control their performance on an ongoing basis. As a result, less hard copy documentation circulates within the warehouse, which has also improved employees’ efficiency and productivity.
Elwira Gęsina – Deputy Director of the Cold Store
The IT system that helped us to implement automation solutions successfully eliminated the possibility of errors and reduced the risk of customer complaints.
VAS and collaboration on the project
REAL S.A. provides a wide range of value-added services that comprise goods quality control, re-packaging, picking or labelling. Many of these services have been fine tuned to clients’ needs during the implementation carried out by the Agile method that involved participation of both clients and Quantum. These operations – thanks to the implemented technologies, high level of personnel competence and full support provided by the Qguar system – may be realized with exceptional efficiency, while maintaining the highest standards.
Agata Jackiewicz – Warehouse Administration Manager
As we implemented the system by the Agile method – migrating successive contractors in monthly batches, while improving our processes – we never had to discontinue our ongoing operations. Today, we can claim that we have managed to create an ideal tool that corresponds to our needs.
Anna Kopytowska – Cold Store Manager
Thanks to the experience, know-how and commitment of our supplier of the WMS system the launch of the automated warehouse proceeded as planned and on schedule.
The future and investment
The logistics of frozen goods is largely viewed through the prism of strictly controlled temperature. However, as in other lines of trade, one should not forget that new technologies and new investment projects are the key to the future. While extending the network of available facilities, the company is planning to open a modern distribution centre in Rekowo in Northern Poland and to do so by the end of the year.
Andrzej Gajowniczek – Chairman of the Board
Today we process great amounts of fruits and vegetables. In principle, we are the biggest producer who processes frozen fruits in Poland. Nowadays clients are very demanding and we must meet their expectations. This technology decidedly aids us in fulfilling this requirement. Real is a reliable company. You cannot lose with Real. With Real you can only gain.
Summary
With successive investments, REAL proves its position of the innovation leader in the frozen food industry. The Qguar system supports this success to great effect. We wish the company continued and dynamic growth as well as success in the realization of successive objectives.