Kuehne + Nagel Increases Productivity by 100%

Based in France, Kuehne + Nagel (K + N) is the second largest international supplier of logistics services, with 60,000 employees and 8.5 million square feet of warehouse space worldwide.

Problem

Kuehne + Nagel has a daily deadline for shipping items of 8 p.m. so they arrive by 8 a.m. the next day. Orders were handled manually, using the batch picking principle. Operators searched for items on shelves, retrieved them, then divided them later for shipping. The process was inefficient and taxing for the operators.

Solution

K + N bought two Modula vertical lift modules (VLMs) and options to speed processing. As a result, productivity jumped by 100% and the deadlines were all met, with less strain on workers. In addition to higher productivity, K + N was able to condense its storage area as well. Now it can store 2,296 square feet (700 square meters) on a footprint of just 131.2 square feet (40 square meters).