">
Production meets Logistics
Würth Industrie Service demonstrated how production and logistics can merge into an intelligent whole at "Production meets Logistics"
Würth Industrie Service
12-Feb-2025
Our writers
Reading time
5 Minutes
Whether in production or logistics: Efficiency, precision, and smooth processes are essential to optimise processes, reduce costs and ensure continuous supply. Both areas are closely interconnected – only their perfect coordination enables a seamless value chain. At the event “Production meets Logistics”, the experts at Würth Industrie Service GmbH & Co. KG showed how synergy can be achieved with the help of innovative technologies, automation and robotics. Around 50 participants gathered together for this event in the Reinhold Würth Haus and the Würth Industrial Park, which is known for being one of the most modern logistics centres for industrial supply in Europe, on Tuesday, 11th February 2025.
In the face of Industry 4.0, companies have to deal with changing markets. It is no longer just automation and digitalisation that define the industry. Integrated networking, artificial intelligence, cyber-physical systems, collaboration, robotics, big data as well as many other market trends impact the factory of the future. In order to keep production efficient and ensure that everything is available at the right time and at the right place, the processes in (intra)logistics must be connected seamlessly – up to the last metre. It is all the more important to rethink existing processes and implement future technologies in a more intelligent manner.
The industry leaders from the region that are active in logistics, production and engineering as well as process and lean management participated in discussions about the specific tools that help in achieving a new level of value addition along the interface between production and logistics. After an introductory speech by Wolfram Zeitler, Executive Management Key Account Management
Competence Center at Würth Industrie Service, Frank Freudenberger, Logistics Management at Würth Industrie Service, delivered an expert lecture on the effects of demographic changes on logistics and why is it important to look at the automation strategy of the C-Parts expert in logistics. How can companies be proactive today? What measures can be taken to increase the appeal of workplaces? And how can robots contribute to the improvement of workplace ergonomics by taking over physically strenuous tasks? These and some other questions were the highlight of the lecture. In the next few discussions, the speakers shared their opinions about technological advancements. Steffen Kuhnle, Head of Robotics at W. Gessmann GmbH, demonstrated the potential of autonomous logistics in his presentation “Towards revolutionary material supply system with the AMR GESSbot: autonomous, efficient, future-proof”. The Gb350 is a driverless transport system that automates the internal transport in a quick and cost-efficient way. Thanks to LIDAR sensors that map the surroundings, the robot follows defined routes, goes up to workstations and filling stations and can immediately identify and avoid obstacles . It can also use elevators across multiple floors, enhancing value addition in logistics. At the event, W. Gessmann and Würth Industrie Service presented the mobile ORSY®mat that provides the required materials directly to the workstation. This can be achieved when it is paired with a GESSbot Gb350 robot, which brings the vending machine wherever it is required. The special solution aims to optimise the decentralised material dispensing, provide relief to the employees and at the same time, increase efficiency, flexibility and security. Here, automation and artificial intelligence not only promise a significant increase in productivity, but also ensure relief for the employees. Rafael Götz, Head of Division Safety and Hazardous Substance Management at Würth Industrie Service, and Matthias Mayer, Head of Innovative Workplace Solutions at Würth Industrie Service, highlighted this aspect together in their lecture “Ergonomic and healthy preventive working with the help of exoskeletons and efficient workshop equipment”. Along with individual workstations, the C-Parts expert ensures optimised workplace ergonomics with the help of a wide range of exoskeletons. Be it for the knee, arm, wrist or back, using external support and assistance systems offers a boost in ergonomics for more comfortable working.
There is no doubt that connected systems pave the way towards Industry 4.0. During the tour of Logistics, the linchpin of Würth Industrie Service as well as one of the most modern logistics centres for industrial supply in Europe, the participants gained a personal insight into the automation and innovation transforming into reality. In an area of over 70,000 square meters, they visited not only the storage and logistics levels but also saw the new high-bay warehouse. Moreover, interested participants also gained insights into the IT systems and transport management that ensure every day that goods reach from A to B with the help of a team of around 480 employees. Self-learning robots, professional camera inspection systems, autonomous transport systems as well as high-bay and shuttle warehouses are used for perfectly coordinated processes. Other solutions were also seen in the world of Würth Industrie Service – a space to experience. During a tour, the participants were able to get a clear picture of the company and gained closer insights into C-Parts management including product and system solutions for the manufacturing industry.
You might also be interested in
The Würth Industrie Service GmbH & Co. KG collects and processes the personal data provided in the form in order to process the requested request for you. Please note the mandatory fields in the forms. The legal basis for this processing, the absolutely necessary data, is Art. 6 para. 1 lit. b DSGVO, implementation of a pre-contractual measure. The processing of data voluntarily provided by you is carried out on the basis of Art. 6 para. 1 lit. f DSGVO. Thereafter, processing is permissible which is necessary to safeguard our legitimate interests. Our legitimate interest is to have contact with you, our customers, to improve our consulting quality and to be able to contact you more easily in case of possible queries. The data collected will only be stored by us for as long as is necessary to process your enquiry and to contact you. They are then deleted.
Supplementary data protection information, in particular regarding your rights to information, correction, deletion, restriction of processing, objection and complaint, can be found in our data protection declaration.