To improve customer service and increase availability of its cables and interfaces, Klotz ais has embarked on a major expansion of production and storage facilities. The expansion of the company’s site in Vilchband/Wittighausen is in full swing…
On a newly developed area of more than 5,40m², a new main warehouse is currently under construction. Once completed, it will be the largest freestanding building on the company’s premises.
An 800 m² storage hall, built in 2018 using lightweight aluminium construction, had to be dismantled to make way for the new building. It was taken down and relocated to the western end of the site. At its new location, the hall – with space for up to 828 pallet positions –is now used as a dry storage for large cable lengths on wooden reels. A mobile scissor lift enables the picking of cable drums from the top shelves, reaching up to a maximum height of 9m.
At the heart of the newly development, a main warehouse will cover more than 1,600m² and is being built in solid reinforced concrete. This construction method stands out in day-to-day operations thanks to its high load-bearing capacity, excellent insulation, and therefore low energy consumption. Additionally, the long service life and resulting excellent environmental performance over its entire lifecycle – including end-of-life considerations in accordance with EN15978 – played a key role in Klotz’s planning.
Once completed, the new warehouse will significantly increase storage capacity at the site. Seven high-bay rack rows plus a flow-through rack will provide up to 1,550 new pallet positions, each capable of holding up to 600kg, greatly enhancing storage of raw materials and inventory items. Combined with the existing hall, the new site will offer a total storage area of 2,400m² and an overall capacity of more than 2,600 pallet positions.
In the new warehouse, automated guided vehicles (AGVs) will optimise material flow within a fully automated picking chain. These latest generation transport systems navigate to the storage location via induction rails embedded in the floor, autonomously managing the picking process, all the way from small components to heavy loads weighing several tons.
To integrate with production, the new warehouse on the east side is equipped with a port for a conveyor lift. This innovative bidirectional system, combining a conveyor belt and lift with a 500kg load capacity, efficiently transports large palletized loads and overcomes the 5m elevation to the upper-level production hall. By implementing this solution, we have fully replaced manual goods transportation between the two halls, ensuring a safe, seamless, and timely material flow from the warehouse to the production facility at all times.
The warehouse project is also at the forefront of energy management. In the highly insulated facility, an eco-friendly and cost-efficient heat pump ensures a pleasant indoor climate year-round. This not only enhances employees’ working conditions but also boosts productivity.
The roof is equipped with expansive solar panels, generating a total output of 99kW for the building. This system reliably covers the energy needs of daily operations and positions Klotz well for the future of mobility. Several of 31 newly added parking spaces are fitted with dual-output electric vehicle charging stations, allowing visitors and employees to charge their personal vehicles or the company electric car fleet with green energy.
‘The completion of the construction at the new site, alongside the expansion of our facility in Vilchband/Wittighausen, is scheduled for the summer of 2025,’ the company says. ‘This marks a significant step forward, increasing capacity, reducing costs, improving sustainability, and strengthening our position in the market. We are excited that this expansion will allow us to continue offering our customers the trusted Made in Germany quality of Klotz at competitive prices.’
More: www.klotz-ais.com