Gebr Heinemann launches the airport world’s first driverless transport system

NORWAY. Gebr Heinemann has launched what it claims to be the airport world’s first “driverless transport system” to streamline supply to its Oslo Airport stores.

 

The retailer said it had invested €1 million in the “ground-breaking” project. The new system addresses the logistical complexities of servicing two departures stores some 500m away from a goods receipt area.

(Above and below) The new driverless system offers a high level of efficiency, reliability and flexibility, underpinned by tailored technology that ensures a secure supply chain

The shops are operated under the Travel Retail Norway join venture in which Gebr Heinemann has a 50% stake. As part of the terminal expansion completed this spring by airport operator Avinor, the retailer doubled its sales area.

 

The new system offers a high level of efficiency, reliability and flexibility, Gebr Heinemann said, underpinned by special technology that ensures compliance with the critical notion of a secure supply chain.

 

The industrial engineering team at Gebr Heinemann logistics, together with project partner E&K Automation, conceived the new transport system based on the needs of the shops and the complex infrastructure of Oslo Airport.

 

E&K Automation, as experts in automated, laser-controlled AGVs (Automated Ground Vehicles), configured the forklifts for the system. Gebr Heinemann was responsible for the overall concept planning and for the software with requirements for steering, navigation and safety that turned an AGV into an SAGV (Secured Automated Ground Vehicle), described as “the first of its kind”.

 

The two new duty free departures shops – now supplied by the SAGVs – cover 4,600sq m and are continually supplied with around 11,000 items across multiple categories.

 

“We developed the SAGV solution for Oslo because of the demanding logistical requirements there and because the airport meets the structural requirements for this kind of innovative system,” said Gebr Heinemann Director of Logistics Marco Rebohm.

“Every day we move a large volume of goods over the long distance of 500 metres and across different levels. We adapted the SAGV to this requirement. This increases our productivity and ensures the secure supply chain from the logistics centre to our shops.

“It also spares our employees particularly physically demanding work. We were able to incorporate their know-how into our technical planning and they can now take on new assignments in the shops and providing service to our customers.”

Up to nine lorries with goods from the Gebr. Heinemann logistics centre in Hamburg-Allermöhe are delivered to Oslo Airport every day. The articles, which are pre-commissioned on pallets, are manually unloaded at goods receipt and brought to 18 storage spaces equipped with sensors. These sensors then send a signal to the SAGVs, six of which will be used through the final expansion stage.

 

The specially designed transport control system maintains constant contact with the vehicles at every point in the system. This ensures both optimal transport processes and the flow of materials. After receiving the signal, the SAGVs pick up the goods and bring them to the shops, where they are unloaded at a holding area by employees and brought to the sales area.

 

In order to increase reliability, particularly regarding adherence to delivery schedules, the SAGVs’ transport control system is also equipped with bottleneck resources on the transport route. This means that the vehicle is networked via its software with the lift and security gates. Both are located in the logistics structure away from the area accessible by passengers, and are used by both employees and vehicles alike. These bottleneck resources will be reserved with priority for the SAGV when necessary.

 

Sensor light grids protect goods in the secure supply chain

The pallets on the SAGV are protected by an innovative sensor solution with a 360 degree light grid around them that detects and reports any access to the goods during transport through the supply channels. If access is reported, the SAGV moves to one of the control points on the route so that the appropriate measures can be taken by a trained employee.

 

Following the successful introduction, the Gebr Heinemann logistics team is already planning its next steps. Rebohm commented: “By the end of the year, we will also supply the Heinemann Duty Free arrival shop via the SAGVs.” The newly opened shop, expanded to a surface of 4,000sq m last year, is the world’s largest arrivals duty free store.

 

“Gebr Heinemann has extensive experience in innovative logistics,” said Rebohm. “We use standards like the newest developments in technology and digitisation and are able to do this in our projects with our own engineers and technicians. This allows us to develop individual, effective and specialised solutions for the airports where we operate.”

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