Gingerbread, twinkling lights, tinsel – Christmas is just around the corner. A time for quiet reflection by the fireside and for cherishing friends and family. At least, in theory. But then comes that wish list, the holiday preparations and the cough that showed up after an evening at the Christmas market.
Sometimes, between the smell of mulled wine and the crinkle of gift wrap, there’s pressure instead of peace. With long to-do lists, the flu season and kitchen chaos, how is it even possible to pull off a warm, intimate and relaxed celebration with your loved ones, year after year?
In this blog, we’ll show you which KNAPP storage solutions are helping to keep your life in order and how smart logistics make sure that all the little Christmas miracles happen.
We’ll handle it – smart storage systems for relaxed holidays
Making complexity simple is our dedicated mission, and not just for the Christmas rush. Logistics processes can be quite complex, so it’s good to have KNAPP as a partner in the industry who can offer the right solutions. In our world, smart technology meets smart software to create top automated storage solutions. Our customers benefit from these systems, as do all of us on a daily basis. They accelerate online order processing at e-commerce giants such as Zalando, ensure the shelves at SPAR supermarkets are filled and that medicine is always in stock at pharmacies around the globe.
In three examples, we’d like to demonstrate how our solutions work in the background to keep things running smoothly – unseen, perhaps, but absolutely indispensable. You’ll get to know some of our employees who have played an important role in the success of each solution. Their passion, expertise and innovative spirit are shaping the future of logistics, while making things a little easier for everyone.
We handle the logistics so you can get your holiday feast on the table
In Vienna, it’s almost Christmas. This year, Lena wants to serve a fabulous Christmas dinner, but there’s so little time – can she still do it?
Her plan: a three-course meal for the entire family, featuring a vegan appetizer for her cousin, a roast for her parents and something chocolatey for dessert. Can it be done? Lena is no stranger to waiting till the last minute. But when she goes shopping on Christmas Eve, reality hits hard: full shopping carts, hordes of people, and fights breaking out over the last of the organic potatoes. Lena, however, keeps her cool. Luckily, she shops at a supermarket that, despite the last-minute rush, has everything in stock. Perfect logistics is what helps make this Christmas miracle happen.
What Lena does not know: Our software KiSoft is working behind the scenes at the Austrian SPAR logistics center in Ebergassing to help manage peaks in food retail during the Christmas season. A dedicated team of KNAPP Resident Engineers in the control room monitors all the mechanical and electrical processes on site and is responsible for servicing and maintaining the system.
The logistics solution at SPAR was expanded during ongoing operation, a project that Alen Davidovic of Service Sales & Account Management was involved in.
At SPAR Ebergassing, we pulled off an impressive achievement, delivering the high performance necessary to handle peak shopping days.
We handle the logistics so the Influenza Grinch is not sitting under the Christmas tree
It’s December in Cambridge. George is joyfully anticipating Christmas as he decorates his house. However infectious his mood may be, there might be something else lurking.
George has already untangled what seems like miles of Christmas lights, heaved an entire sleigh onto the roof, and adjusted the motion sensor so that Jingle Bells plays for every visitor, passerby and stray leaf. About this time, an unexpected guest comes knocking. It’s the Influenza Grinch, and his bag is packed – not with toys and gifts, but with aches and pains, coughs, runny noses and fevers. George is counting on a Christmas miracle! This viral load is the last thing he wanted for Christmas, so he mounts his defense, ordering a boost for his immune system online.
The good news is that while the Influenza Grinch was attempting to steal Christmas, George’s online order was already being processed at the Peak Pharmacy central distribution center in Chesterfield, UK. His medicine is just one of more than 120,000 items shipped every day from the warehouse. Thanks to next-day delivery, the Influenza Grinch couldn’t steal Christmas after all. And George? He celebrated with tinsel, not tissues.
As Director of Sales & Systems Engineering in Europe for the healthcare sector, Dieter Hochörtler understands the automated solution at Peak Pharmacy very well. The system allows thousands of packages of medicinal products to be delivered to pharmacies or direct to patients.
I am proud that our technologies have revolutionized modern pharmaceutical logistics around the globe. Our automated solutions support the people working in this field and are safe and secure.
We take care of the logistics, so Christmas dreams come true
In Amsterdam, it’s Black Friday weekend. Emma loves the Yuletide season but not so much dealing with the Christmas wish lists, decorated with glitter and demanding her attention.
Her real dream is of candlelight instead of crowds and sharing mulled wine instead of shopping. But reality is knocking on her door, complete with scribbled lists full of pleas for toys – no pressure, mom! While the outdoor shopping districts resemble a state of emergency and shopping centers a completely different ecosystem, Emma tries to figure out how to fulfill as many wishes as she can on time, without breaking the bank.
Thank goodness for online shopping! Emma orders from Zalando, and as the presents pile up in her digital shopping cart, she enjoys her mulled wine from her sofa. The logistics center in Bleiswijk near Rotterdam stores around 16 million items, and on peak days, ships several hundred thousand items out of the warehouse. The logistics solution, which combines pocket sorter and shuttle technologies, makes the little Christmas dreams come true.
As Senior Key Account Manager for Zalando, Christian Puchwein is driving the construction of modern distribution centers in Europe forward.
Our technologies ensure that online orders arrive faster at their destination and are complete.
#weareknapp – join our team!
Diversity? We love it. Perspectives? The more the better.
Whether you believe in Santa, Father Christmas or belong to team Scrooge, there is room for different views and perspectives at KNAPP. We are all different. What we all share, however, is the passion for what we do. Our diversity is part of our recipe for success.
We’re looking for creative thinkers with ideas – perfection not required – and a vision. Whether you are a fresh recruit or an experienced hand, you can make a difference. With you on board, our automated warehouse solutions can make people’s lives easier in every corner of the globe. Apply now to start your career at KNAPP!
Further reading recommendations
An exciting, innovative, solution-oriented job that our customers can’t live without – this is how Luca describes his career as a PLC Technician at KNAPP. Find out more about his job in this interview.