Customizing made easy at Mediq Netherlands

Mediq provides medical devices and care solutions to patients and care professionals. This involves a large variety of products as well as order volumes. Furthermore, Mediq offers an innovative service concept based on customization. Depending on what the customer needs, special delivery conditions are met or orders are delivered directly to the patient’s home. Mediq Netherlands wanted to consolidate several business models in a central warehouse and therefore selected a KNAPP automation solution.

More flexibility, less cost

By consolidating all articles into one central warehouse, Mediq can flexibly respond to the changing demands of e-commerce and save costs by preventing double stock. To efficiently organize such deliveries, the containers are consolidated in the warehouse and are then supplied to dispatch in an exact sequence. The OSR Shuttle™ not only handles these tasks, it also supports all the other warehouse processes. The three-aisle system is space effective, storing three-deep, with just over 40,000 storage locations. In keeping with company growth, the shuttle system can be expanded by half in terms of storage locations and performance.

Order fulfilment is carried out intuitively without error at the ergonomic Pick-it-Easy work stations, according to the goods-to-person principle. Sterile articles, which must remain in their closed storage containers for the picking process, can be processed in compliance with applicable regulations. Only about 20 percent of the range is picked manually. Efficient order processing and precise picking: Pick-to-Light technologies guide personnel efficiently from storage location to storage location, facilitating paperless, error-free picking.

Dispatch sorting and finishing tasks, such as document insertion, erecting or closing the carton and applying the shipping label, are all handled automatically. In the repack area, mini orders are packed in envelopes and shipped. All processes are integrated in the best possible way into the SAP landscape.

Local representative

The startup of the new central warehouse is scheduled for early 2018. René Wolters, Managing Director of KNAPP Benelux BV, is the personal representative on site for Mediq. “Together with the Mediq team, we have worked out a highly-efficient and expandable automation solution based on the special requests of the customer. The work with Mediq is outstanding, and we are already looking forward to the successful realization of this project.” Tony Webster, Director Supply Chain Development within Mediq added, “KNAPP has a proven track-record of delivering successful projects on time and within budget. In the preparation for this project, we have also learned that they are very transparent in all aspects of their communication.”