6 June 2016, 08:05
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Jury of international trade journalists selects SSI Schäfer´s AGV solution Weasel at Next Level Logistik GmbH as the winner in the "Intralogistics Solution" category.
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Colourful IFOY Award ceremony for the "Intralogistics Oscar" at the CeMAT in Hannover.
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Dr. Andreas Gruchow, Member of the Managing Board Deutsche Messe, presents the prestigious IFOY trophy.
The IFOY Award in the category "Intralogistics Solution" goes to SSI Schäfer´s Weasel at Next Level Logistik GmbH. In a tight finish, the in-plant fleet solution with Weasel® driverless transport systems came in first to secure the title of "Intralogistics Solution of the Year".
The name of the winner was a well-kept secret up to the last moment. Last Tuesday evening its identity was revealed at the CeMAT opening in Hannover, when Dr. Andreas Gruchow, Member of the Managing Board Deutsche Messe, presented the metal and glass trophy to the delighted winners.
Besides the high customer value the key factor in the decision of the jury are the low investment costs of this AGV solution. “Considerably reduced investment costs open new customer perspectives in terms of automated transport solutions,” is the verdict of the jury. "Particularly in the era of Industry 4.0, it is a major advantage for companies if they can flexibly connect different in-plant areas and support processes in the front-to-end logistics environment. This system is especially beneficial for companies and start-ups whose business fields and capacity requirements tend to change at short notice", the jury added.
SSI Schäfer implemented the Weasel® driverless transport systems at the NextLevel Logistik GmbH company in Eltmann near Schweinfurt. Be it containers, cartons, trays or other products of widely varying sizes up to 35 kg – at NextLevel Logistik, Weasel is responsible for all transport tasks between incoming goods, the workplaces, goods dispatch, all the way through to waste disposal. The complete hardware and software for the system was installed and went into operation within the space of just three days. One special characteristic of the solution is the automatic RFID group reading system at the goods receipt stage. Unlike conventional AGVs Weasel does not require complex sensor technology or control systems.
A further major advantage from the point of view of the fashion logistics service provider active in the fast-growing eCommerce segment, is the flexibility and easy scalability of the solution: Weasel is not rail-based and can therefore be flexibly integrated in existing infrastructures. The AGV gets straight to the work stations via an optical guiding line. This can be installed in a rapid and flexible manner and may be adapted. The solution can grow together with the business volume, and seasonal performance peaks can easily be handled by using additional Weasels.
Since 2013, the IFOY Award has become established as a benchmark for cost efficiency and innovation. Due to the specialised expertise it represents, it is seen as the most important innovation award in intralogistics.
The winners are selected once a year by an independent jury of leading international trade journalists. A neutral test and a scientific "Innovation Check" form the basis for assessment by the jury. Both test series compare the finalists with their respective competitors. The sponsor of the IFOY Award, presented under the patronage of the German Ministry of Economics and Energy, is the VDMA Materials Handling and Logistics Systems Sector Association. Official IFOY partner is CeMAT, the leading international trade fair for intralogistics in Hannover. IFOY pallet partner is Chep, the global market leader in pallet pooling. IFOY technology partner is the battery charging specialist Fronius.
Source: impact media projects GmbH