Total solutions for warehouses, from standard to 100% automated

In the intralogistics provider sector, the name of the SSI SCHAEFER Group rings like a bell. Not surprising when you consider that today around seventy subsidiaries and seven production sites serve customers from various sectors worldwide. In our country, SSI SCHAEFER operates from Leuven. Not so far away from Alken in Limburg, where the team expertly helped construction company Dethier fit out a brand new warehouse.

Since its foundation in 1937, SSI SCHAEFER has developed into one of the largest intralogistics providers in the world. In recent decades, the group of companies has grown to become a leading designer and integrator of advanced logistics solutions, warehouse storage systems, software tools and customer service. Manual, semi-automatic and automatic systems for storage, shelving, order picking and transport provide a wide and high-quality range of products. Complemented by a range of software solutions - from WMS to robotic order picking - as well as numerous support services, this provides a one-stop shop for intralogistics, whether a small or large warehouse.

Pragmatic customer solutions

SSI SCHAEFER's many customers appreciate the strong corporate values that the company places at its heart. A major advantage is a range of customised solutions. This is possible because the products are designed and manufactured in-house. There is also an ambitious systems mentality within the company. 

All components are well matched thanks to their modular and integrated construction. Thanks in part to this development of solution-oriented technology and a pragmatic attitude in customer projects, the company is building lasting customer relationships. One of the customers who highly values this mix of strong values is construction company Dethier from Alken in Limburg.

Getting to work for Construction Company Dethier

With a team of 130 permanent employees, Bouwbedrijf Dethier, a Limburg family business that has been a total partner in construction projects since 1947, realizes the building dreams of many an individual and entrepreneur. In August 2022, the entire team moved into a brand new office building, built on the site of the former parental home. A little further on, a new state-of-the-art warehouse was built from the ground. The experts from SSI SCHAEFER came into action to design this warehouse.

Expert warehouse equipment

"SSI SCHAEFER was the ideal partner for us in equipping our new warehouse," confirms Wim Vandeweyer, logistics manager at Dethier Construction Company. "From the outset, we involved their team in our project. So we realized a perfect alignment of the brand new building and the storage space to be furnished. They supplied us with high-quality racking and shelving systems up to six meters high, good for as many as 880 pallet spaces." Wim and his colleagues at Dethier Construction Company praise the hands-on mentality of the experts from SSI SCHAEFER. "They gladly accepted the challenge of providing KRS cantilever racking - spread over four levels in our warehouse - for heavier materials. Each level had to be able to support up to three tons of loads. 

And, of course, when designing the new warehouse, safety for employees and visitors was also high on our agenda. By mutual agreement, we provided style protectors, protective nets and sufficient space between the racks as additional safety features."

Wide range of products

"At SSI SCHAEFER we found everything we needed for an orderly workshop," says Wim. 

"For example, for small items we have the R3000 shelf rack, which has a large load capacity, is flexible in construction and allows us to integrate drawers. We also provided a section here with collection bins for hazardous and flammable materials."

"For the storage of all pallets, we invested in PR600 pallet racking. Together with the experts from SSI SCHAEFER, we looked at the optimum configuration to provide as many pallet spaces as possible. And as already mentioned, we have both indoor (KRM) and outdoor (KRS) cantilever racks to store long goods efficiently. Think wooden beams, crane booms and flagpoles."

Short lines of communication

The collaboration between construction company Dethier and SSI SCHAEFER was excellent. "There was a good click between us from the very first contact," Wim recalls. "The communication and advice provided were extremely professional via a 'single point of contact'."

"You can tell from everything that SSI SCHAEFER is an experienced market player where internal departments are very well coordinated. For the furnishing of our new warehouse, we greatly appreciated the fact that the supplier spared no expense to come on site and that he actively participated in coordinating our building and the interior fittings optimally. That involved approach produced a competent result!"

"Last but not least, the aftercare at SSI SCHAEFER is also top-notch," says Wim. "When you know that a team of technicians goes out on the job every day for maintenance and repairs, this also provides additional peace of mind and comfort within our construction company." ■