More efficiency for more growth

Identification specialist Brady opens new distribution center in Zele

Brady Corporation moved its European Distribution Center to Poldergotestraat 9 in Zele. From a brand new building, Brady delivers top quality industrial solutions for traceability, digital product identity and safety signage to customers in Europe, the Middle East and Africa.

"We are maximizing our flexibility to grow with Brady's needs," said Guy Van Veerdegem, Operations Director EMEA and Site Leader Zele at Brady.

New heights

The distribution center Brady had until recently rented at Lindestraat 7 in Zele had reached its limits. "We kept 27960 product references available there on 12175 square meters of floor space, and had exhausted our options for capacity expansion," says Guy Van Veerdegem, Operations Director EMEA and Site Leader Zele at Brady. "Brady's new European Distribution Center, at Poldergotestraat 9 in Zele, offers much more storage capacity with 15 meters in height. We manage the building entirely ourselves, maximizing our flexibility to grow with Brady's needs."

Automation

Working with Vanas Engineering, Brady installed 10 VLM systems from Modula. Those vertical storage systems are linked to a new Warehouse Management System (WMS). A conveyor connects goods receiving with automatic storage, rack storage and shipping of goods. "Together, the 13-meter-high VLM systems provide 4475 square meters of efficient, vertical storage capacity on only 183 square meters of floor space. In addition, we nearly doubled the height of our rack storage to provide 85% more pallet spaces. By automating and working in height, we created more storage capacity and more efficiency on 2,000 square meters less land area. Moreover, we still have room for additional VLM systems, and even for an expansion of the building if needed to continue to meet customer demand from Zele for RFID traceability systems, quality identification labels, label printers, scanners and solutions to work more securely, such as Lockout/Tagout and durable security signage."

Visual management

To design the new distribution center, Brady drew out an optimal internal goods flow. "Our lean and logistics specialists provided nearly 1,000 flow charts for analysis by an external partner. From that analysis came an optimal internal flow that strengthens our services for customers and maximizes the efforts of our people and logistics partners."

Brady then integrated the optimal flow into the new WMS from which the European Distribution Center can be controlled and analyzed. With its own products, Brady also makes the optimal flow of goods clearly visible on the shop floor. "We deploy our safety signage, floor marking, location labels, inspection labels on the vehicles, shadow signs for tools and Lockout/Tagout for safe maintenance on the conveyors. All these visual solutions are aimed at working safely and efficiently. They also allow new and experienced people to become familiar with a new environment more quickly."

Minimal downtime

Brady moved all product references between August and October 2024 with its own employees. Prior to moving 27960 references, nearly 2,000 field tests were conducted on the new logistics infrastructure. Target locations in the new distribution center were identified with magnetic barcode labels and given a digital twin in the new WMS. All transport vehicles and buffer zones were also barcoded. "With a few scans, we could track and locate any product at any time. Our people received confirmation through the WMS each time that a product had been delivered to the right place. With our approach, we were able to offer our customers 100% next day shipping and 95% same day shipping throughout the operation."

Gateway to Europe

American multinational Brady Corporation has been in Belgium since 1967 developing, manufacturing and distributing identification labels and security signage. "From Zele, we easily reach our customers and partners via freeways and the ports of Antwerp and Rotterdam. In addition, Brady built up special competencies in Zele. Brady is a recognized Customs Competence Centre (3C) and has AEO status in supply chain security thanks to excellent compliance, knowledge building and cooperation with the Belgian General Administration of Customs & Excise. Efficient and sustainable logistics processes are extremely important for us to support our customers smoothly and correctly."