Daifuku and Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems: A strategic partnership for the future of warehouse automation

Cross-border cooperation establishes future-oriented warehouse and provision technology

The project between Daifuku and Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC represents an important milestone in industrial automation. This cooperation combines the expertise of the Japanese world market leader for material flow solutions with a leading provider of commercial vehicle technologies and thus creates a state-of-the-art automated warehouse and provision system (AS/RS) at the Huntington location.

About the project partners

Daifuku Co., Ltd.

Daifuku was founded in Osaka, Japan in 1937 and has established itself as a comprehensive manufacturer and integrator of material flow systems since its creation. The company employs over 10,000 people worldwide and is considered the leading provider of material flow systems on the world market. As early as 1966, Daifuku developed the first automated warehouse and provision system (shelf operator) in Japan and thus revolutionized traditional warehousing.

Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems LLC

Bendix is ​​a subsidiary of the German Knorr-Bremse Group and has its headquarters in Avon, Ohio. The company develops and provides state-of-the-art active security technologies, energy management solutions as well as compressed air brake systems for moderate and heavy commercial vehicles across North America. With an annual turnover of $ 1.2 billion and over 4,100 employees, Bendix is ​​an industry pioneer in the field of commercial vehicle equipment.

The Huntington campus: a center of innovation

The Huntington location of Bendix in Indiana has undergone remarkable development. What started in 1980 as a small sales center with 30 employees has grown to a multifunctional campus with over 400 employees and a total area of ​​855,000 square foot on four buildings. The location acts as a Bendix 'primary North American distribution center and manages almost 199,000 part numbers consisting of finished products and components.

The system in Huntington is responsible for reworking air compressors, the assembly of electronic components including sensors, electronic control units, radar units and cameras for advanced driver assistance systems (ADAS) as well as the production of integrated modules and engine vibration dampers.

The state-of-the-art AS/RS system

The implemented automated warehouse and provision system is characterized by its impressive technical specifications:

System components:

• 9 shelf control units (RBG/SRMS)
• 14 storage vehicles (STVS)
• 6 Ware-Zur-Person-Stations (GTP)
• 19,000 pallet parking spaces

Shelf control units (RBG)

Shelf control units are rail -guided, single -track vehicles for automated operation of goods in high -bay bearings. These systems can reach construction heights of 6 to 46 meters and move in three axes: the longitudinal length (X-axis), the vertical direction (y-axis) and the direction of gang crossing (Z axis). The nine RBG units in the Bendix system ensure high throughput and can be operated around the clock.

Lager loading vehicles (STV)

Daifukus Sorting Transfer Vehicle (STV) is a rail -guided high -speed system for automated transport and sorting pallets. The STV system reaches speeds of up to 200 meters per minute and transports loads at 30 meters per minute. It offers high flexibility through various configurations such as single shuttle, dual shuttle or loop systems. The 14 STVs in the Bendix system optimize the material flow between the automated warehouses, picking stations and enable efficient sorting based on shipping instructions.

Ware-Zur-Person stations (GTP)

The Goods-to-Personal system represents a modern method of order processing that combines automated storage and provision with precise, ergonomic picking processes. Instead of going to the warehouse positions, the system brings the required items directly to the workplaces. The six GTP stations in the Bendix system eliminate unnecessary terms and offer precise inventory and picking data.

Advantages of system implementation

The implementation of the AS/RS system brings numerous strategic advantages:

Operative excellence:

The system is designed to optimize the space requirement, improve the accuracy and to support long -term growth. Automated warehouse and provision systems ensure continuous, uninterrupted inputs of goods and are available 24/7.

Cost efficiency

The automation of goods handling significantly reduces labor costs because forklift drivers, order pickers and administrative staff can be used for value -growing activities. At the same time, automated handling leads to lower maintenance costs through reduced wear.

Space optimization

The redesign of around 90,000 square foot creates additional space, which is kept in reserve for future expansion options. Automated systems typically use high warehouse shelves and narrow corridors, since employees no longer have to access the highest shelves manually.

Increased security

Automated storage and provision systems are designed to minimize the presence of people, which means that operators are better protected and their jobs are made more ergonomic.

Cross-border cooperation establishes future-oriented warehouse and provision technology

The project reflects Bendix's strong commitment to operational excellence and future -oriented automation. Randy Seaman, director of the North American distribution at Bendix, emphasized: "The transition to GTP will give Bendix an advantage from the technological point of view of distribution, increase productivity for the company and improve our supply capacity of customers".

The transformation of the Bendix Distribution Center enables the company to serve more than 6,000 after-mark and OEM delivery locations across North America. Eric Meehan, Managing Director for Operation in Huntington, said: "With this strategic initiative, we can make the best of our production footprint. The project will enable us to centralize the operation in a larger space and to increase our efficiency and productivity".

Technological innovation and sustainability

The project is part of Bendix 'more comprehensive modernization strategy at the Huntington location. In addition to AS/RS implementation, the company has also centralized the production of engine vibration dampers and increased efficiency and capacity.

The location also shows its commitment to sustainability through a 1.168 megawatt solar system, which has covered 30% of the energy requirement of Werk 1 since 2021, with another solar project on the BDC.

Commercial vehicle industry 4.0: The pioneering automation project sets new standards for operational excellence

The partnership between Daifuku and Bendix Commercial Vehicle Systems in the Huntington AS/RS project represents more than just technological upgrade-it symbolizes the future of industrial automation. The combination of Daifukus proven expertise in the warehouse automation with Bendix 'deep understanding of the commercial vehicle industry creates a warehouse and distribution center of tomorrow, which sets the highest standards in efficiency, security and scalability.

The system with its 9 shelf operating devices, 14 storage load vehicles, 6 goods-to-person stations and 19,000 pallet parking spaces represents an investment in the future, which supports Bendix to meet the growing requirements of the commercial vehicle industry and at the same time to ensure operational excellence. This successful implementation underlines the importance of strategic partnerships in the implementation of complex automation projects and will serve as a reference for future industrial projects.

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Konrad Wolfenstein

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