Thomas Thalhammer, Managing Director at Schiller Automatisierungstechnik GmbH, gives an update on the company's largest individual project to date: The emerging high-bay warehouse in Dingolfing. In addition to the complete project management, Schiller is providing their customer with all electrical and automation engineering work, while coordinating tasks of several subcontractors.
Following SCIO’s project report a few weeks ago, here is an update on the current status in times of coronavirus.
Thomas Thalhammer, as Managing Director at Schiller you have already been involved in countless large projects. What is the difference between this high-bay warehouse project and other projects?
Thalhammer: One difference is certainly that, apart from a few framework agreements, this is the largest individual project to date that we are handling as a general contractor for our client. Meaning that we are supplying a fully automated warehouse completely from the ground plate. As per usual, not only is the complete planning done in Osterhofen (Bavaria), but all control technology including all switch cabinets and the software are also developed inhouse.
And how is the project currently progressing? Are you facing challenges due to the Corona pandemic?
Thalhammer: Neither the Corona crisis nor the weather have slowed the project down. Although we struggled with icy ground plates in winter and strong wind at the beginning of the year, there were hardly any delays caused by the overall good weather conditions. Therefore, we are on schedule and nothing stands in the way of the current commissioning.
Can you tell us what has happened so far and what the current project status is?
Thalhammer: In the past months, the high-bay warehouse has grown both in height and length; the steel construction has recently been completed. In May, we brought in the six stacker cranes, which will later be used to move more than 70,000 mesh boxes with various spare parts through the interior of the high-bay warehouse. The outer shell of the warehouse was closed last month. The switch cabinets for the control of the high-bay warehouse, which were completed at our site in Osterhofen, are also ready and will gradually be integrated into the overall system.
So, in order for the project to be completed, what is still to come?
Thalhammer: After that, the fine-tuning of the commissioning process begins, so that all components of the high-bay warehouse, the delivery area for example, can communicate with each other and work together. The final completion of the construction is scheduled for the end of 2020.