Automotive warehousing project a first for local storage company

23rd October 2015 By: Donna Slater - Features Deputy Editor and Chief Photographer

Automotive warehousing project a first for local  storage company

STORAGE SYSTEMS The Renault SA project used 40 t of light-duty racking and a catwalk system, and 80 t of heavy-duty, high-rise racking

Warehousing and storage solutions company Pandae Storage Systems has completed a multimillion-rand project for automotive manufacturer Renault South Africa at its new Isando-based parts distribution centre.

Pandae Storage Sytems is a division of Linbro Park-based commercial and industrial solutions specialist Pandae Group of Companies.

The relocation of the Renault parts distribution centre project was initiated in late 2014, with the physical handover being completed at the end of September. This facilitated the moving of parts to commence in October.

Pandae Storage Systems has been involved from the initiation in assisting Renault to choose the most ideal building, thereby ensuring current and future parts can be accommodated. Pandae Storage System’s comprehensive three-dimensional layouts of the racking and shelving, along with fire sprinkler-systems, lighting, electrical outlets and data layouts of the entire warehouse also assisted in this regard.

Once Renault management decided to buy a particular building, close collaboration between all parties, including Renault SA, Renault’s head office in France, architects, civil engineers and electrical engineers, took place.

With a floor space of 5 500 m2, the Renault SA warehouse will store various automotive components, with Pandae Storage’s products required to hold an initial 20 000 line items, which will be increased to 35 000 line items in the future.

This expansion capacity ensures the parts distribution centre has enough space for growth over the next five to ten years, taking into account new Renault models due to be launched within the next couple of years.

Pandae Storage Systems used 40 t of light-duty racking and a catwalk system from Italy-based company Metalsistem, and 80 t of heavy-duty, high-rise racking from shelving manufacturer Palain, using their Racklock product for this project.

Pandae Group CEO Ryk Coetzee says storing of automotive parts is difficult, owing to the various sizes and unique shapes that differ significantly based on the specific model for which they were designed.

“Owing to our 20 years of knowledge in the automotive parts industry, we have adapted and designed storage products to accommodate all these types of parts,” he says, adding that Pandae has installed its first two-tier mezzanine shelving structure exceeding 400 m2 from Metalsistem shelving products.

Coetzee notes that this system is versatile and can accommodate small to medium parts in specific bins, thereby reducing the possibility of contamination by other parts. This, he says, helps to increase productivity and efficiency by correct picking of specific products.

Pandae’s adjustable shelving units have a number of dividers, bins and pegs to ensure that any range of parts are properly stored and allocated to the correct bin. Coetzee says this product is a first to be offered, and seen, in South Africa.

Pandae Storage Systems plans to work on more future projects for vehicle original-equipment manufacturers for their parts distribution centres, with the ability to offer turnkey solutions, he adds.

“We are involved from the beginning to completion of a project. We liaise with architects and decision-makers, formulate computer- aided design drawings – from initial proposal to final layouts – and every product is custom-made to suit individual clients’ needs,” concludes Coetzee.