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Aug 5, 2020 at 7:03 AMFor 30 years, the Mercedes-Benz Global Logistics Center in Germersheim has been supplying partners in over 150 countries with parts and accessories for commercial vehicles and passenger cars from Mercedes-Benz, smart, and FUSO. Just in time for the anniversary, the commissioning of the new warehouse complex with the latest storage and conveyor technology and a storage area of 80,000 m² has been completed, marking another milestone in the development of the site.
(Germersheim) The Mercedes-Benz Global Logistics Center Germersheim is celebrating its 30th anniversary this year and the commissioning of a new, state-of-the-art warehouse complex. The after-sales location was put into operation in 1990 as a central warehouse for the spare parts supply of the then Daimler-Benz AG and has since been expanded in several stages. With the commissioning of the new warehouse complex equipped with the latest storage and conveyor technology, it is now at the cutting edge of technology. As a competence center for global parts logistics in the after-sales supply chain network of Daimler AG, the site supplies partners in over 150 countries with parts and accessories for commercial vehicles and passenger cars from Mercedes-Benz, smart, and FUSO. The important role of the Global Logistics Center for vehicle mobility, especially in system-critical areas, is also evident during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
“The significance of the Global Logistics Center for global spare parts supply and the great commitment of the employees has once again been impressively demonstrated in recent months, during which we have ensured the mobility of emergency services, response teams, freight forwarders, and many other customers despite the most difficult conditions,” says Thomas Schulz, Head of Global Service & Parts Operations. “The good and reliable spare parts supply from the Global Logistics Center goes hand in hand with the longevity of our products. Our employees can rightly be very proud of this.”
Already at the opening of one of the most modern logistics centers
The Global Logistics Center was already one of the largest and most modern distribution centers for vehicle parts in the automotive industry at its opening in July 1990. Automated conveyor technology such as driverless transport systems and storage and retrieval machines were already in intensive use back then and continue to be so today: Since then, the central warehouse has been expanded and modernized several times. The commissioning of the new warehouse complex with the latest storage and conveyor technology marks another milestone in the continuous development of the site.
“The Global Logistics Center Germersheim looks back on a successful and significant history. The continuous and high availability of parts makes our after-sales location a reliable partner. In conjunction with our global logistics network, we ensure fast spare parts availability worldwide even in challenging times. With the commissioning of the new warehouse complex, we are creating additional dynamic storage space and making the Germersheim site fit for the future once again,” says Klaus Ziemsky, Site Manager of the Global Logistics Center.
New warehouse complex with high-bay storage
To celebrate the anniversary of the Mercedes-Benz after-sales location in Germersheim, the latest warehouse expansion has been commissioned. The new warehouse complex has a capacity of 80,000 m². The central element of the new hall is a 40-meter high high-bay warehouse for medium and bulky parts; it is complemented by a 12-meter high picking warehouse for medium parts – both equipped with high-performance storage and retrieval machines. The latest technologies, such as an electric floor conveyor, ensure fast loading and unloading of components. The storage of materials is fully automated via the conveyor technology connection with a combination of chain conveyors, lifting, and electric pallet conveyors directly into the high-bay warehouse. Efficiency and ergonomics were taken into account in the design of the employees’ workstations, with highly ergonomic goods-to-person workstations. Approximately 100 million euros were invested in the expansion and modernization of the Global Logistics Center.
“With the opening of the new high-bay warehouse, we continue the tradition of setting standards in the Global Logistics Center Germersheim with the latest automation technology for vehicle parts logistics in the after-sales sector of the automotive industry. This allows us to achieve the next milestone in the technical and digital transformation at our site,” says Ingo M. Flachs Nóbrega, Head of Control & Design Global Parts Supply Chain Network.
From the Green Island to the whole world
The Global Logistics Center is located on the Green Island – between the Rhine and the old Rhine arms – in southern Palatinate Germersheim. Together with its external locations in Offenbach an der Queich, Wörth, Ettlingen, and Hatten/France, the central warehouse holds around 500,000 different passenger car and commercial vehicle parts as well as Mercedes-Benz accessories for immediate retrieval on over 1.4 million square meters of storage space. As a competence center for global parts logistics, the Global Logistics Center manages the worldwide after-sales supply chain of Daimler AG. The site supplies the wholesale level of the group in Europe and overseas. On average, over 40,000 delivery note items leave the Global Logistics Center every day. Shipping is done by truck, ship, train, or airplane, and in emergencies also by express service. In addition to supplying current vehicles, the Global Logistics Center also keeps an eye on the company’s classics: spare parts are available long after a model series has been phased out.
The Global Logistics Center employs around 3,100 people. The affiliated 40 wholesale locations – including five German logistics centers in Hanover, Cologne, Nuremberg, Mainz, and Reutlingen – ensure rapid supply to service operations worldwide with a product range tailored to the respective market.
People, nature, and technology in harmony
Sustainability is firmly integrated into the daily processes at the Mercedes-Benz Global Logistics Center: Energy and water consumption as well as emissions are continuously optimized. Over the past 30 years, energy consumption per square meter of storage space has already been reduced by more than half through the use of efficient plants and systems as well as professional expertise. A photovoltaic system with more than 5,000 modules on the roof of a logistics hall produces over 1.3 million kilowatt-hours of electricity annually on an area of 15,000 m². In addition, the in-house combined heat and power plant covers a significant part of the heating and electricity needs of the Germersheim plant and saves around 2,800 tons of CO2 per year.
Already in the design of the central warehouse in the early 1980s, the planners paid attention to minimizing the environmental impact of construction and operation. Significant investments were made 30 years ago solely for the planting of the island. In 2019, a 19,000 m² temporary switching biotope was also created in the middle of the factory premises – providing employees with outdoor workplaces. Careful attention was paid to suitable species when selecting tree, shrub, and perennial species, with a flowering offer for insects throughout the year. Trees, flowers, and shrubs were planted, and green spaces were created with biodiversity in mind. At work pods with sun sails, employees can also work and hold meetings outdoors. In recent years, roofs have also been greened, providing habitats for native plants and animals. Thus, the Global Logistics Center makes an important contribution to the preservation of biodiversity.
Photos: © Mercedes-Benz
