Project Experience

Project management and rescue

Commissioned, ramped up and taken to acceptance

Project rescue · Deep-freeze producer · Belgium

Final acceptance within three months, with no penalties

Situation: An automated deep-freeze channel storage system had not reached final acceptance. Open items remained on the software and the mechanical side.
My responsibility: Took over project responsibility from the project manager and worked directly with the software and mechanical teams on every open point.
Result: All open items closed within three months. Final acceptance reached and the project closed without penalties.

Technology: Automated high-bay warehouse with channel storage, pallet conveying system, WCS.

Commissioning · Grocery wholesale · United States

A first-of-its-kind case-picking system taken to full performance

Situation: A prototype distribution centre: the first fully automated case-picking system the supplier had delivered, with technology that had not run in production before.
My responsibility: Managed commissioning and ramp-up of the entire system and solved the problems of the new technology. Hired and led the resident IT, PLC and mechatronics team of 16 and fed lessons learned back into equipment and software.
Result: Ramped up to full performance. Final acceptance on schedule and on budget.

Technology: Automated multi-level shuttle, delayering robots, case wheelers, case stacking robots, WCS, pack-pattern generator.

Commissioning and operation · Drugstore chain · United States

Two distribution centres for 800 stores, accepted on schedule and on budget

Situation: Two large fully automated distribution centres at two US sites, supplying 800 stores in total.
My responsibility: Managed commissioning and ramp-up of both systems and built the resident maintenance organisation of 70 FTE across IT, PLC and mechatronics.
Result: Ramped to full performance and beyond. Final acceptance on schedule and on budget, followed by two years of profitable after-sales operation with spare parts and change requests.

Technology: Automated high-bay warehouse, automated receiving with decant and tilt-tray sorter, miniload with zone picking, GTP picking with carousel storage, automatic tote stacking, WCS.

The service: Project management and rescue

Operations optimisation

Analysed, reworked and measured

Operations optimisation · Multichannel retail · United Kingdom

More than ten improvements identified and implemented

Situation: A live multi-area automated warehouse with room for improvement in process and storage efficiency and in the interaction between WMS and ERP.
My responsibility: Analysed the operation, reworked the interaction between the supplier's WMS and the customer's ERP and oversaw the implementation.
Result: More than ten actions to improve product flow and reduce labour cost, implemented and tracked against purpose-built KPIs.

Technology: Automated high-bay warehouse, miniload, GTP picking with carousel systems, hanging sorter, WMS, WCS.

The service: Operations optimisation

Technical due diligence and M&A

Screened, evaluated and taken to the board

M&A evaluation · AMR technology · China

Board recommendation, followed by the investment

Situation: A global intralogistics group wanted to add AMR technology to its portfolio through a partner to invest in.
My responsibility: Market analysis, shortlist against partner criteria, management interviews, site visits and hands-on evaluation of products and technology. Negotiated the cooperation agreement.
Result: Recommendation presented to the board. The group invested in the recommended partner.

Technology: Autonomous mobile robots including fleet controller software.

The service: Technical due diligence and M&A

Planning and design

Designed and contracted

Sales, design and installation · Grocery wholesale · Australia

A first-of-its-kind 3D-Matrix system handed over on time

Situation: A grocery wholesaler ordered the first 3D-Matrix case-picking (SCP) system the supplier installed.
My responsibility: Led sales and design, negotiated the contract and managed the overall project with P&L responsibility, including the teething problems of the new technology.
Result: Installation handed over to the commissioning team on time. Lessons learned fed back into equipment and software.

Technology: Automated multi-level shuttle, delayering robots, case stacking robots, WCS, pack-pattern generator.

Sales and design · Grocery wholesale · Norway

Deep-freeze case-picking system designed and contracted

Situation: A grocery wholesaler planned a deep-freeze case-picking (SCP) installation.
My responsibility: Led the sales and design process and negotiated the contract.
Result: Contract signed and the project handed over cleanly to the realisation team.

Technology: Automated shuttle storage, delayering robots, case stacking robots, WCS, pack-pattern generator.

Sales and design · Grocery retail · Germany

Multi-area automated warehouse designed, building included

Situation: A grocery retailer planned a multi-area automated warehouse including the building.
My responsibility: Led the sales and design process for the whole facility including the building and negotiated the contract.
Result: Contract signed and the project handed over to the realisation team.

Technology: Building, automated high-bay warehouse, shuttle system, pallet conveyor, multi-zone picking, AGVs, WCS.

The service: Planning and design

Track record

Where the experience comes from

20+ years in intralogistics and automated warehouse operations

€100m+ annual order intake as Vice President Food Retail

2 first-of-a-kind case-picking systems: one commissioned, one sold, designed and installed

70 FTE in the largest resident team built and led

Sectors

Drugstore chains
Grocery wholesale
Grocery retail
Multichannel retail
Deep-freeze logistics
Intralogistics groups

Geographies

Germany
United Kingdom
Belgium
Norway
United States
Australia
China
Thailand

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Projects from twenty years in intralogistics