RS Components is a provider of global product and service solutions with increased consulting needs for industrial customers, allowing them to operate efficiently and sustainably. The company offers a range of products, from small parts to complete control cabinets, with a focus on fast and reliable deliveries. The logistics center in Bad Hersfeld, Germany — developed since 2003 and expanded in 2020 — supports Europe-wide delivery capability.

RS Components supports customers throughout the industrial lifecycle, from development and manufacturing to the maintenance of equipment and facilities. It processes many orders daily, depending on the speed and reliability of its fulfillment operations. Continuous growth pushed its logistics center to its limits.

• Limited storage capacity created the need for expansion. RS Components processes various products, from small electronic components to larger industrial ones. As its portfolio grew, so did the need for storage.
• Demands for throughput and speed increased. Its business model requires fast order processing and short delivery times, making efficiency improvements necessary.
• Manual picking processes required long walking distances through many aisles, slowing operations and creating inconsistencies. With growing order volumes, automation and optimized material flows became essential.
• The IT infrastructure required upgrading. Continuous control of material flows is as crucial as high data quality, necessitating new systems for warehouse management and operations control.

RS Components decided on a comprehensive expansion of its logistics center to create capacity, increase automation, and improve processes.

RS Components once again relied on collaboration with Dematic, a partnership dating back to 2003. This cooperation provides a solid understanding of operational requirements and a stable basis for further development.

Dematic proposed an integrated approach linking automation technology, material flow, and software to coordinate processes precisely and provide transparency for inventory, movements, and orders.

The solution also considered the need for long-term expandability, offering sufficient capacity reserves and flexible structures.

High-density storage, high-performance picking, and integrated software allow both small electronic components and larger products to be stored and fulfilled efficiently.

The new system required close cooperation between RS Components, Dematic, and other partners, with a focus on integrating various systems and coordinating processes.

Modernizing the system software was a priority, including the warehouse management and plant control systems for central control of inventory, orders, and material movements.

The high degree of automation required thorough planning and testing. Goods receipt, storage, picking, and dispatch are interconnected and must work together reliably, making phased commissioning crucial.

Integrating employees was also a priority. New technologies change workflows significantly, and training helped familiarize the team with new processes early on.

After commissioning, Dematic specialists supported operations on-site. The RS Components team received further training and can now operate the system independently.

The logistics center provides continuously controlled material flow, with the Dematic Multishuttle managing storage containers between the storage area and picking stations.

The Dematic Multishuttle spans multiple aisles across 30 levels and uses 300 shuttles to provide high-density storage. It accommodates approximately 285,000 totes, each with up to eight compartments, providing storage capacity for around 950,000 SKUs.

The material flow begins in receiving, where employees record, check, and place items into containers, which are then automatically stored in the Dematic Multishuttle.

During order processing, containers are transported via conveyor to picking workstations, where employees pick items into shipping containers. This goods-to-person process reduces walking distances and enables fast, ergonomic order processing.

Most items are processed automatically. Manual processes are used only for items not suitable for the Dematic Multishuttle.

The warehouse management system (Dematic WMS Software) and plant control system (Dematic WES Software) work together for process control. The WMS manages inventory, orders, and storage strategies, while the WES coordinates automated movements for transparent and stable control.

RS Components has increased its capacity: it currently processes around 15,000 order lines and ships approximately 9,000 to 10,000 parcels. However, significantly higher volumes can be handled when required.

The system achieves a technical availability of almost 99%, ensuring reliable order processing even at high volumes.

Approximately 95% of order items are now handled automatically. Goods-to-person picking eliminates approximately 14,000 picking routes per day, and approximately 82% of shipments are automatically packed, with more than 7,000 packages per day passing through automatic packaging.

Process quality has also improved. Automated processes ensure precise order processing and reduced error rates, while the system software provides transparency for inventories and material flows. The facility offers capacity for future growth with several hundred thousand container storage locations and almost one million item locations, supported by continuously optimized software and integrations.