Balluff, Inc Kardex delivers fully operational AutoStore for global leader in industrial automation in just six months.

At a Glance

Balluff, Inc. aimed to optimize put-away and picking throughput at its Kentucky facility. Building on a successful history of collaboration, Balluff partnered with Kardex to deploy a customized AutoStore solution designed to meet both current operational demands and future growth for the Americas region. Kardex was able to take the project from contract signing to go-live in just 6 months, coming in on time and under budget. It required no major facility upgrades – achieving transformational results with minimal disruption. The resulting system introduced multiple industry firsts to optimize space efficiency and process speed, delivering a 177% increase in throughput.

Customer and Task

Founded in Germany in 1921, Balluff, Inc. is a leading global manufacturer of sensor, identification, network and software solutions, specializing in high-quality smart industrial automation solutions. It has a presence in 68 countries and over 3,600 employees worldwide.

The company was looking to optimize put-away and picking throughput at its facility in Florence, Kentucky, and turned to Kardex for an ASRS to enhance its inventory storage and retrieval process.

Solution

Balluff conducted a thorough assessment of available warehouse automation technologies, selecting AutoStore because it aligned with the company’s current needs and global regionalization strategy. Kardex offered the technical expertise to meet Balluff’s unique installation requirements and a proven track record as a partner, having already installed an AutoStore system at a Balluff facility in Hungary.

The groundbreaking project – comprising an AutoStore Grid with 20,110 bins, 7 robots, 1 ConveyorPort, and 3 CarouselPorts – advanced from contract signing to go-live within six months. It was strategically planned to minimize disruption to ongoing operations and maximize space utilization within the existing infrastructure.

The unique two-phase implementation process involved no greenfield installation and comprised multiple industry firsts:

• The first time the AutoStore has been situated on one side of a wall, with CarouselPorts on the other side (cross-building installation)
• The first time seismic bracers have been used instead of seismic columns, saving valuable floor space
• The first time the AutoStore service grid has been extended into an office area, as opposed to a bridge or platform, creating a more integrated facility design

"The AutoStore implementation at Balluff was on-time and under budget, with the Kardex team in parallel stride with Balluff from conception to project completion. Kardex is composed of a professional team who continually deliver on their promises, and we plan to work with Kardex regarding future projects." 
Steve Duncan, Balluff, Inc. Quality Assurance and Lean Manager

On-Time & Under Budget

The project at Balluff, from contract signing to go-live, took just 6 months to complete, coming in on-time and under budget. This was achieved with minimal disruption to Balluff’s existing operations as the solution was designed around the company’s existing facility, maximizing the use of existing infrastructure and requiring no major upgrades to buildings or power infrastructure.

Rapid Transformation of Fulfillment Capabilities

The AutoStore system empowered by Kardex is delivering dramatically improved productivity and greater overall efficiency in Balluff’s storage and fulfillment operations, including a 177% improvement in lines/hour compared with the previous carousel system. In addition to faster throughput, the future-proof new system has no bottlenecks and has significantly increased storage density due to the compact design of the AutoStore system. It is scalable to meet Balluff’s growing future needs, with new ports and robots easily added to meet rising demand.

Workforce Optimization and Positive Employee Feedback

The new system has optimized Balluff’s workforce and enhanced overall operational effectiveness. Feedback from the Balluff workforce has been overwhelmingly positive, with many reporting that it is user-friendly, reliable and efficient. The intuitive interface has made training and daily operation straightforward, and the ergonomic design has improved the working environment for warehouse staff. The ease of use and reliability of the system have contributed to improved employee satisfaction and operational confidence.

Lessons from Balluff's Journey with Kardex

• Provider Reliability: Kardex has a proven track record and a professional team that works closely with customers to provide their best solution and support them in their automation journey.
• Innovative Customization: Kardex’s willingness to implement industry-first solutions demonstrates automation systems can be adapted to fit unique facility constraints.
• Strategic Phasing: Breaking complex implementations into planned phases can minimize operational disruption.
• Global Standardization: Implementing consistent automation solutions across global locations (as Balluff has done in Hungary and the US) creates operational synergies and simplifies employee training.