Gebrüder Weiss Opens Logistics And IT Center Vorarlberg

Opening ceremony in Wolfurt (Austria) with 250 guests from the worlds of business and politics / Investment of about 100 million euros boosts supply chains and the region / Wolfram Senger-Weiss: "With this location, we’re laying the groundwork for a new era of IT and logistics."

With a symbolic "buzzer moment," Gebrüder Weiss CEO Wolfram Senger-Weiss, Vorarlberg Governor Markus Wallner and Wolfurt Mayor Angelika Moosbrugger inaugurated the new Logistics and IT Center Vorarlberg on April 24. It is one of the most important construction projects in the company's history. Before the eyes of some 250 guests from the fields of business and politics, specially designed pallets holding gifts were retrieved from the fully automated warehouse – literally at the touch of a button – and presented to the guests on stage.

In his opening remarks, Senger-Weiss stressed the significance of the new location, whose strategic purpose is to deliver efficient processes and long-term growth.

"The Logistics and IT Center represents a momentous step forward for our organization. We are making this investment in full awareness of the economically challenging environment; we are creating infrastructure that is designed for a period of decades," said the CEO. "The tight meshing of IT with logistics enables us to further advance key processes, making supply chains even more transparent and secure for our customers."

"The expansion simultaneously reinforces the Vorarlberg location and its status as a major crossroads for the international flow of goods. At the opening ceremony, Governor Wallner underscored the implications of the project for the region: "This investment is a clear commitment to Vorarlberg as a business location. High-powered logistics are the lifeblood of our export-oriented economy, and they strengthen our industries' competitiveness in the global market."

Integrated location with optimized space efficiency

The Logistics and IT Center offers a total area of some 31,000 square meters and its design rigorously follows a holistic concept. The logistics, office and technology sections are housed vertically, facilitating the efficient use of the scarce land resources available in Austria’s Rheintal region. In terms of its functionality, it compares to an appreciably larger, conventional logistics area but has a far smaller footprint.

In addition to the automated high-bay warehouse with its capacity of 68,000 pallets, the center also includes a manual warehouse and a three-story office building for some 400 employees. This is home to the central Gebrüder Weiss IT unit, along with staff from the logistics and other departments. The complex therefore serves as an integrated campus that forges closer links between its various functions, accelerating process optimization.

Automation: the platform for high-performance processes

With its 13 bays, the 34-meter-tall warehouse forms the heart of the complex. Its fully integrated intralogistics system independently controls the flow of goods. Up to 160 palettes can be stored and up to 200 palettes retrieved per hour, making the center one of the largest fully-automated facilities in Europe.

Autonomous storage and retrieval technology, driverless conveyance vehicles, and digitally-guided materials-handling equipment all feature within this environment. Even before construction commenced, the entire system was simulated and optimized using a digital twin. However, people still play key roles: employees monitor and manage the processes, intervening when necessary.

"Automation and data-based systems are crucial components of supply chains, keeping them stable and running efficiently even under fluctuating conditions. They enhance process speed and transparency. But in the end, the human being is still at the helm, verifying the processes and assuming responsibility," comments Senger-Weiss.

Strategic choice of location and sustainable construction methods

The primary advantage of the site is its close proximity to the Wolfurt cargo terminal, which enables the efficient coupling of road and rail transport ¬– and helps to reduce emissions and traffic congestion. At the same time, Gebrüder Weiss customers profit from the location which – being close to the borders of Austria, Switzerland, Liechtenstein and Germany – is a crossroads and interface for mainstream European merchandise flows.

Sustainability also factored into both the construction and operation of the campus. For instance, reduced-CO₂ concrete was used; producing it releases about 35% less carbon dioxide than with traditional materials. The energy concept is supplemented by a photovoltaic system that generates some 1.5 Megawatts peak of power, rooftop plantings and initial charging infrastructure for electric-powered vehicles.

Milestone in corporate history

A total investment volume of approximately 100 million euros makes the Logistics and IT Center an integral component in the long-term site and growth strategy at Gebrüder Weiss.

"But this construction project marks more than a new stage in the evolution of our organization," Senger-Weiss says. "Here we are consolidating the merchandise flows of the region's entire export industry and providing a launchpad for its worldwide distribution. By meshing logistics capacity with state-of-the-art automation technology, it will deliver greater efficiency and transparency for our customers, thereby also multiplying the location's competitiveness."

The logistical and technical standards applied in this project will provide the blueprint for further site expansions. An additional automated logistics terminal is currently being planned at the Swiss location in Pratteln, near Basel, and it will be based on this template.

Fact Box: Logistics and IT Center Vorarlberg

Location: Hohe Brücke Industrial Zone, Wolfurt, Vorarlberg, Austria

Investment: Approximately 100 million euros

Construction period: April 2024 – February 2026

Space & capacity:

• Total area: 30,800 m²

• Logistics area: 24,000 m²

• Jobs: ca. 400

• Integrates logistics, IT and central corporate divisions at one location for the first time

Technology & automation:

• High-bay warehouse: 34 meters tall, 68,000 pallet capacity

• Automated intralogistics systems in operation: 13 automatic storage and retrieval systems, 33 driverless conveyance vehicles

• 8 order-picking stations with elevating and lowering tables and other lifting equipment

  
  

Location & transport links:

• In immediate vicinity of the Wolfurt cargo terminal, combined road-rail connection

• Located near the juncture of four European countries, close to major central European transport routes

  
  

Sustainability:

• Low-carbon concrete (-35% emissions)

• 1.5 MWp photovoltaic system covers a major part of the company's own electricity needs

• Rooftop plantings and biodiversity projects (e.g. beekeeping)

• Charging infrastructure for electric vehicles

• The sprinkler tank doubles as a heat reservoir

• Subsidies for public transportation, no expansive parking lots