Rutronik lays the foundation for further growth

The new storage and logistics centre expands the existing warehouse in Eisingen close to Rutronik's headquarters in Ispringen near Pforzheim. It adds 9,000 square metres of floor space, giving Rutronik more than twice as much space as previously. And the space is not only bigger. Together with the industrial buildings specialist Vollack, Rutronik has developed a concept that employs shorter routes and more effective procedures to further streamline internal logistics processes. As a result, Rutronik can process and deliver orders more quickly. A goods receipt department as well as a 2-storey administration area for offices and meeting rooms are integrated into the warehouse and order-picking hall. Some 100 additional employees are set to boost the current workforce of 120 at Eisingen. Rutronik commissioned Vollack GmbH & Co. KG from Karlsruhe to design, plan and implement the project. The project manager at Rutronik is Helmut Rudel, President of Rutronik Elektronische Bauelemente GmbH. The turning of the first sod marks the official start of construction work, which is due to complete in autumn 2014. "The new building marks yet another milestone in the history of Rutronik. This significant investment creates the foundation that will enable us to meet current and future requirements and, therefore, to ensure the continued success of Rutronik," explains Helmut Rudel. "Our complex conveyor technology and the high degree of automation represent a challenge for which the experience provided by Vollack is extremely helpful." The storage and logistics centre covers approximately 8,600 square metres of storage and order-picking space. In addition, there are three raised storage areas totalling approximately 6,000 square metres. The new facility can accommodate up to 11,000 pallet spaces, some 90,000 standard shelf spaces and an order buffer with approximately 3,000 storage locations. The very latest building and energy technology is integrated to ensure maximum energy efficiency and the roof features a photovoltaic system. The future-proof and sustainable design includes the option of upgrading two concrete ceilings for use for different purposes later on. "The new building is our gift to us to mark the company's 40th anniversary. We have a tradition of acting promptly to ensure that we can meet the customer needs of tomorrow and stay one step ahead of the competition," says Thomas Rudel, Chairman of the Executive Management at Rutronik. "Due to our continuous above-average growth to date and our global orientation since 2010, we have reached the capacity limits of our existing premises. To create space for future growth, we have decided to make this significant investment. It is also particularly challenging to plan, construct and move into the new storage facility while ensuring that customers do not notice any changes in our day-to-day operations - apart from shorter delivery times once we are up and running in the new logistics centre. For this reason, I am delighted that my father Helmut Rudel has assumed overall project management responsibility. This means I can be sure that we will successfully complete it."